Massive Downtown ATL Development Would Work For Amazon

ATLANTA, GA — As state and city officials work to lure tech-giant Amazon's new headquarters to the Atlanta area, designers on Thursday unveiled plans for a massive downtown development that would more than fit the bill.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that California development team CIM Group pitched a $1 billion concept for redeveloping 27 acres downtown into a mix of offices, stores, restaurants and residential units. The development would be in and around The Gulch, a spot now dominated by parking lots near Philips Arena, CNN Center and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The development would include private streets like those metro Atlanta residents would recognize from Atlantic Station in Midtown. It would include more than 9 million square feet of office space, 1 million square feet of retail and restaurants, 1,000 residential units and 1,500 hotel rooms, the AJC reported.

That's more than what Amazon has said is required for HQ2, a second headquarters for the Seattle-based company that's expected to bring $5 billion in spending and as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs to its new home. Last week, Atlanta was named one of 20 finalists, out of 238 applicants, to become the home of HQ2.

The Gulch is reportedly one of the dozens of potential locations that Georgia officials included in their official proposal to Amazon.

The AJC reported that CIM's proposal includes at least nine skyscrapers 225 feet or higher and one that would be 500 feet — or about 40 stories — tall. Designers said the concept wold better connect south downtown Atlanta neighborhoods with areas like Castleberry Hill and the area around the Five Points MARTA station.

The development talk comes as the Atlanta Hawks' ownership group is in the midst of a $129 million renovation of nearby Philips Arena.

CIM made its pitch Thursday to a development review committee for the city's Special Public Interest District 1, which represents downtown Atlanta. In their proposal, developers did not specifically mention Amazon as a potential occupant for part, or all, of the development.

Amazon is expected to make its final decision on a site for HQ2 some time this year.

Since Amazon announced plans for HQ2 in September, Atlanta has consistently been mentioned by analysts as a likely contender for the new headquarters. Moody's Analytics, the economic-research arm of the business and financial services company, ranked the Atlanta area No. 2 among the many localities striving to become home to a second headquarters for the Seattle-based online-retail giant. Austin, Texas, which is also on the short list, was ranked No. 1 by Moody's.

A general view of downtown Atlanta on January 8, 2018. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)