ICYMI: Avalon Opens Boulevard East On April 13

ALPHARETTA, GA -- Avalon, Alpharetta upscale, mixed-use development along Old Milton Parkway, will double in size next month, adding 1,000 jobs, 350 residents and 20 stores and restaurants to the community.

The development will publicly debut its expansion, Boulevard East, on Thursday, April 13, with a 13-hour grand opening celebration.

Equal in size to North Point Mall, Boulevard East triples the density of Avalon’s first phase, with the addition of Class A office, luxury residential, restaurants, retail and programmable public realm, all of which will open to the public this week.

And opening in January 2018, the $112 million Hotel at Avalon and Alpharetta Conference Center will serve as the crown jewel of Boulevard East, the final piece of the entire Avalon community.

The combined loft office space and 8000 Avalon, the 225,000-square-foot office tower developed by Hines and Cousins Properties on Boulevard East, totals 500,000 square feet of Class A office, bringing approximately 1,000 permanent jobs to Alpharetta.

Microsoft Corp. will anchor 8000 Avalon with a 43,000-square-foot lease.

The 276-luxury multifamily homes branded as Veranda at Avalon respond to the success of Haven at Avalon, the 250 units that opened in Avalon’s first phase in October 2014. The average rental price at Veranda is $2.40 per square foot, topping the Alpharetta sub-market by more than 40 percent. Veranda offers one and two-bedroom options, upscale amenities and premier access to Avalon’s world-class Concierge. Prices range from $1,525 to $4,884. For more information, visit verandaatavalon.com.

The 12 retailers and eight restaurants opening on Boulevard East encompass the 88,000-square-foot street level retail component. Retailers include: Brooks Brothers, Urban Outfitters, Scout & Molly’s, Levi’s, Williams Sonoma, Hammer Made, Boogaloos, Lucky Brand, Pottery Barn, South Moon Under and Boardroom Salon for Men. Restaurants include: Barleygarden Kitchen and Craft Bar, District III, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Chick-Fil-A, Rumi’s Kitchen, MF Sushi, Brine Seafood Shack and a chef-driven restaurant at the hotel that will be revealed at the grand opening.

Boulevard East will also welcome more green space, including The Courtyard, an intimate gathering place that will host smaller events. Approximately 850 trees were planted, enhancing the pedestrian experience of Boulevard East.

Boulevard East will also connect to the Alpha Loop, making Avalon even more walkable and connected to its surroundings. Parking will more than double, adding 3,000 new spaces to the existing 2,400 spaces. Overall, Boulevard East will introduce 1.2 million square feet to Avalon.

“In our quest to create an irresistible city, Avalon has proved to be one of our greatest offerings," said Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. "It has become North Fulton’s downtown, proudly bearing Alpharetta’s southern roots, style, and seal.”

Since its opening in October 2014, Avalon has surpassed expectations and set the industry standard for “experiential retail.” In today’s turbulent retail market, Avalon’s innovative formula for creating experiences beyond the lease lines increases foot traffic and dwell time, which translates to success for all assets.

Evidence of the sea change occurring in retail, twelve of Avalon’s retailers left North Point Mall, just 2.5 miles down the road, to open in the experiential mixed-use community.

“With Avalon, we set out to break the mold and disrupt the old way of real estate development,” said Mark Toro, managing partner of North American Properties. “We asked the Alpharetta community to take a leap of faith with us, and rewrite the playbook to curate a truly meaningful place full of experiences that would stand the test of time. It’s been an inspiring, exhilarating – and at times daunting – ride. We look forward to celebrating Avalon’s tremendous growth with the community on April 13.”

The grand opening for Boulevard East will take place over two days, with two exciting events:

• Savor + Celebrate on April 12: Experience an exclusive first look at Avalon’s Boulevard East with an unforgettable evening under the stars. Enjoy savory tastes from Avalon’s acclaimed restaurants, live music by The Equinox Orchestra and Blair Crimmins, and a special preview of The Hotel at Avalon – promised to be exactly like nothing else. The black tie affair is ticketed, and all proceeds will benefit local non-profit City of Refuge. Tickets can be purchased here.
• Celebrate Avalon On April 13: Celebrate Avalon is the official 13-hour grand opening of Boulevard East. The day is free to attend and open to the public. The celebration begins at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony, continues throughout the day with family-fun performances, chef samplings, a fashion show and into the night with live musical performances, craft cocktails and celebrity guests.

To purchase tickets and to learn more about the expansion and grand opening celebrations, visit Avalon’s website.

Image via The Wilbert Group