New renderings, video highlight Beltline connectivity at 725 Ponce

Across the Beltline’s Eastside Trail from Ponce City Market, construction is well underway on the neighborhood’s largest new-construction mixed-use development.

Work began on the development nearly a year ago, with the demolition of a 1980s-vintage Kroger, popularly known as Murder Kroger. In its place is rising a 12-story tower with distinctive architecture known as 725 Ponce.

Plans for the project, first revealed last year, include 360,000 square feet of loft office space and a new home for Kroger—this time a more urbanized, pedestrian-welcoming, and sophisticated version. New renderings and a fly-through reveal a large planted roof atop the store, as well as terraces overlooking the Beltline. A large plaza, as well as elevated outdoor spaces, will be available for the public.

Other cool facets: Developers New City are rehabbing an old bridge so that the Beltline will actually fork in two, traverse under a corner of the 725 Ponce building, and come together again. In office windows above this point, large electronic blinds can be closed to make a sort of multi-story white screen; a projector below will show movies on this south-facing screen, visible to all Beltline patrons.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, an eighth floor terrace will be available for office tenants, too. The office tower promises sweeping views of the downtown and Midtown skylines.

725 Ponce

However, there’s still a long way to go before the building opens.

In May, the site was little more than a large pit, dug in preparation for 900 underground (!) parking spaces. Now, crews are busy building the lower floors of the structure, but completion of the project is not anticipated until early 2019.

Check out the new video here:

• 725 Ponce renderings show how it’ll be a far cry from old Kroger site [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
• Photo update: Masquerade, Murder Kroger sites see construction progress [Curbed Atlanta]