It's already been a breakneck year for mega-projects in Atlanta, but the Urban Land Institute has whittled down our city's landscape-altering builds to five finalists. Each Project of the Year Award nominee is impressive in its own right, spanning the local geography from Buckhead, to Midtown to downtown. On Sept. 11, the ULI — a global institute that promotes responsible use of land — will announce the winner during a fancy dinner at the just-opened College Football Hall of Fame. (Could their choice of venue be foreshadowing their winner?) This year, all five finalists from the Atlanta region — which covers Georgia, Alabama and Eastern Tennessee — were actually built in Atlanta. After the jump, have a glance at the ULI finalists and cast your vote for the best.
· 77 12th:
One of two shortlisted projects with a residential component, this 23-story tower of glass joins Daniel Corp. and Selig Enterprises' 12th & Midtown mixed-use epicenter, where officials have called leasing success "unprecedented."
· Buckhead Atlanta:
This $600 million project will essentially give Buckhead's fun-loving district a new identity. When Buckhead Atlanta begins opening next month, initial offerings will include Georgia's first Shake Shack and at least nine other restaurants, as well as plenty of high-end retail.
· Center for Civil and Human Rights:
This distinctive 42,000 square-foot building is "dedicated to exploring stories of civil and human rights in dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces." It's a heady addition to a downtown tourism slate that includes the World of Coke and Georgia Aquarium.
· College Football Hall of Fame:
This 94,000 square-foot, modernistic ode to the South's greatest tradition opened just in time for the revival of gridiron euphoria. Initial reviews and patron reactions have been glowing. Thanks, South Bend.
· North Atlanta High School:
With a $147 million price tag, this is Georgia's most expensive school, but it's awfully cool. The innovative Buckhead school was partially created from a refurbished IBM office building, which lends some classrooms amazing views of Atlanta's tree canopy and skylines.
Notable exclusions:
Krog Street Market (not large enough?)
Ponce City Market (not finished enough?)
Novare's apartment towers (too same-y?)
Bill Corey's Downtown Smokestack Spectacular!
· Top 10 ATL Projects Finishing/Starting/Progressing In 2014 [Curbed Atlanta]
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