Atlantic Station Stirs The Stewpot

"Every enlightened urban designer today acknowledges the importance of context. But how does a developer create an authentic, vibrant urban community starting from scratch? It's no easy feat, but that's what Jacoby Development has been attempting to do on a 138-acre brownfield site in Atlanta, just west of the city's bustling Midtown cultural and commercial center. Though only partially built up, Atlantic Station has already made a splash. Still, skeptics question whether an inflexible master plan will harm the project's staying power.

...The project's current master plan provides for 6 million square feet of office space; 3,000 to 5,000 residential units for sale and rental; 1.5 million square feet of retail and entertainment; and 1,000 hotel rooms in at least three hotels. There will also be 11 acres of public parks. Currently, 2.6 million feet of commercial space are occupied or under construction, and there are 1,000 occupied residential units, with another 1,000 scheduled to open this spring."