Plans are coming into clearer focus for how ailing buildings on a popular Buckhead restaurant strip could be remade, modernized, and brought back to life.
The pair of vacant structures—a former restaurant/residential building and an office building—are located on a corner property at 3121 and 3125 Piedmont Road, a block south of Peachtree Road in central Buckhead. Both buildings are damaged and currently share the same parking lot, according to new ownership.
Plans submitted to Buckhead’s SPI-9 Development Review Committee ahead of a scheduled meeting Wednesday show the buildings reimagined as a trendy hub of retail, restaurant, and offices uses that melds several architectural styles.
New renderings indicate the commercial node could be called “The Buckhead Collection.”
The initial three-story plans for properties at 3121 and 3125 Piedmont Road, a block south of Peachtree Road. Partina Land LLC; designs, r*development
Architect Robb McKerrow of the r*development firm is scheduled to present updated plans to the Buckhead DRC for renovating and expanding the properties where Piedmont Road meets Martina Drive. The project last came before the committee in November.
Records indicate the properties sold to an LLC called Partina Land for $3.75 million in August 2020.
The 3125 Piedmont building—a former home, constructed of brick, that’s suffered fire damage—housed popular Persian restaurant Divan for 16 years, before it uprooted to Midtown’s historic Castle building. McKerrow’s plans call for demolishing the kitchen, constructing a two-story addition where the current kitchen is, and adding upstairs dining rooms along with a two-story entrance for restaurant uses.
Breakdown of the current Piedmont Road layout and proposed additions. Partina Land LLC; designs, r*development
Adjacent to the former restaurant, the 3121 Piedmont Road structure was formerly called the HRS building but has been abandoned for many years. It’s suffering from water intrusion from both the roof and foundation and has also been stripped of its copper, according to the development team.
The proposed renovation of 3121 Piedmont Road calls for fully reconstructing that building and expanding it, while excavating the basement for 12 underground parking spaces.
Plans call for converting the building to a multi-tenant space geared toward professional services and boutique retail, according to November’s presentation.
Renovations of the site beyond the buildings will include reconfigured parking, new curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and landscaping.
Other landmarks in the area include Greek restaurant Kyma and the newer location of Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steak House to the south, and Red Pepper Taqueria just to the north.
Partina Land LLC; designs, r*development
In November, DRC staff recommended that off-street parking be screened from adjacent streets and sidewalks by a berm, landscaping, or a decorative fence, as code requires. Of particular concern was the streetscape along Martina Drive, which committee members recommended be “an attractive environment that will be inviting to residents and passersby as well,” according to meeting minutes.
Committee members also aired concerns about restaurant parking—valet parking in particular—and advised McKerrow and company to ensure it doesn’t push traffic further into the neighborhood or negatively impact Piedmont Road.
The applicants mentioned in the November meeting that a broader future vision for the Piedmont Road corner calls for more buildings that would be brought up to the road, with townhomes and a boutique hotel sharing a pool deck. No timeline for when that phase might move forward was given.
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