Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog: October 2014

NorthFulton.com

Red carpet rolls out Oct. 30 for $600M retail development

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Tony Bennett’s hit song just about matches the way North American Properties Managing Partner Mark Toro feels about stepping out with his “baby.” The long-awaited Avalon grand opening is drawing nigh.

While Toro might not put on his white tie and tails, he has been wearing an ear-to-ear smile as 1 million square feet of Avalon Phase I get the finishing touches for the big day. Taking a tour of the broad boulevards lined with shops, stores and restaurants of all kinds, Toro talks about Phase II that is not so far behind.

There is the new 4-star hotel from the Autograph Collection by Marriott and the Alpharetta Conference Center that will be a public-private partnership. The $100 million development will be a full-service, 325-room hotel the likes of which has not been seen north of the Chattahoochee.

Phase II will see 276 additional apartments going before Alpharetta City Council. Toro is so sure this will be a destination address for Millennials, executives and empty-nesters that he can hardly wait.

He points to the ultra-chic apartments above retail. The two-bedrooms start at $1,750 per month and depending on the extras, well … the top of the line unit just leased for $5,000 a month.

“It is all about size and location,” Toro said.

The apartments will overlook streets abuzz with action. The boulevards have wine and tequila bars, so if you are tired of walking, you can sit and refresh yourself.

Cru Wine Bar will there with just the right vintage for that time and that day.

But who can sit when there is so much to see and do? Avalon is 98 percent leased and 90 percent occupied, and everyone is rushing to be ready for Opening Day.

“No one wants to miss the party,” Toro said.

Then he goes on a riff about the restaurants that will be open. He starts with the top Atlanta area chefs opening here and then moves on to nationally known restaurateurs – all of the crème de la crème to be sure.

“There are 12 restaurants in the first phase and seven of them are local. Ford Fry, the dean of Atlanta restaurateurs, is opening a Tex-Mex place called The El Felix,” Toro said.

It is his seventh eatery in greater Atlanta that includes St. Cecilia in Buckhead, Oyster Bar in Atlanta’s Westside and No. 246 in Decatur.

“This will be his first suburban location,” Tor said. “We are seeing the best of the in-town restaurants who never go OTP want to come here.”

Other restaurants include Kono Grill Sushi, Ted’s Montana Grill, Brian Willis’ Bocado Burger and the list just goes on.

Giovanni Di Palma, who started Antico Pizza and Caffe Gio, is the pizza guru of Atlanta, Toro said. And he is coming to Avalon, too.

“He puts his heart and soul into everything he does.”

Retailers are all top echelon as well. Many are top local brands such as Fabrik, Sage and American Threads. Kinnucan’s Specialty Outfitter has become the regional store for all things outdoors.

Avalon is dedicated to being a green leader. Its onsite recycling center (they call it the “Trash Mahal”) separates and composts wet trash, collects irrigation water from rain barrels and recycles cooking oil on the premises.

“In fact, our trash collection and recycling is now a profit center,” Toro said.

Everyone has heard about the outdoor skating rink that is bigger than the one at Rockefeller Center, but it will also be a fountain in warmer months. And since this is Avalon, it won’t be just a fountain. It will be a FOUNTAIN.

Toro says every hour it will be a “show” choreographed by computer to flow in concert with music. So the music flows in rhythm to the music.

There is landscaping, and then there is Avalon landscaping. Avalon wants some nice shade trees, so it has imported five 40-year-old live oaks. That is instant shade, and at $40,000 each, one would think they should fan the visitors too.

“We wanted to have an immediate impact,” Toro said.

Understatement is Toro’s gift.

If there is something that says what Avalon is about, it just might be Drybar. No, it doesn’t serve martinis, but it is a place of refreshment for women. Their gig is to give a girl a good blowout and leave refreshed and ready to be devastating. Their mantra is “No cuts. No color. Just blowouts.” The salon is appointment only.

If you feel the need for more than a blowout, there is Van Michael Salon ready to do whatever it takes – be it a wedding, clubbing or simply to be spoiled.

Shopping, entertainment, fine dining and good eating abound at Avalon. The doors open Oct. 30 and there is a four-day party waiting.

Labels: Alpharetta, Avalon Grand Opening

NorthFulton.com


Avalon Phase 2 is expected to include a hotel, conference center, office space and apartments.
Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 3:20 pm
JONATHAN COPSEY
“Our future is inextricably linked to Avalon... We need Avalon to be a home run.””
DAVID BELLE ISLE, ALPHARETTA MAYOR
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – With a 6-1 vote, Avalon’s second phase was approved by the Alpharetta City Council Oct. 27, paving the way for a hotel and conference center, along with hundreds of new apartments.

Mark Toro, of North American Properties, Avalon’s developer, asked council to approve 276 more for-rent apartments as well as increase building heights for a parking deck, Class A office building and hotel.

Phase II for Avalon will also feature a proposed conference center.

There are already 250 for-rent apartments in the first phase of Avalon, along with 101 single-family homes. Rather than add more park space, Toro pitched in $1 million to the city to put toward any public spaces within 3 miles of Avalon. That covers much of downtown Alpharetta.

The project was approved by council with 54 conditions of approval. These included, among other things, traffic studies, public trails and landscaping requirements.

As well as the office space and hotel, the plan will include plenty of apartments above retail space.

“There is an overwhelming demand for all three aspects [of Avalon] – convention, retail and office,” said Peter Tokar, Alpharetta’s economic development director. “There is also an absolute need for Class A office space. Alpharetta has 10 percent vacancy now, which is the lowest in metro Atlanta.”

Councilmember Jim Gilvin, the lone opposition to the project, said he was concerned over the convention center.

“What is presented to us is not a complete plan,” he said. “The convention center is not resolved.”

The city and Avalon are still discussing details of a public-private partnership on the convention center. As such, Gilvin suggested it was premature to come to council with plans for one if the deal could never materialize.

Toro said the Avalon plan had to be amended to accommodate any convention center since it was not on the original plans.

“There is no promise of a hotel, conference center and standing office center,” Gilvin said. “The only thing I can promise will be built is apartments and retail. Nothing is guaranteed here of benefit to the community.”

His fellow members of council disagreed.

“It’s very different from what we have done in Alpharetta,” said Councilmember Mike Kennedy. “This is a great project for Alpharetta and is exciting.”

Kennedy said Avalon has met the city’s requirements for public spaces, which do not have to be green spaces – plazas, fountains and other gathering spaces count.

Councilmember D.C. Aiken said homeownership across the nation is falling continuously, as baby boomers and millennials are shifting priorities away from owning homes.

“I don’t like the idea [of apartments],” he said, “but perhaps we have found a mix where it makes sense.”

Mayor David Belle Isle, in his comment of approval, said Avalon and Alpharetta are in a close partnership.

“Our future is inextricably linked to Avalon,” Belle Isle said. “Whether you like it or not, it just is. We need Avalon to be a home run.”

Phase I of Avalon opened Oct. 30.

Labels: Alpharetta, Avalon

www.NorthFulton.com


ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Four days of events and fanfare in late October will mark the grand opening of Avalon, the unique $600 million mixed-use development in Alpharetta.

There will be music and concerts headlined by Kellie Pickler and Von Grey. But that is only the beginning. There will be family entertainment, chef demonstrations, a surprise headliner and more to introduce a carefully curated collection of shops and restaurants.

The four-day celebration will be the culmination of a journey that began in June 2011, said Mark Toro, North American Properties managing partner.

"There have been so many reasons to cheer during this journey, but the grand opening will be the ultimate celebration," said Toro "We invite the community to help us celebrate, whether with yoga, trick-or-treating, fireworks or an indie concert. There is something for everyone at the grand opening and at Avalon."

There will music and concerts, food demonstrations and tastings. Visitors can take in retailer open houses and store-to-store trick or treating. Dad can even see the Georgia-Florida football game on the big screen.

It truly must be seen to be believed, a weekend to remember.

For a full list of events, go to www.experienceavalon.com

Labels: Alpharetta, Avalon, grand opening