Changes to the planned overhaul of a tired, high-profile Buckhead corner go deeper than the addition of a vintage Porsche and Hummer in renderings.

It’s been a year since initial plans emerged for modernizing and reviving two ailing buildings on a popular Buckhead restaurant strip—a former restaurant/residential structure and low-rise offices—in the 3100 block of Piedmont Road, roughly a block south of Peachtree Road in central Buckhead.

Located where Piedmont Road meets Martina Drive, both buildings are damaged and currently share the same parking lot, according to ownership group Partina Land LLC, which bought the property for $3.75 million in August 2020.

Renovation and expansion plans call for a trendy hub of retail, restaurant, and offices melding several architectural styles called The Buckhead Collection. 

Revised exterior designs for The Buckhead Collection proposal. Partina Land LLC; designs, r*development

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

As of last summer, designs called for the office building to be converted to three stories of retail with a restaurant and large patio on the roof.

But plans submitted by architect Robb McKerrow of the r*development firm to Buckhead’s SPI-9 Development Review Committee ahead of a scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday indicate that portion of the property has been scaled back.

The latest renderings show two stories of retail above a new underground parking section—and generally sleeker designs overall.

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.

How the current structures meet a parking lot at Piedmont Road and Martina Drive. r*development; via Buckhead DRC

Tweaked, two-story plans for the retail building. 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 an earlier presentation.            

Renovations of the site beyond the buildings will include reconfigured parking, new curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and landscaping, per the applicants.

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.

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. Committee members also aired concerns about restaurant parking—valet parking in particular—and advised McKerrow and company to ensure it doesn’t push traffic farther into the neighborhood or negatively impact Piedmont Road.

The applicants have said 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.

Find a deeper dive into plans for this Piedmont Road corner in the gallery above.

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