Designers have gone back to the drawing board to keep proposals moving through the development pipeline in light of lessons from the pandemic.

"German developer Newport this week issued new renderings with virus-inspired changes for its $100 million redevelopment of the 222 Mitchell Street building," reports Andy Peters.
The redevelopment plan calls for the developer to rehab 222 Mitchell Street, located near the Gulch redevelopment project proposed by CIM Group, which has made the planning news on several occasions.
"About three-quarters of Newport’s Mitchell street building will be converted to office space. The remainder will be retail," according to Peters. "The company altered its design after COVID hit in March, adding more and larger elevators to the 290,000-square-foot building to meet the expected demand for a less-dense gathering of workers and shoppers. It added outdoor seating areas to restaurant space."
"The developer also adjusted the design to allow office tenants create separate entrance doors and self-contained lobbies," adds Peters.
The development in Atlanta isn't the first to claim a design response to the realities of the novel coronavirus. The Almaden Boulevard Tower in San Jose claimed similar public health advancements in June.
FULL STORY: Developer adjusts design of downtown project to reflect COVID-19

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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