In addition to our normal news coverage, What Now Atlanta is tracking ways Atlanta’s businesses are adapting to the novel coronavirus and the challenges it brings to brick-and-mortars.
Compass Development Marketing Group this month is opening up two new properties—condominium building J5 in Midtown and phase two of the Thompson Street Flats in Alpharetta—for move-ins amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
When What Now Atlanta (WNA) received news of the openings, it had our team pondering if moving during the coronavirus outbreak was possible.
The short answer is “yes.”
Under the City’s “stay at home” order which is in effect until April 7 moving is considered an essential activity. The order will likely be extended.
Whether or not moving is safe is a bit more contentious.
The American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA), which lists guidelines for moving during the pandemic, recommends waiting until after the outbreak has subsided if at all possible.
“Health and safety [are] important,” Rachel Peretz, marketing director for AMSA, told the Philadelphia Inquire Wednesday.
“If they can’t put it off, it’s safe to move. Some people don’t have a choice.”
At J5, the homes are move-in ready with closings slated for April 2020.
In anticipation of move-ins, starting at the “end of April,” the property will “disinfect everything that comes into the building,” a company spokesperson in an email told WNA.
Movers will also wear masks, surgical gloves, and booties and will “take extra precautions and dedicate an elevator exclusively to each move, and it will be disinfected before and after each move.”
“The timing is right for J5 in Midtown,” Pauline Miller, managing director of Compass Development Marketing Group, said in a prepared statement.
“Through many years working in real estate, one basic remains true in any market, location, location, location. With J5 being five blocks off Piedmont Park and Ponce City Market and the Beltline, J5 delivers sustainable value and a fresh and remarkable lifestyle opportunity in Midtown.”
The 150-home mid-rise offers green space, terraces, community spaces, pool courtyard with an outdoor summer kitchen, club room, garden courtyard, rooftop lounge, 24-hour security, one-story private gated parking, and two boardrooms fully equipped with AV equipment to provide meeting space for homeowners who work from home.
Beginning in the low $600s, J5 offers a variety of two-bedroom homes.
In Alpharetta, Thompson Street Flats, Kairos Development’s newest community in the heart of downtown Alpharetta, is ready for move-ins offering single-level homes.
These three-bedroom homes are priced from the high $800s with nearly 2,800 square feet.
But what about Atlanta apartments?
AptAmigo, a real estate technology startup founded to improve the apartment search process, is working to relieve some stressors for Atlantans moving during the era of “social distancing.”
“We’ve been in the rental industry for years, and we didn’t think apartment hunting could get any more difficult,” Dan Willenborg, CEO of AptAmigo, told What Now Atlanta.
“Then the pandemic happened, and we were presented with the challenge of how to show apartments while staying socially distanced. Suddenly, in person showings became nearly impossible. “
With a service like AptAmigo, would-be-Atlanta-renters can minimize risk by utilizing the technology to tour virtually, among other things.
“This unprecedented time has solidified AptAmigo’s belief that renters deserve better,” Willenborg said.
“Sorting through thousands of listings, struggling to coordinate tours, and ultimately hoping for the best is not how anyone should have to choose their next place to live.”
[Editor’s note: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving as is its effect on Atlanta, and the City’s businesses and its residents. Click here for What Now Atlanta’s ongoing coverage of the crisis. For guidance and updates on the pandemic, please visit the C.D.C. website.]
