When MetLife Investment Management began buying property and assembling land along a nondescript but well-located stretch of Spring Street in Atlanta in the mid-2010s, it looked like the insurance giant might have big plans for the area.
MetLife did have a grand vision for the swath of midtown Atlanta, and it became a reality in 2022 when the company and development partner Granite Properties opened Midtown Union, a large mixed-use project anchored by a 26-story office tower at 1331 Spring St. In addition to the office space, Midtown Union contains a Kimpton hotel, a luxury apartment complex called The Mira at Midtown and restaurants Hartley Kitchen & Cocktails and Aveline.
Midtown Union scored a big win when it lured investment management firm Invesco to relocate its headquarters from Peachtree Street to the tower at 1331Spring.
As a result of the effect Midtown Union has had on the neighborhood adjacent to Atlanta's cultural and arts center, it has won the 2023 CoStar Impact Award for commercial development of the year in Atlanta, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
“The Midtown Union development is a fantastic endorsement of Georgia’s pro-business environment and Atlanta’s continued commitment to attracting private sector investment to grow our local and state economies," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said when the development team broke ground on the project in December 2019.
He added that "Invesco, MetLife Investment Management and Granite Properties have formed a formidable partnership that will benefit the local Midtown community and the entire state of Georgia."
About the project: Midtown Union is a mixed-use project in Atlanta that's centered on a 26-story office tower and also contains a boutique hotel, luxury apartments and a part of restaurants.
What the judges said: "This project was an impressive development in the Midtown Core with eye-catching design and architecture that elevates city's skyline," Christa DiLalo, a director of research at Cushman & Wakefield, said. The variety of amenities make it impactful for its surrounding community, and its ability to secure Invesco as a tenant ensured that Atlanta did not lose out on the presence of a Global 2000 firm."
"Midtown Union's addition to Midtown will prove to be fruitful as it adds much needed retail and walkability projects to Midtown's dense multifamily and housing options," Will Wright, an associate at Bridger Properties, said.
They made it happen: Jamie Dickson of MetLife Investment Management and John Robbins of Granite Properties played leadership roles, and Bill Halter, and Bill Halter and Greg Miller led the design team at architecture firm Cooper Carry. JLL's Adam Viente and Brooke Dewey marketed the space on behalf of the landlord.
