[Renderings] New plans and name announced for Streets of Buckhead — a $700 million project

Construction on Buckhead Atlanta to begin late 2011 with an expected $700 million spent to complete the project to date

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UPDATE (Sept. 29, 2011): Buckhead Atlanta (formerly Streets of Buckhead) confirms signed tenants and releases latest renderings

Monday, OliverMcMillan — San Diego-based real estate firm that develops urban and mixed-use retail, entertainment and residential projects — unveiled new renderings, a new architectural model and a new name for Streets of Buckhead.

The announcement was made at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual RECon show in Las Vegas.

Buckhead Atlanta will be the new name of the six-block, eight-acre luxury mixed-use urban village formerly know as the Streets of Buckhead, according to spokesman Bryan Long.

“Formerly known as The Streets of Buckhead, the project was one of the highest profile developments in the country halted by the economic downturn and financing drought,” Long said in an email to What Now Atlanta. “The new name signifies a departure from the concept of a single destination development and a move toward a mixed-use community that will fit seamlessly within the existing Buckhead Village.”

Buckhead Atlanta will become an urban village, with a scale that matches the existing neighborhood and include points of interest that encourage walking, according to Long.

“The development plan has been scaled back to a more walkable, human scale, with one- to two-story buildings on the southern edge of the property, scaling up to the already planned, 20-story apartment towers,” Long said.

OliverMcMillan plans to begin construction on the project in late 2011. The firm will continue work to evolve the architectural plans. Leasing efforts on the development officially begin today at the ICSC convention.

OliverMcMillan owns and permanently controls the project and will invest an additional $300 million to complete the project, beyond the nearly $400 million spent to date.

Check out these renderings of Buckhead Atlanta:

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

51 Responses

  1. This is a lot better than the previous plans. I’m glad this looks like it will finally get done! Thanks for the renderings!

  2. One of the major draws of Atlanta is the fact that it’s not so expensive to live here. With DanielSelig staying true to his idea of luxury shopping for the Midtown Mile and with Streets of Buckhead, does anybody else wonder what’s being developed for the average person in this city? Can Atlanta even handle all these luxury complexes?

  3. The retailers will dictate that. The higher ups look at their cost of occupancy reports ever month (rent per square foot vs sales per square foot). They will do projections on this in-depth before signing a lease and may negotiate their rent (a portion could be percentage rent on sales) to meet their needs. If their cost of occupancy isn’t strong (ie Atlanta can support it), they will demand lower rents, move out, etc. They could even build into their leases the right to ‘kick-out’ if they don’t hit certain sales per square foot. Luckily the folks who build and lease these are experts at this game and hopefully can work together to make it a success for everyone.

  4. I’m whelmed. Anywhere USA….These rendering (minus the aerial) look to have been plucked from another project….any other project, that stalled in the past three years. I hope the built quality is better than the rendering quality, but leasing will determine how close to the lowest-common-denomiator this falls. Oh well…better than a hole in the ground.

  5. “Buckhead Atlanta” that is the best they can do. I understand the Streets of Buckhead need to be changed not to be negatively perceived due to the past, but “Buckhead Atlanta”, really. I am going to Buckhead Atlanta, in Buckhead. WTF. How about “The Avenues” or something

  6. I agree that it looks like anywhere, USA… but at the same time that’s sort of how Buckhead is anyways. (Not to say that its alright.) It will be a nice addition to Buckhead to have more walkable areas.

  7. Yea, what the hell is up with them calling it “Buckhead Atlanta.” That is the dumbest name ever for the complex….”Hey guys, let’s go to Buckhead Atlanta over in Buckhead….”

  8. Why couldn’t it just be called “Buckhead Village”? Oh yeah because it’s now owned by a far away developer with no connection to Metro Atlanta who probably doesn’t realize the area already has a name which is much better than the one they came up with. Oh well, at least they have the capital to get it done.

  9. When I first read the name was “Buckhead Atlanta” I was like “really?” But I think the idea is for it to just be Buckhead, and not come across as some mass mixed-use development that was built all at one time. Rodeo Drive and Worth Avenue were not built all at one time, and their names are synonymous with luxury.

    The goal is for the name “Buckhead” to be synonymous with luxury too, and for the destination to be the existing community not a planned development.

  10. As someone who works in an office building across the street, I welcome the completion of the project. Definitely better than the current hole I see every day, but to echo others, high-end retailers are not really “for me”. I’d love some new (unique but not $25/plate) lunch places.

    The name sure does sound weird. I liked “Streets of Buckhead” just fine. Frankly, people will complain on this board no matter what it’s called, but I’ll have to get used to “Buckhead Atlanta”. Something redundant-sounding about it. Why not complete the sentence?

    Buckhead Atlanta Georgia USA Earth

  11. Love it….and glad its happening.
    Now Atlantic Station can really become what it is..
    the “other underground”.

  12. Almost forgot – pretty funny – the first rendering has the library and the Eclipse building next to each other. They “deleted” the space in between where the Elbow Room sits.

  13. They really need to rethink the name because it is awful. The renderings look ok. Not great though. It should be more innovative and opulent since it is in buckhead. I hope they are still tweaking their ideas.

  14. Call it “Peachtree Road”. When you go Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue you’re going to an area not just a street.

  15. Yeah… I’m going to still call it The Streets of Buckhead unless they give it a real name. But regardless, I’m glad that something is happening with this project. Hopefully the project won’t get stalled anymore…

  16. The renderings appear to keep the original ~600,000 SF of retail intact, including several of the brand names that were originally signed on, like Oscar de la Renta. If these retailers were still not signed on, then Oliver MacMillan would not include them in its new renderings. That in itself is great news.

    Other good news is that it includes only two ~25 floor condo towers, which is not absolutely overwhelming. They will probably be built last.

    I, for one, do not think that the renderings look like anytown USA, but I agree that the name is one of the worst I have ever heard in a long time (as someone stated the developer is 2,500 miles away and has *no* connection to Atlanta).

    I am sure that rent for the retailers plummetted and concessions/abatements went up because there are no longer empty condos and office space to fill above. Construction will be cheaper and quicker and our retail market here in Atlanta can’t hold a candle to Dallas and Miami in terms of buying power/spending habits, so retailers need some incentives to locate here, especially high end retailers.

  17. I’m curious…Building a luxury center of retail/dining in Buckhead will obviously be geared towards the affluent crowds of Atlanta. Perhaps this is just perception, but is the wealth of W. Paces – what this project was initially geared towards capturing – really going to be enough to support stores like Hermes, De La Renta, etc.? And are there enough people in Atlanta to consistently dine at places like Japonais (assuming that’s still a tenant) to keep them in business? Maybe there’s more “housewife of Atlanta” wealth in Atlanta than I realized, but I just don’t see Atlanta as a market that really pays up for fashion/food.

    Also, didn’t 325 Paces (originally condos) turn into rentals? That may be rumor, but I thought I had heard that. just wondering what will make condo development here (which is likely more expensive) successful, when projects like 325 couldn’t be.

  18. Paces 325 is still a condo building and sold out at the end of last year. I didn’t see Lulu’s Bait Shack in any of the renderings…dang it. Those were some good times in the old days 🙂

  19. Well let’s see, Hermes has had a store in Atlanta for a long time now and moved from Lenox to a temporary store near the project site. Henri Bendel and Prada are opening at Lenox and Bottega Venetta is opening at Phipps. These stores wouldn’t open in Atlanta if there wasn’t a market for it. You also have to realize that wealthy people from all over the Southeast come to Atlanta to shop – it has regional draw other cities in the South don’t. Wealth in Atlanta is very comparable to Dallas – there’s a lot of it here.

    Not all the original tenants from Streets of Buckhead will be a part of this project. There will be a luxury component, but it’s not the only focus. There’s going to be less “Rodeo Drive” and more of a mix (think local restaurants and stores). Also, the condos are going to be apartments now.

  20. Question for Mike, where did you hear about an Henri Bendel opening in Lenox? I haven’t heard that one… That would be cool though.

  21. I realize that wealth drives much of the development in Buckhead, but I really hope that Buckhead Atlanta doesn’t just become a retail playground for the wealthy, or an outdoor Phipps Plaza. It seems like every development in Buckhead is geared towards the high end shopper with lots of disposable income. Middle class people have to go shopping too. I just hope it’s more of an outdoor lifestyle center like the renderings are showing. Buckhead is so choked in car traffic that I avoid it completely except for Saturday and Sunday mornings. The area desperately needs a communal gathering place where people can actually walk around get some exercise.

  22. Remember when you could quite literally hop from rooftop bar to bar in Buckhead.

    Look at all that rooftop space – why not make it a green space ….. why not put the a world class outdoor art come sculpture garden up there?
    why not create more theatre in the space, projection, lights ….. not rock concert but something that will create a memorable experience and distinctive skyline ….. i’m all for scale and context but I agree, this looks like it was ripped from cutting room floor of past projects.

  23. All these “middle class people” whining about upscale retailers being too expensive. Get a life. The wealthy need somewhere to shop too, you know, and not every store has to cater to your middle-of-the-road mass-market Target-Crate-&-Barrel-Macy’s-Sunglass-Hut-Old-Navy-Linens-n-Things taste. If you don’t like luxury stores or find them too expensive, go shop somewhere you can afford. Preferably in the burbs.

  24. I would say it looks like AnyMall USA. It needs some Southern/Atlanta architecture mixed with some imaginative contemporary buildings like the library. It could be a lot greener with all the flat roofs: solar hot water heaters, rainwater harvesting and other things that have a relatively short payback period. It’s a lot better than what we usually get in this city so I won’t complain too much. Just don’t let any of the companies that ran Atlantic Station and Underground Atlanta anywhere near this project!

  25. Is there enough wealth in Atlanta? With one of the country’s highest concentration of hospitals, a great network of higher institutions of learning, and 10 Fortune 500 Company Headquarters (not to mention a world-renowned law firm), I would HOPE that Atlanta has enough wealth to compare with Dallas.

    If not, our citizenry is extremely poor at managing their expenses.

    Now whether we have the TASTE for haute couture is a different story.

  26. Pete, I didn’t know that Buckhead was just a playground for the wealthy. Maybe they should tear down the Waffle House. Only white trash goes there, right? Disco Kroger has to go too. The wealthy wouldn’t be caught dead shopping there. And all those dive bars on Roswell Road need to go as well. Hey Pete, everyone’s looking to save money these days with the economy tanking and parts of Buckhead looking more like boarded up inner city Detroit. Phipps Plaza is empty every time I go there while the middle class mall (Lenox) always seems to be teaming with people. The wealthy, whoever they are, aren’t spending money like they used to so if Streets of Buckhead/Buckhead Atlanta thinks they’ll be successful by catering to wealthy only, they’re destined for failure.

  27. It looks okay from the drawings, not that special. The name is terrible.
    The upscale shops will be nice, especially since Simon properties has decided to trash Phipps with legoland, and Lenox with Pure in the luxury wing.
    I love the fact that Phipps is not teaming with people; hordes of people in the mall makes for a miserable visit. (Which is why I go during the week to Lenox and stay away on weekends.)

  28. Just because you think Phipps is “empty” doesn’t mean people aren’t buying things. People don’t go to Phipps to walk around and hang out… they go to actually buy something and they are people who can afford to buy. If sales were so bad why would L.K. Bennett and Bottega Veneta be in the process of opening stores there? I don’t know why people have a hard time believing there is not enough wealth here. Statistically we are comparable to Dallas.

  29. @mike and @jonathan… You both summed it up! I didnt have the opportunity to read everyone’s comments, but I read yours and thats correct on both accounts.

  30. What a disappointment…, but unfortantely probably the best they can do with the existing infrastructure that is already in place. Hopefully, the business will come back once complete – since the nightlife in that area was all but killed off.

    The City has lost millions in revenue since the Loudermilks decided they didnt like the bar scene in Buckhead and used their influence to push out what they deemed the “riff raff.”

    So, their buddy Ben Carter made the assemblage and put together this grandiose scheme that was all-but forclosed upon and sold to a sucker West Coast developer looking for an entrance into the Southeastern commercial real estate market. We’ve had nothing but concrete shells and 3 towering cranes that serve as weather vanes for the last 3 years.

    Hopefully, serious provision has been made for well-developed pedestrian and bicyle lanes, and hopefully some interconnectivity with the limited parks (e.g. Frankie Allen) that exist in the area.

  31. I would like to reiterate to everyone that although there will be a luxury component, it is not the focus of the project anymore. It’s meant to be more like an urban village (with local restaurants, etc) that blends into the area rather than being a seperate shopping center, hence the name “Buckhead”. Although Buckhead is large, when people say I’m going to “Buckhead” they want everyone to know people mean this area.

  32. RT,

    I believe it was a certain mayor in the 1990s who had a chip on his shoulder and used his position of power to turn Buckhead Village into the murder pit the Loudermilks weren’t too fond of. Ultimately, I believe the buck stops at Mayor Bill Campbell. I don’t think I need to get into the specifics, nor do I want to open up that can of worms. Buckhead Village could still be the relatively crime-free, fun, upscale entertainment destination it was if it weren’t made to fall apart/fall victim to gangs and hoodlums in the late 90s and early 2000s.

    Once the Village fell, there was no coming back as a nightlife district. The amount of crime that happened there in that short period was so bad that nobody was going to forget or get that bad taste out of their mouths.

    What is going up now is going to raise the status of Atlanta real estate to a new level, whether or not we actually like the development. This thing really only takes up less than a quarter of redevelopable land in the Buckhead Village area.

    I walked from my office building to Buckhead Bread today at lunch time and I realized how hostile Piedmont Road is to pedestrians, and then I thought when it is finally redone via a streetscape, it is even more prime than the location of Buckhead Atlanta. Piedmont/Peachtree is the true nexus of Atlanta, at least currently.

  33. “I hope the built quality is better than the rendering quality”

    It will be. The west coast is much better at this, than the east. The problem is, what do you fill this with? A Moe’s? Buckhead can’t reflect Atlanta or the South, because as people who travel will tell you, no one wants what that has to sell. So I expect this to be different, unless all they can get is something like a Shane’s rib shack with a patio.

  34. Johnny I dont disagree with your comments regarding P’tree/Piedmont – once the streetscape redevelopment occurs, the city will have prime land (and prime land for redevelopment – think of the “Encore” spot next to Chik Fil A, the frontage in front of the apartments near P’tree Creek, Pep Boys, etc.) all the way to the 85 southbound connector.

    I disagree with the comments on the Village to the extent that it all rests with Bill Campbell (although he is a POS). The police tasked with patroling that area also bear responsibility for its descent into thugland (think Ray Lewis and his murdering posse).

    But damn, do I miss Bar and LuLu’s and all the other cool spots there from “back in the day” ….

  35. Very interesting to read the reader responses to this article. Most folks seem to dislike the name… which I agree is not very appealing. My idea is to have the developer rename the project with a contest for Atlanta residents to “name that project”. It would at least be an attempt to involve the community directly and might produce something more creative than what is currently on the table.

  36. The name isn’t that bad but maybe throw a few more options out there. I just hope this doesn’t turn into what atlantic station became because people are so caught up with the way things look. I hope that this is truly upscale for those people who want to experience luxury in their own backyard so to speak….. I hope that the development is not too biased and that the customer service is flawless almost. I also hope that this will give people an opportunity to get decent upscale jobs …. so i am going to be hopeful this is my neighborhood so I look forward to it getting and upscale and high end as it can get… make people come up to your level… Regal Drive sounds pretty cool to… (shrugging shoulders) lol

  37. The Village Of Buckhead, Buckhead Shops, The Collection At Buckhead, The Shoppes Of Buckhead Village.
    Most folks on the northside don’t want Buckhead identified with the City of Atlanta. Buckhead is a unique and special place and most of the residents on the city’s northside are taxed, but the majority of the money goes to Southeast and Southwest Atlanta for repaving streets, sidewalks ect.
    I read that Atlanta ( in particular the northside) is gaining more wealthy millionaires than any other major city. True or false, IDK, but there is an abundant supply of wealth with disposible income to support this new development.
    I do hope that this development will be a success, and I am still reeling from what Simon is doing to Phipps Plaza, turning it into an amusement park, Legoland should have been built as a tourist attraction at Centennial Olympic Park like the other attractions are going to be. What is Simon thinking of? Have they lost sense with reality?
    I also hope Atlantic Station’s new developers can turn it around also. Having one terrible Underground is bad enough, but having a terrible Aboveground is even worse.

  38. This project makes me sad. Carter’s idea was lofty (and yes, I know that a lot of people backed out over time), but the idea was something to get excited about AND it created a spot in Atlanta that doesn’t currently exist. The only positive thing I can say about these plans is that “it’s better than a hole in the ground” and that’s not enough. OliverMcMillan should consider going back to the drawing board.

  39. Some green space would be great. Green roofs. Liked the fountain notions in Carters original plans. Name? How about Peachtree Prime? Known as The Prime? Or serendipity center. Known as dippy. Or fountain gate plaza ( if there is a fountain) or OMG peachtree center for Oliver McMillan Group or oh my … You get it.

  40. What is wrong with The Buckhead Village? Good name, human scale and potentially upscale. Historical roots. Really. Seems right.

  41. I am really happy that this project will be underway soon! It is my hope that the Buckhead Atlanta project will motivate commercial real estate buyers to reconsider purchasing the Sobu Flats Condo building. The Sobu Flats building would make a great boutique hotel in which out of town patrons of the Buckhead Atlanta retail district can stay, while enjoying a wonderful shopping, dining and entertainment experience!

  42. Several commentators castigated Oliver McMillan for the name “Buckhead Atlanta” claiming the developer didn’t understand the Buckhead milieu. But it is my understanding that the City of Atlanta required the name change from “Streets of Buckhead” to ensure a connectivity to the city. I agree the new name is poor. I would vote for “Old Town Buckhead”.

    Also although I have not seen all of the renderings and plans, it does look as though the interior streets as well as the Peachtree Road frontage will be pedestrian friendly meaning shops and restaurants, no open spaces, no high rise unfriendly facades at the street level. It would be great if some clubs could be built on a few rooftops as well for night time dancing.

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