CONGRATULATIONS ATLANTA INTOWN Real Estate Briefs

Fuqua Development has unveiled plans for a high-density, mixeduse development on property near the Atlanta Waterworks that was once earmarked for a new transit hub by Amtrak and Greyhound. According to reports, the nearly 14acre site is at the southeast corner of 17th Street and Northside Drive. The project would include approximately 350 multifamily units, 100 detached townhomes, and more than 35,000 square feet in retail space.

Buckhead’s rapid growth is reflected in the rise of new apartments, according to the Buckhead Coalition. The increase shows why residents should support the city’s proposed infrastructure bond issue, Coalition President Sam Massell said last month. The coalition said 300 new Buckhead apartment units were announced recently by Regent Partners and 351 more were announced by Hanover, bringing the list to 30 different projects totaling 9,422 units. “It certainly represents a healthy economic condition,” Massell said, while admitting not all of the projects may come to fruition. “Apparently, it’s a direct response to the population growth of 25- to 35-year-olds who presently prefer the flexibility of renting, rather than owning,” Massell said.

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Georgia Tech has retained Stevens & Wilkinson to provide architectural, engineering and interior design services for a comprehensive renovation of the Glenn and Towers Residence Halls. A new 8,400-square-foot addition will connect the two residences, fulfilling the original 1940 master plan, and features a fitness center, multipurpose meeting room, classroom and small group study rooms. Exterior grounds will also be redesigned to create new outdoor spaces for recreation and entertainment as well as a new accessible route through the sector of campus where the residences are located. The threeyear, 125,000-square-foot project is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes have been at the highest level in six years, according to The Cal-Culator index from Southeast Mortgage. Sales of new, singlefamily homes in August rose 18 percent nationally from July and 33 percent above 2013 levels, according to the latest data released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development on September 24. The South posted a 7.8 percent change month-to-month, and a 27.2 percent increase from 2013. The data also reflected a slight increase in inventory, which now stands at a 4.8-month supply. Unfortunately, after four consecutive months of gains, existing-home sales fell 1.8 percent nationally and 4.2 percent in the South in August, according to The National Association of Realtors.

Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta has announced the appointment of Valerie Levin, senior vice president, Business Development and Operations, and Joe Gary, builder account manager, to the management team.

Four Atlanta Realtors have been recognized among the top 1 percent of sales associates affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Atlanta for 2013. Debbie Sonenshine, Robin Blass, Marc Castillo and Bradford Smith were recognized at a gala event in West Palm Beach, Florida, to honor the top regional associates from NRT LLC, the largest residential brokerage in the country.

An update on the North Buckhead master plan

The Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods heard an update on the North Buckhead master plan during its October meeting.

Caleb Racicot, from planning and architectural firm TSW, said preliminary recommendations for the master plan were made in late September, including protecting the single-family home nature of the community, creating more parks and greenspace, and creating more walking and biking options.

Racicot said preserving the current land use pattern and not allowing multi-family housing to encroach into single-family neighborhoods was a top priority. He also said there were opportunities for low-density, mixed-use developments in areas zoned for commercial, and that a recommendation would be made to the city of Atlanta about rezoning changes.

TSW has also been exploring unbuilt lots and open areas that might create more greenspace for the community. Racicot said there’s also potential to use some of the old Ga. 400 toll area for recreational space. New sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and bike lanes are also in the plan, along with traffic calming on West Wieuca and Old Ivy Road. North Buckhead Civic Association President Gordon Certain said, unfortunately, the master plan was too late to figure into the infrastructure bond referendum proposed by the city of Atlanta.