RKiHomes Team Blog

Here is a brief overview of openings, expansions and re-developments happening in the city.

2008

Hilton Garden Inn Comes to Downtown

Hilton Garden Inn is set to open near the Georgia Aquarium in January 2008, adding 242 rooms to the market. The hotel is being developed by Legacy Property Group as part of their mixed-use facility Park Pavilion, which will encompass 32,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space and parking.

The Atlanta Marriott Marquis

The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is undergoing a $138 million renovation and will add 40,000 square feet of meeting space, seven new restaurants and bars, a spa, fitness center and updated technology by 2008. The hotel has also established several environmentally-friendly initiatives including using fluorescent lighting and installing a water recycling plant.

W Hotel Opens in Buckhead, Downtown and Midtown

Three W Hotels, the urban boutique hotel of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., are slated to open in Buckhead, downtown and midtown Atlanta adding to the hotel market. The new W Buckhead Hotel & Residences will open in 2008 with 225 guest rooms with at least 120 condominiums, rooftop bar, two-story restaurant and 7,000-square-feet of meeting space. A 257-room hotel is planned for the mixed-use project Ivan Allen Plaza in downtown Atlanta. This W Hotel will also include 75 condominiums and also opens in 2008. In midtown, the Sheraton Colony Square Hotel at Peachtree and 14th streets and will be transformed into a sleek, ultra-modern W in fall 2007, giving the city the most W hotels in any U.S. market other than New York.

Luxurious St. Regis Opens in Buckhead

An ultra-luxurious 26-story hotel, the St. Regis, is scheduled to open in Buckhead in 2008 with 150 rooms and 50 condos at Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads. The St. Regis is to offer top-drawer services and amenities and include a 9,200-square-foot ballroom.

Buckhead to Acquire New 46-Story Mixed Use Tower

The Stratford, a planned 43-story project, is the newest development in Buckhead to include $6 million condominiums, a 300-room hotel and ultra-chic fashion boutiques. Scheduled to open in 2008, phase one of the project will include stores on Peachtree Street with three floors of condominiums above. In phase two of the project, a luxury 300-room Hilton will rise on top of the condominium floors with 190 more condos above the hotel. The last phase consists of a 20-story tower with 300 condominiums built behind the hotel.

Grand Bohemian Hotel Coming to Atlanta

Richard Kessler, the hotelier of the Kessler Collection of hotels will be developing a Grand Bohemian property in Atlanta that is expected to open in 2008. The groundbreaking will occur in early 2007.

The Mansion on Peachtree Opens Early 2008

The Mansion, a luxury hotel opening in Buckhead, will feature 127 hotel rooms and hopes to attract top-of-the-line clientele to its doorstep. Two restaurants are planned for this boutique property (one called Craft by celebrity-chef Tom Colicchio from Top Chef TV show) as well as a 15,000-square-foot spa and 4,000-square-foot fitness center.

InterContinental Hotels Group Launches Second Hotel Indigo

In December 2008, the second Hotel Indigo in Atlanta will open to guests on Ellis Street downtown. Formerly the historic Carnegie building, the boutique property will feature wall murals that change every four years in guest rooms and changing backgrounds, music and scents in the lobby to complement the seasons.

2009

Twin 40-Story Towers Planned for Peachtree Street

A new $450 million mixed-use center with twin 40-story Peachtree Street towers will be opening in 2009 overlooking the Atlanta Federal Reserve. This office skyscraper and hotel and condominium high-rise will be located at 1075 Peachtree Street.

Newest Hilton in Three Decades Opens in Buckhead

The new Hilton Hotel is scheduled to open in 2009 on the corner of Peachtree and Stratford roads with 300 guest rooms. The hotel development boasts a luxury restaurant and spa and large guest rooms with 10-foot ceilings.

2010

One of the World’s Most Accessible Airports Expands

The latest improvements to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport include a $5.4 billion development program which will expand, repair and upgrade designated areas within the airport’s facilities. In 2006, a fifth runway was completed to accommodate commuter aircrafts and to help eliminate congestion on the existing four runways. In 2010, a new international terminal will be completed, allowing passengers to access the landside without having to use an automated people mover. It will include access to the roadway network, a parking structure and a provision for the southern MARTA extension to the terminal. A consolidated rental car facility will be built to accommodate all rental car companies operating at the airport. Concourse E is expanding with 900,000 new square feet, including international passenger ticketing facilities, 10 additional gates, two levels of curb-front parking and approximately 1,100 public parking spaces adjacent to the terminal. An expanded airport people mover will also provide direct access to MARTA.

Center for Puppetry Arts Plans Expansion and New Exhibition

The Center for Puppetry Arts, the largest museum dedicated to puppetry in the country, is planning an expansion that will double the museum’s current size and will allow for the museum to bring many of its collectibles of out storage. The museum has approximately 4,500 items in its collection. The museum will also open a new, long-term on-site exhibition in 2010. The interactive exhibition will bring to life puppetry’s global and ancient history.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Comes to Midtown

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel will move its U.S. development offices to Atlanta from New York City and will open a $10 million-hotel room with 200 rooms, 70 residences and a three-story spa.

Center for Civil and Human Rights

The Center for Civil and Human Rights will offer visitors insight into the contributions made by Atlantans and Georgians to the historic struggle for African-American freedom and equality. In addition, the Center will house the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection and feature interactive audio and video exhibits. The Center will also include a meeting and performance space for artistic and educational programming. Historical landmarks such as the Jimmy Carter Center, Sweet Auburn Historic District and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site are located in the surrounding area of the Center. These establishments will present opportunities for visitors to engage in the ongoing dialogue on freedom and equality issues for people at a national and international level.

1 Hotel Coming to The Streets of Buckhead