Newspaper Page Text
So long, ‘Murder Kroger’
Ponce supermarket to be reborn as part of mixed-use development
Whether you call it “Murder Kroger”
or “BeltLine Kroger,” you’ll soon be calling
it dust as the Ponce de Leon Avenue
supermarket is demolished to make room
for a new mixed-used development.
Kroger’s Atlanta Division and New City,
LLC, have announced plans to develop 725
Ponce, a mixed-use development on the
Atlanta BeltLine, adjacent to Ponce City
Market between North and Ponce de Leon
Avenues, according to officials.
The development will break ground
in the spring and include a new 60,000-
square-foot Kroger below 360,000 square
feet of Class-A loft office space, designed to
take advantage of the spectacular views of
the adjacent BeltLine, Ponce City Market
and Historic Fourth Ward Park.
New City founder Jim Irwin, who
spearheaded the redevelopment of Ponce
City Market for Jamestown, will lead the
development team. “Our goal for 725 Ponce
is to build on the incredible momentum of
Ponce City Market and the BeltLine,” said
Irwin. “It’s exciting to be able to partner
with Kroger to revitalize the property
and have an opportunity to design a new
building that fits within the context of the
historic structures next door - adding
another layer to the urban landscape.”
The office space will be delivered in
a similar fashion as Ponce City Market,
which is currently more than 90 percent
leased. The building will cater to the intown
worker, and includes open floor plates
with exposed 13-foot ceilings, divided
light windows and a refined industrial
aesthetic. The building will feature multiple
stair-stepped outdoor terraces, which will
provide office tenants with the opportunity
to work and congregate outdoors and enjoy
spectacular views of the Atlanta skyline.
The existing Kroger facility, circa
1986, will be demolished, and a brand new
Kroger prototype will be constructed in its
place. Over the last two years, the store was
remodeled and the property redesigned,
including a direct path the BeltLine’s
Eastside Trail, which will remain in the new
project.
“Kroger is excited to build a new store
to suit the unique needs of our intown
customers,” says Glynn Jenkins, public
relations director for Kroger’s Atlanta
Division. “The new store will include
an expanded natural foods and organic
assortment of products, extensive prepared
foods, ‘Click List’ online grocery ordering
and other amenities so we may offer even
more choices and convenience for our loyal
customers.”
Below the footprint of the project,
more than 900 new parking spaces will be
constructed to serve future office tenants.
Additionally, on evenings and weekends,
this parking will be available to the public
for those visiting the BeltLine and Ponce
City Market. Finally, New City will be
working with the owners of the adjacent
Ford Factory to create a new dedicated
BeltLine entrance to their building, public
breezeway and new BeltLine-facing retail
space inside the existing structure as part of
the overall redevelopment.
“This project exemplifies the catalytic
role the Atlanta BeltLine continues to play
in advancing Atlanta’s stature as a world-
class walkable/bikable city’ said Paul
Morris, CEO of the Atlanta BeltLine. “The
confidence New City and their investors are
showing at 725 Ponce further solidifies the
urban development revolution taking place
around the BeltLine, with robust economic
development that affords residents the
ability to work, shop and live their lives
using the BeltLine as their primary means
of transportation.”
Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall
has been instrumental in the adoption of
the Poncey-Highland and Old Fourth Ward
master plans that have paved the way for
projects like 725 Ponce and Ponce City
Market.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see
the results of years of hard work by the
community’ says Councilman Hall.
“Eve built great relationships both with
Kroger and Jim Irwin during his work
on Ponce City Market, and I’m excited
to work with both on this new project to
provide additional amenities and business
opportunities for the residents of our
historic neighborhoods.”
The Kroger has held its infamous
moniker since the late 1980s after a body
was found in a car in the parking lot. A
song was written about “Murder Kroger,”
and there’s an active Facebook page under
that name dedicated to the store and
surrounding community. 03
- Additional reporting by Collin Kelley
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February 2016 | INtOWIl 45