Atlantic Station to add full-service concierge next year

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Is the Midtown mixed-use development taking a step back towards touristy?

Atlantic Station’s new owners have been working around the clock to make the Midtown development feel less open-air mall and more intown connected.

Its latest gimmick seems like a step backwards.

Atlantic Station announced in a press release last week, it will debut a full-service concierge in a location adjacent to the community’s Central Park as a new amenity to guests.

“Whether seeking advice or enjoying the center’s shops, restaurants and entertainment activities guest will have a central authority for requests, recommendations and a variety of services,” according to the release. “The Atlantic Station Concierge, slated to open in January 2012, will help Atlanta locals and visitors alike to maximize the experience of enjoying life in the city and even tap into unexpected delights around the world.

North American Properties, Atlantic Station’s new developer, has been taking “transformative steps” to “reimagine” the Midtown Atlanta center, since January. Those steps include new tenants, shops and restaurants, a new public safety initiative, a $2.5 million investment to overhaul the parking facility and more than $2 million invested to improve the guest experience.

“A superior Concierge is often an instrumental part of creating the most memorable experiences on trips to world-class cities and resorts and we’re bringing this level or service to Atlantic Station every day,” Mark Toro, Managing Partner of North American Properties, said in the release.

“By modeling our suite of services after best practices at some of the world’s greatest resorts, our level of service will not be what people typically associate with a mixed-use retail center. Our friends, neighbors and guests in the heart of Midtown are open to new and unique experiences that keep them inspired, and we invite them all to share with us the types of services that they may most wish from our concierge.”

Although Atlantic Station’s new developer has made vast improvements to the Midtown development, it seems a full-service concierge is something that belongs in malls and will attract more tourists, something Atlantic Station says it’s trying to avoid.

 

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

9 Responses

  1. Caleb,

    What an insightful, unbiased modest review! You’re right. If a guests wants to figure out shuttle stops from IKEA to the movies, I say make ’em wander around like the riff raff they are. Eventually, they will get tired of holding their sagging britches off the ground and go back to their section 8 housing at LIndbergh.

    Just last Friday, Becky and I decided to go on an urban adventure from Milton to MIdtown. We left around noon to maximize our Lexus Lane pass. When we pulled in at 2:30 p.m., there soup trucks everywhere and hundreds of people waiting for their government handouts. (See here: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/0/0/3/2/ar131804007623008.jpg ) We were shocked!

    If they want to get rid off the “element” at Atlantic Station, I say start with that free shuttle! Becky and I don’t even let little Madison trick or treat. All of that free stuff is the gateway for welfare

    Another “Fail” for the almighty Mark Toro. Let’s ride the Herman Cain Train into 2012!

    Oh, I forgot to rant about density, say Ikea belonged on Peachtree Street and the area was better off left a brownfield.

    Urbanist, you can take it from here.

  2. Caleb,

    Your disdain for Atlantic Station is reaching comical proportions!

    Since when does a concierge (AKA: Glorified Information Booth) attract more tourists? Is that one of the questions you ask when deciding whether to go shopping or not? “I wonder if they have a concierge?” Ridiculous

    And why is attracting more tourists a bad thing for a retail development?

    Wipe your snotty nose.

  3. hi clicker, thanks for your comment. there is no “disdain” for AS. the new developer has made noteworthy improvements and the development has come along away in the past 10 months, alone.

    but adding a concierge service is not inline with the new developers goals (of making the development more connected with the rest of midtown). can you imagine white provisions district on the westside having a concierge or what about chelsea market in NYC? i can’t. perhaps if you don’t live in the area, a concierge would be beneficial.

    also, attracting tourists isn’t a bad thing, unless your goal is to take your development from feeling touristy to having a more intown feel.

    i don’t care that AS is adding a concierge. in fact, it’ll probably be a great service for AS customers. my point, and i do have one, is that it seems like a step backwards from the new developer’s goal.

    –cjs

  4. If White Provisions or Chelsea Market are full of visitors that need concierge services, I can absolutely imagine them adding that service.

    I don’t understand your point that you consider adding this service a step backwards.

    But whatever…

  5. I really don’t know how a concierge could help me with Atlantic Station. And if we need help with other things in life, we now have Siri. Seriously, though, I don’t know what they could help me with that I couldn’t get somewhere else. I would rather have answers to questions like, “Why is there only one shuttle running at 7:00 on a Friday evening?” Sometimes it’s nice to have a human walk you through things, but I just don’t know what kind of things related to Atlatnic Station I need that kind of help with.

    And what kind of employees will be working there? New people, hired just for their customer service skills? If so, then that doesn’t seem too helpful to me, because they will likely be working off of a script or pre-arranged processes. What might be helpful would be someone who really knows Atlantic Station AND Atlanta, but it seems like, “California Pizza Kitchen really has overpriced mediocre pizza; here’s a few places in Atlanta that are worth going to,” would be a little too selfless on the part of an AS concierge.

  6. Who would need or use a concierge?? I can search various websites that will be give me local reviews of restaurants, shops, and or entertainment. What’s the next press release- Installation of pay phones to improve the guest experience? I thought Toro had hired young/hip employees to come up with creative, relevant ideas.

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