This Tudor style home in Atlanta, Georgia goes by the name of Rossdhu. It was built in 1918 and sits on 4.47 acres. The property includes a carriage house with two apartments, six garages and a lighted tennis court. The main home has been restored with a modern kitchen, luxurious master suite with his and hers dressing rooms and baths, exercise room and a wine cellar. The home's heavy paneling does make it a bit dark and the current level of clutter makes it hard to appreciate the fact that the interior spaces are actually pretty grand. At $14.5 million it's priced near the top end of the Atlanta real estate market but there aren't too many homes like this in the area.
Former quarterback Michael Vick's infamy certainly isn't helping his real estate sales. Vick, who is currently serving a prison sentence for his role in a dog-fighitng ring, can't seem to sell his Atlanta home. As the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties column reports, he has cut the price of his luxury Atlanta home to $4.1 million, from $4.5 million after it has sat on the market for a year. The eight-bedroom home in the Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth, Georgia has lake views and a grand look with two-story foyer with a curved double staircase and dome, a two-story study, a home theater, wet bar and a gymnasium. The only sign of VIckness is that big number seven set into the den floor. Vick bought for 3.78 million so even if he sells for the $4.1 million listing price he won't be making a lot of money.
Vick's even more infamous piece of real estate, the home which was the site of the dog kennels, is up for auction yet again, this time for $590,000 on December 12. Developer Wilbur Ray Todd Jr.bought the home for $450,000 from Vick last year and wanted to sell it for over $1 million originally.
As we mentioned recently, a wine collection, Vicktory Dogs, raises money for the rehabilitated dogs who live at an animal sanctuary in Utah.
Just about every article I've checked out regarding the announcement of a new $285 million hotel and condo building planned for Midtown Atlanta has expressed a bit of concern over the timing. Condo crisis? What condo crisis, Tivoli Properties is set to build a 53-story building with a Mandarin Oriental Hotel and 71 condos with prices ranging from $1.8 million to $15 million. The Atlanta Journal-Constititution quotes Scott Leventhal, Tivoli's CEO and president, as saying that "now is a great time to be in the planning stage." And indeed he may be right. The condo is set to begin construction next year and finish in late 2011, that is of course if they manage to secure financing and have enough presales to go forward. The project would need to be about half-sold in order to begin building. The first 30 buyers to reserve condominiums will receive $75 a square foot discounts which would work out to six figure discounts because the average condo size is over 2,500 square feet. So far 19 buyers have made reservations.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported on a trend that's already hit some other big cities: the napping spa. An egg-shaped, computerized sleeping pod inside Rejuvenate, an atrium-level storefront spa at one of downtown Atlanta's busiest buildings, provides a haven in which to take a 20-minute, or longer, nap. The spa, which opened in November 2007, offers five snooze suites, each separated by chocolate-colored curtains. Nappers can adjust the temperature, add lavender or citrus aromatherapy and a cool breeze for their necks. Some pods vibrate and calculate the number of calories burned while catching 40 winks.
In NYC, Yelo opened in 2007, promising brief power naps and cashmere blankets. But many spas across the country, especially getaway ones, are introducing sleep treatments, including everything from feather beds and lavender mists to overnight sleep observation. I find the whole "pod" idea claustrophobia-inducing, but the environment at a spa seems so much nicer than what the ladies at my office have -- a sofa in the bathroom. Ick. Pass the lavender, here's my cash and wake me in 20.
Rejuvenate offers timed naps (you're wakened by a gentle chime) at $14 for 20 minutes, $19 for 30 minutes and $35 for an hour. Employers can purchase bulk packages.
Atlanta's condo market may be slowing down but that doesn't stop people from building and planning. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution profiles Taz Anderson, a local entrepreneur who is behind a new luxury residential tower in Vinings. Anderson and his son Geoff, president of Taz Anderson Realty Co., are working on a condo project called The Aberdeen, an upscale residential development in Vinings with 55 units, some up to 4,000 square feet.
The 12-story tower will have views of downtown Atlanta and Buckhead. The project takes its Scottish name seriously and the units all have names of Scottish origin. A penthouse is listed at $2.9 million. Eleven buyers have reportedly signed contracts thus far. A healthy number but a little shy of what is generally considered enough sales to build. Given the precarious state of several other Atlanta projects it seems to be a bit of a dice roll.
Country star Kenny Rogers considers himself quite the house fixer-upper. The Wall Street Journal reports that the house he recently put on the market in Atlanta is the 10th property he has fixed up and resold. Last summer we told you about his work with designer Jim Weinberg on an Atlanta show house. Rogers house is a different kind of show house. The six-bedroom home has 9,000 square feet of space. Rogers bought in 2006 for $2.8 million and reportedly spent another $3 million on the renovation. I could definitely think of better ways to spend $3 million. It's not that it's terrible in any way that I can put my finger on, it's just got that overblown and bland look that seems to pop up in the South a lot. The home has an African-themed guest room, which as Rogers says in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is something he likes to have in each of his homes Rogers seems pretty proud of the home and the design work saying that everything in the house is different from when he bought the house two years ago and that he "touched every inch" of the house.
Rogers and his wife are also selling a nearby five acre lot for $2.9 million. The couple bought the land in 2007 for $2 million so their twin boys would have a place to play. The couple is moving to a 150-acre estate in Nicholson, Georgia.
The Mansion on Peachtree joins the ranks of Atlanta, Georgia condo projects in the Buckhead area (check out our growing list of Atlanta condo projects in the gallery below). It is A Rosewood Hotel and Residence located in the heart of Atlanta. The hotel is set to open next month and has 96 rooms and 31 suites as well as 45 residences. Hotel amenities include a personal butler to assist guests during their stay, a chauffer service, a GPS pocket navigator and professional in-house auto detailing. The hotel also has Atlanta's first complete Technogym Fitness Suite, a15,000 sq. ft. a 29 Spa and an expansive lap and leisure pool. The guest rooms range in size from 480 to 600 square feet and the suites are 680 to 2,350 square feet. Rooms have lush carpeting, generous draperies and furniture finished in dramatic high-gloss macassar ebony with polished chrome detailing. The bathrooms have marble top vanities, dual wash basins, walk-in shower and a deep-soak tub with wall-mounted LCD television. There will be two restaurants, . NEO, a contemporary Italian restaurant and the fourth location of Craft from restaurateur Tom Colicchio. Craft Atlanta will front Peachtree Road and be separate from the main tower. Units start at $2.6 million and go up towards $12 million to buy the penthouse.
The Pink Palace isn't pink any more but the mansion in Atlanta's Buckhead area retains the name from the time when it was pink. The mansion was built in 1926 for the Rhodes Furniture family and is a six-bedroom stucco Italian Baroque-style home on four acres at the corner of West Paces Ferry and Tuxedo roads. The home was designed by Atlanta architects Neel Reid and Philip Schutze and has huge public rooms designed for grand entertaining. The murals are absolutely dazzling. What makes this one even more interesting is the renovation. it has been remodeled so that it runs on geothermal energy (turning a $6500 a month energy bill into an apartment-sized $150). They removed 18 layers of lead paint from the doors, windows and walls and all doors and door frames were removed, made square, and put back in. The attic on top of the sun room and family room was changed turning the ceilings/roofs into floors. The servants quarters were transformed into larger living space. It's an odd mix, you have rooms that are typically old South, grand and ornate, but you also have light-filled modern spaces with clean lines. The graceful renovation made the home modern and sustainable but managed to maintain its original style in the original rooms. At $20 million it's the most expensive listing in Atlanta.
Today's home in the ritzy Tuxedo Park area of Atlanta was once the home of Robert Woodruff, former president of Coca-Cola. The five-bedroom home was built in the 1930s but has a new pool and pool house. The home is done in a sweeping Regency style, and decorated in that gracious, slightly old-fashioned style that fights with bare contemporary spaces for page space in Architectural Digest. All seems to be in perfect charming order except for that kitchen. This is one home that should not have black stone countertops. The home sits on seven well-landscaped acres. It is listed at $13.9 million.
Every condo project wants to be considered "green" these days but some take it further than others. The Aquarius Tower in Atlanta, Georgia is a condo project located near the Georgia Aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park. The 500-foot tower will have a serious commitment to alternative power: a five-floor wind tunnel with about 60 small turbines and rooftop solar panels could provide more than half of the building's power. The project will also recycled building materials and thermally efficient products. Amenities will include a pool, sundeck, fitness center, lounge, media room, guest suite and concierge services. The building will also have Georgia's first automated underground valet service. Prices start as low as the $300,000s to the $900,000s and penthouses will range from $1 to $2.5 million. It is hoped that construction on the $70 million project will begin this spring with an estimated completion in 2010.
The iffy real estate market has delayed another condo project, this time in Atlanta, Georgia. One Museum Place is a biggie, a $350 million project that is to be located across the street from the High Museum of Art. The building was set to be home to 96 luxury condos selling in the $2 million range as well as a 15,000-square-foot gallery for contemporary art, retail and restaurant space. The gallery is meant to be a showcase for cutting-edge work and would be subsidized for the first 10 years by the Wieland Family Foundation and curated with assistance from the High Museum's contemporary art curator.The developer, John Weiland, has put the project on hold for at least 18 months, at which point they will reevaluate the plan, hoping to find a more favorable real estate market.
Luckily there are still plenty of condo projects in Atlanta to choose from. Check out the gallery for a few of the major developments planned for the city.
Check out the new design of the atrium of the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia. The giant atrium has been revamped by Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback and Associates with four new dining options: 'Sear' fine dining restaurant, 'High Velocity' sports bar, 'Pulse' lobby bar and a new Pool Bar. The atrium was already stunning with its arching balcony ribs and open space but now it is enhanced by a massive sail like structure that is very reminiscent of the Burj Al-Arab in Dubai. The 50-foot-tall structure is clad in resin panels that are backlit with LED lights that change color throughout the day. You can see a before picture here.
Today my quest for a home for your Modern Monday takes us to Atlanta, Georgia. This home in an area between Midtown and Morningside has views of the Midtown skyline. The home has a beautiful pool and spa with waterfalls. There are four bedrooms total and a wide open floorplan with plenty of windows. The media room could use some serious help and the bathrooms seem a bit shabby but overall the home could be gorgeous with a bit of a snappier decorating scheme. This home is listed at $1,470,000.
The latest luxury condo project to come to Atlanta is the Brookwood. The condo complex is located on Peachtree Road and provides walking access to Brookwood Hills and Ardmore Park. The 20-story building will include 219 condo units and penthouses. The base of the building whill be home to retail shops and a restaurant.
The two- and three-bedroom homes range from 1200 to 2900 square feet and there are also larger signature homes and penthouses. The open floor plans have a central space for living, dining and cooking with the other rooms radiating off from the center. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide lots of natural light.
The building will have a membership club that includes valet parking, concierge services, dog walking and animal care. Other shared amenities include a clubhouse with gardens, pool, outdoor summer kitchen, indoor catering kitchen, residential suites for guests and wine storage. The building will be ready for occupancy in the summer of 2009. The homes will start in the $500,000s to over $1 million.
We covered the first 1 Hotel and Residences project in Seattle, now a second 1 has been announced, for the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Barry Hotel Partners and Starwood Capital Group Global LLC will be developing the 1 Hotel & Residences which will be part of The Streets of Buckhead, Ben Carter Properties's plans to turn eight acres of Buckhead Village into a luxury mixed-use district. The 1 hotel will be two towers with a spa in the middle and will be going for an LEED green certification. One tower will hold 175 hotel rooms and 48 condos and the other will have 50 condos. The Streets of Buckhead will also feature over 500,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, additional hotels and office space all arranged in a walkable cityscape area. The entire project is set to open in Fall 2009.
