Hosea & 2nd
WINNER OF CITY OF ATLANTA URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION (UDC)
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, 2017
for its contribution to the urban fabric of Atlanta
The buildings at Hosea L Williams Drive & 2nd Avenue was originally built around 1935 and have been used most recently as a laundry and a small grocery. This intersection, in the neighborhood of East Lake, is undergoing a revitalization. Each of the four corners are currently being renovated or redeveloped. What could be described as a food desert, this intersection, when complete could house 6-8 restaurants and multiple offices, commercial, and some live/work spaces. This project is one of the first, and sits on the SE corner, providing the home for three new restaurants. The first is Poor Hendrix.
The original building sits directly on the edge of a 5’ sidewalk on 2nd Avenue, and a 10’ sidewalk and tree zone on Hosea Williams. It has street parking on each road and surface parking behind the buildings. The site is slightly sloping towards a small cemetery and community garden behind the building. We leveraged this slope by setting a third building, to the rear, 4' below and capturing a series of terraces and patios between the buildings. This allows for circulation through the site and visual connections between the three outdoor dining spaces. The project is completely accessible from the front and rear through a series of ramps that help define the various courtyards. The line of the 2nd Avenue facade of the existing building is continued with a concrete wall, stepping down with various levels of railing and landscape strips. The wall incorporates a wood bench at the entrance to the 3rd building.
