In Midtown, boutique apartment building flip is inspired by—of all things—Studio 54

Mix of Piedmont Avenue rentals will actually encourage Airbnb use when tenants are away

By Josh Green@JoshGreen1234 May 3, 2019, 2:07pm EDT

A floorplan dubbed the “15 Minutes of Fame,” starting at $1,750.

The borderline NSFW motto—“It’s not the size of the unit, but what you do with it”—is the first indication this might not be a humdrum apartment building renovation.

An aging, small rental community at 940 Piedmont Avenue, about a block south of 10th Street’s rainbow crosswalks, has been transformed into a decidedly more fabulous venture called Studio 9Forty, now pre-leasing.

The concept by Tenth Street Ventures is inspired by—of all things—the art and culture of Manhattan’s legendary Studio 54.

As such, renting here will apparently be like “VIP access beyond the velvet rope of the most exclusive club without the noise and the crowd,” in the words of marketers.

The building’s 24 swingin’ units will start at just 500 square feet, a rep tells Curbed Atlanta. (Exactly how big they’ll swell wasn’t specified). All are studios or one-bedrooms, and rents start at $1,500 monthly.

The building undergoing renovations in December.

They’re aimed at art-loving city dwellers who might frequently be traveling and want an Atlanta “jewel box home crafted with efficiency and technology in mind” to come back to.

Interestingly, project leaders will urge tenants to Airbnb their rentals while out of town, earning side income from flats they don’t own, per an announcement.

Decatur-based Office of Design architect firm led the “glamorous” makeover, while LC Design handled interiors, with décor inspired by artist Srinjoy Gangopadhyay of Deljou Art Group, officials noted.

City records indicate the apartment property was bought for about $1.5 million a year ago.

What the project’s website offers as a preview of finishes.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Tenth Street Ventures recently converted the 1920s rental community Park at Peachtree Memorial into refurbished condos called Portico Buckhead.

It marked one of the first condo conversions in Atlanta’s current real estate cycle.

Portico Buckhead’s 50 offerings begin in the high $200,000s and top out in the $450,000s for the largest condos with all upgrades.

The team describes itself as “a young group of developers, designers and builders who want to bring a more affordable product to the market, while still using high design concepts inspired by art and music.”