A mixed-use building designed to noticeably alter Atlanta’s new skyline west of Georgia Tech has begun its vertical climb.
After breaking ground in March, the Star Metals District’s next phase has erected a tower crane and, more recently, begun piecing together the first sections of its base along 11th Street, tucked off Northside Drive, just south of the growing Interlock district.
Florida-based real estate firm The Allen Morris Company announced earlier this year it had secured a $100-million construction loan and officially started construction on Stella at Star Metals, the third phase of the evolving district.
A crane towering over the beginnings of vertical construction at Allen Morris Company's Stella at Star Metals project this past weekend. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
Allen Morris officials say the Stella tower—dotted with green elements—will reshape the Marietta Street Artery neighborhood’s skyline in unique ways. Eventually, it’s expected to work in conjunction with a cluster of new high-rises with an “urban forest” feel across three additional phases. Project leaders have said the next two phases could break ground as early as late 2024.
As for the under-construction Stella piece, it’ll stand 21 stories, with delivery scheduled in the first quarter of 2025. (For context, the Stella tower, positioned on a slope, will almost double the height of Interlock phase two’s tallest new structure next door.)
The Stella project's proximity to the second phase of The Interlock project, at left, along Northside Drive. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
As shown during demolition in April, this angle lends a general idea of what views from Stella's upper floors toward Midtown will be.
Stella’s plans call for 327 luxury apartments (most of them higher than level six) designed to capitalize on skyline views largely protected (for now) by neighboring mid-rise development. Swanky in-unit features will include Italian cabinetry, imported stone countertops, 10-foot ceilings, and some balconies up to 14-feet deep with gardens, project officials have said.
At Stella’s ground floor, plans call for 25,000 square feet of retail anchored by two early tenant singings: restaurant concepts by Grass Fed Culture and Fishmonger, which is operating a temporary location in the former La Fonda space nearby. Above that, amenities will be topped with what’s described as “expansive rolling green roofs” and “curated terrace gardens.”
Green elements are depicted on the Stella at Star Metals building's east facade, toward Midtown. Courtesy of Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture
A two-story, east-facing common area at the Stella building with Midtown and downtown views. Courtesy of Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture/Square Feet Studio
Other perks will include an infinity pool on the seventh floor, an indoor/outdoor gym with city views, onsite dog park, and a theater-style movie room. A two-story bar is also on tap for the 17th floor, with eastward views across the city, according to Allen Morris reps.
The developer in December closed on an additional 3.3 acres where phases four, five, and six are planned.Collectively, Allen Morris expects to build roughly 3 million square feet of development in West Midtown, eventually costing around $1.5 billion.
Have a closer look at where things stand with Stella, and where they’re headed, in the gallery above.
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