Ponce City Market expansion will feature residential tower, office building

By Collin Kelley

Ponce City Market unveiled plans Nov. 10 for a 500,000 square foot expansion, which will include a residential tower and office building at the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Glen Iris Drive in Old Fourth Ward.

Although not detailed in the press release, a rendering of the residential tower, which will include retail space on the ground floor, appears to rise at least 20 stories and will contain more than 400 units.

Jamestown, the company behind the creation of Ponce City Market, said the residential tower would be a first-of-its-kind concept called “hospitality living,” According to press materials, “the hospitality units will offer thoughtfully designed spaces with flexible short-term and long-term leases at accessible price points. Residents will also benefit from hotel-like services and amenities, including regular housekeeping and laundry services, a rooftop terrace and pool, and in-building storage units. The building will also include around 13,000 square feet of retail space.”

The 100,000 square foot, four-story LEED-Gold commercial office building, will offer tenants customizable space with an option to create outdoor, private balconies. The ground floor will house 25,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and offer a direct connection to a new courtyard space between the residential tower.

Jamestown said the office building will be constructed using cross laminated timber (CLT), keeping in line with the company’s commitment to reduce embedded carbon in their buildings, and achieve zero net operational carbon throughout its portfolio by 2050.

The expansion will sit on what is now Ponce City Market’s west parking lot. Jamestown did not release any details about parking for the new office building or residential tower but said it would encourage micro-mobility with bike and scooter parking, designated rideshare drop-off sites, an electric bike share program, and electric car charging stations.

Along with the new buildings, Jamestown said Ponce City Market’s busy Central Food Hall will also get a 2,000 square foot expansion by reworking former office and retail space.

“With this next chapter, we’re looking forward to adding more space for the community to work, eat, shop, and enjoy Ponce City Market,” said Matt Bronfman, CEO of Jamestown. “These plans keep sustainability top-of-mind with ample outdoor space, new technologies, green materials, and design that draws on the beauty of nature while honoring the history of Ponce City Market.”

Ponce City Market first opened its doors in 2013 and has since been credited as the catalyst for revitalizing the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. The former Sears & Roebuck catalog distribution and retail center and later City Hall East has been a fixture on Ponce for nearly a century.

◄The City of Refuge and the Westside Future Fund recently welcomed the first residents to The 1300: A Beloved Inspired Community, located directly across City of Refuge’s campus on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. Where there had once stood an apartment complex in complete disrepair, there is now a 47-unit complex of 2- and 3-bedroom / 2-bath apartments – perfect for families previously at risk of displacement. City of Refuge and Westside Future Fund will jointly own and manage the property, offering about one third of the units to graduates of City of Refuge’s workforce training programs and residential program participants. The two organizations formed a joint venture to complete The 1300, with the help of local firm Nelson Mullins, which provided pro bono legal services. For more information, visit cityofrefugeatl.org.

IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management) has awarded its Real Estate Management Excellence (REME) Innovator Award to Cortland – a multifamily real estate investment, development and management company headquartered in Atlanta – for its bed bug monitoring device. The device, which is patented and currently undergoing testing, seeks to provide a proactive and less invasive approach to bed bug detection and remediation. Cortland was also chosen as one of five finalists out of 560 organizations overall for Accredited Management Organization (AMO) of the Year.

►The Brightstar Team | COMPASS has reached a sales milestone at Pontiac Place – 50 percent sold out.

Built by O’Dwyer Homes, the community in the Ormewood Park neighborhood features new singlefamily homes priced from the high $300,000s.

The homes at Pontiac Place are semi-custom, energy efficient and Energy Star-certified, and they feature craftsman architecture with historical details. Homes include four bedrooms and two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half bathrooms and front porches. To learn more, visit OwnPontiac.com or TheBrightstarTeam.com.

◄Alexan Eight West, a luxury apartment complex in West Midtown, has welcomed its first residents. The community of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments is located on 3rd Street and Northside Drive. Visit alexaneightwest.com for additional information.