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Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Developer: Jamestown
Designers and Consultants: ASD; Design 360/ Airspace; Eberly & Associates; Gensler; S9 Architecture, Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein, et al.
Site Size: 16 acres
Ponce City Market has redefined how intown Atlanta lives, dines, shops, learns, works, and commutes. Originally built in 1926 by Sears, Roebuck & Co., Ponce City Market represents the largest historic rehabilitation project in Atlanta to-date. The transformation into a mixed-use community hub focused on artisanal food, fashion and technology has served as an economic and cultural catalyst for a previously underdeveloped neighborhood. The ambitious project includes 550,000 sq. ft. of office space, 300,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 40,535 sq. ft. of educational space, 32,751 sq. ft. of open space and landscaping, and 259 single family apartment units.
Since 2011, Ponce City Market has gradually transitioned the Old Fourth Ward district into a destination for residents and visitors across all spectrums. By introducing the first class-A office space in the neighborhood and proving its marketability, the project has attracted similar office development within close proximity, spurring a period of urban regeneration. Ponce City Market has become the major attraction in the Old Fourth Ward, initiating unprecedented residential, retail, cultural, and recreational growth.
Ponce City Market serves as a haven for artisans and businesses alike by offering a community of ethnically diverse dining options in the Central Food Hall as well as public greenspace within a private property. Three LEED certifications have either been awarded or are currently being pursued by the developer on the basis of the property’s concentrated conservation and recycling efforts, with about 48 million pounds of concrete and 3 million pounds of metals recycled throughout the rehabilitation process. Additional provisions are included in the project for alternative transportation. Ponce City Market serves as the first mixed-use property in the city to heavily emphasize biking parking with more than 500 available spots on site, while also offering complimentary bike valet. EV charging stations and reserved parking for fuel efficient vehicles are included on site as well.
The Roof of Ponce City Market will debut in 2016, offering a nostalgic carnival experience inspire by the boardwalks and amusement parks of the 20th century. In homage to the Ponce de Leon amusement park once on the Market site, visitors to The Roof will have the option to visit a full-service restaurant, grab a drink at the bar, play a round of miniature golf, visit the old-time boardwalk style game stands, or try out the amusement offerings. The top of the old Sears building will be accessible by an open cab via the building’s original freight elevator, offering a view of Atlanta and its surroundings.