Fancy-Pants Tower-Building Could Commence This Year

After years of dishing out middling (but prudent) mid-rises, Atlanta could soon put the oomph back in its development scene. If all goes as planned, this return to the eye-catching, sky-piercing modus operandi of early '90s Atlanta could begin in the heart of commercial Buckhead, followed by Midtown. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that New York developers Tishman Speyer — known for Atlanta's Colony Square and Manhattan's Rockefeller Center — hope to break ground this year on Three Alliance Center (above). The 30-story edifice with shimmering skin (technically, a "faceted glass curtain wall system") would be Atlanta's first new office tower since 2008. In terms of substance, it might not be alone.

If built, the 560,000 square-foot Buckhead project would stand at the intersection of Ga. Highway 400 and Lenox Road, a commercial hub that's making strides to become more interconnected and pedestrian-friendly. Speaking of walkability, there's much afoot in Midtown as well ...

A taller tower being pitched by Integral Group for a site at 6th and Peachtree streets could make an even more impactful architectural statement. The 35-story apartment stack would rise just south of the Viewpoint condominiums. Renderings suggest it would incorporate a unique façade of balconies, with a rectangular stair-step base partially infused with sculpture. No solid timeline has emerged for the $70 million project.

And lest we forget the three-tower mega-project being pitched across the street from Four Seasons Atlanta in Midtown. New York developers (we're sensing a theme here) want to erect three towers by 2020, rising 60, 57 and about 39 stories, respectively. It's anyone's guess at this point if any of these dreams will be realized, but it's refreshing — and a sign of a strengthening job market — to see the bar being raised once again.

· Proposed Buckhead Tower To Have Magic Glass Walls! [Curbed Atlanta]
· First new office tower since 2008 [ABC; subscriber content]
· Refreshingly Interesting Tower Pitched For Midtown Mile [Curbed Atlanta]