Centennial Yards’ next high-rise tops out beside Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Josh Green

Mon, 12/23/2024 – 10:43

Two years after breaking ground, Centennial Yards’ first two high-rise projects have officially reached maximum height over Atlanta’s former Gulch, across the street from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

After rising quickly throughout the fall, the latest tower to officially top out has been christened “Hotel Phoenix” (previously called Anthem) as a nod to the mythical bird and Atlanta city symbol.

Following a topping-out ceremony Wednesday, Centennial Yards Company officials say the focus for the 292-room hotel’s more than 500-member construction team will turn to finishing the hotel’s interior, with a goal of opening in summer 2025.

Hotel Phoenix’s sibling tower, the 304-unit The Mitchell luxury apartments, topped out in August at a site just south of the hotel, marking the $5-billion, 50-acre megaproject’s first ground up new construction to stand at max height.

Both buildings stand 18 stories, between The Benz and active railroad tracks below.

Where the 292-room Hotel Phoenix stands today. Photo by @CentennialYards on Instagram

Plans for Hotel Phoenix call for 15 suites and penthouses with city views described as “panoramic” and private balconies. Elsewhere on site will be 15,000 square feet of flex event space (8,000 square feet of that a ballroom), plus several dining options. Those will include a rooftop restaurant with a private elevator entrance, a lobby coffee bar, and an all-day restaurant and bar, according to Centennial Yards officials.

Other facets of the building will include an outdoor event lawn, a fitness center, and a resort-style pool with private cabanas, officials said.

Materials chosen for Hotel Phoenix—reclaimed wood, stone finishes, polished metals—will aim to echo Atlanta’s industrial roots, as the property will be situated near the city’s birthplace at the Western & Atlantic Railway terminus. The building’s architecture “showcases parallel and intersecting lines that are reminiscent of historic railway tracks,” according to a project description.

“Just as Atlanta once rose from the ashes of a fire, symbolizing renewal and growth, Centennial Yards is also emerging from its past,” Brian McGowan, Centennial Yards Company president, said in a prepared statement. “After many years of [the area] being underused, we look forward to contributing to the lively Atlanta that everyone in this city deserves.”

As seen in August, at right, the high-rise hotel project climbed quickly throughout the autumn months this year. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

In other Centennial Yards news, project leaders say The Mitchell building has signed its first lease, inking a concept called Khao Thai Eatery, which will serve Thai tapas and cocktails by 26 Thai.

East of the topped-out towers, Centennial Yards Company is also actively building an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub anchored by a three-level Cosm entertainment dome with a mid-rise hotel and fan plaza at the center. Those buildings are scheduled to be finished in time for eight FIFA World Cup matches to be played in Atlanta, beginning in June 2026.

About 480,000 square feet of space at that section will be dedicated to retail, entertainment, and dining, per developers.

How Centennial Yards’ first two towers (The Mitchell apartments, in foreground, and the new hotel behind it) stand in relation to the football and soccer arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

The AJC reports that six buildings—including the standing apartment and hotel towers—are under construction around the former Gulch now. A third new Centennial Yards hotel project on a smaller scale is also in the pipeline at 88 Elliott St. That long, slender site is situated between active rail lines and the historic Castleberry Hill neighborhood, across the street from the former Elliott Street Pub and Atlanta Fire Station No. 1, near the western section of the pedestrians-only Steele Bridge.

Centennial Yards officials initially submitted that hotel project to the city as a multifamily residential building standing a maximum of about five stories, crowned with rooftop decks.

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Images

As seen in August, at right, the high-rise hotel project climbed quickly throughout the autumn months this year. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the 292-room Hotel Phoenix stands today. Photo by @CentennialYards on Instagram

How Centennial Yards’ first two towers (The Mitchell apartments, in foreground, and the new hotel behind it) stand in relation to the football and soccer arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

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292-room tower in Atlanta’s former Gulch officially christened “Hotel Phoenix”

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