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The Flatiron building has certainly seen its share of tenants come and go over the years. The bottom floor restaurant space, once a bank, remained vacant for years before a new location of Jake’s Ice Cream (presumably a franchise) opened up with great hoopla for Georgia State’s most trendy students. But then, something happened.

The bad news: Students returned this Spring semester only to be greeted by an empty storefront where Jake’s downtown location had barely existed. Alas, this Jake’s is dead.

The word on the street: Rumor has it that this Jake’s location didn’t pay its employees. Nobody seems to really have the real scoop. Everybody seems to prefer thinking that this location never really existed.

My personal speculation: The Broad Street market has grown, but not enough for two ice cream shops. One of them had to go, and it was unfortunately the better of the two. Bruster’s, another not-so-local chain, survives in one of the retail spaces in Georgia State’s Aderhold Learning Center.

The good news: The Flatiron building quickly found a new tenant: Fogão Gaucho, a local knockoff of Dallas-based Fogo de Chão Churrascaria. Can they survive?

The new bad news: Fogão Gaucho decided it would be a good idea to cover all their windows with red curtains. When it opens, pedestrians will not get a peek of the inside, and patrons will not be able to see the people outside. This most basic design element of the new restaurant violates Rule 2: “Make the building front ‘permeable’ (i.e., no blank walls).” With the curtains, there is no connection between the neighborhood and the neighbor.

The new speculation: Whereas Fogão Gaucho is geared toward tourists and the upper crust, the business has little choice but to advertise heavily to the local convention business. Given how much support the hotels around Peachtree Center gave to the old downtown Macy’s, I’m cautiously pessimistic about Fogão’s gamble with the Flatiron.

Seen recently was a scene in which one car was pulled over with a single African American male in the driver’s seat.  Behind him were 4 police cruisers with roughly 8 officers.  This raises a question of how many officers it takes to pull someone over?  It also raises serious issues about whether the days of people being pulled over for DWB are gone.

Certainly, it’s possible that the person being pulled over could have been a dangerous wanted felon.  Certainly the car could have been stolen or have been part of a crime scene.  There might have been people who were not the driver who were in custody that we could not see.  Officers also have an absolute right to take all safety precautions to ensure their safety.

However, it often seems as though more African Americans are pulled over than non-African Americans and while African Americans are a majority in the city, they are not in the region.  It also seems as though more officers are needed when an African American is pulled over.

The question is whether these perceptions are accurate.  If so, why do police officers feel the need for such large numbers when pulling over African Americans?  If they are not, why does it look this way?

Atlanta is getting a new theater landmark.  In January 2005, Theatrical Outfit will open the Balzer Theater in the old Herren’s restaurant.  The theater seats about 200 and has a very wide stage.  Further, the space is designed to be intimate.  There are only 7 rows and the upstage wall to the back wall of the theater is less than 60 feet.

What this means is that audiences will get theater that is up close and personal.  It also means that Fairlie Poplar is getting another anchor tenant that will help the neighborhood become what it should have been all along: downtown’s coolest.

Other aspects of the building are very cool.  It’s among the most modern theaters ever built in terms of impact.  Bathrooms are designed to use as much rainwater as possible.  Heating and cooling systems are specially designed, and the structure uses highly flexible spaces to minimize inefficiency.  It’s also one of the most accessible buildings for people with disabilities.  Rarely do theaters include the ability for someone in a wheel chair to use the lighting booth of a theater.  But the Balzer will let everyone see shows and run them.

So, now that the facility is done, what’s next?  Getting people in to see shows.  The hotel and convention businesses will make up much of the weekday crowds, but what about Atlanta subscribers?  Believe it or not, there will be valet parking (something to which Atlanta seems increasingly addicted).  There will also be a lot lot for self parking and the cost is supposed to be limited.  However, the best answer will remain MARTA.  The Peachtree Center Station is 2 blocks away.  Now, Tom Key has just needs to get folks addicted to his content!

When the InterContinental Hotel chain jumped into the Atlanta market, they did so with both feet. They have opened two hotels in two months.

Hotel Indigo in Midtown is tropical themed hotel, which has returned an upscale feel back to a great space designed by Pringle and Smith. It replaces a Days Inn and hair salon and is certainly an improvement. It’s also the first of its kind. A number of Hotel Indigos are planned across the country, but Atlanta has the first one.

Certainly, the hotel is a design risk; chairs are oversized and colors are very bright, and spaces are very open. However, they want you to be aware of the risk they’ve taken. They don’t have a ball room. One of their two small conference rooms is named Fibonacci and there are numerous references to the Golden Mean. Clearly, their intent is to create an aesthetically relaxing atmosphere to which people will escape from the bustle. They hope this approach will appeal to both recreational visitors and business people alike. With rates of roughly $140 per night (not overly pricey, but not as inexpensive as the former occupant) they seek the fairly well healed savvy traveler.

By contrast, The InterContinental Buckhead Hotel is seeking the luxury market. Designed with Chagall colors and Parisian design overtones, the InterContinental is designed to radiate high priced luxury. To make it a splash in the market, the hotel engaged a top team of hotel executives. To show just how serious they were, they even asked Martha Jo Katz to be their director of social functions. Ms. Katz has long been seen as a top Atlanta Gala planner and brought numerous clients to the former Swissotel. She has successfully shepherded the InterContinental through a very busy holiday season.

That the InterContinental company chose to dig in now says good things both for the company and for Atlanta. The company is not making a half hearted effort. They spent over $150 million in our market just to start playing. Defining the successful outcome for that effort is the interesting part. Indigo will stand and fall on its own terms. What tweaks will be needed? How will the focus of the hotel change? To whom will it cater? All will say a lot about Atlanta and the hotel. The InterContinental Buckhead has an obvious benchmark for success. It has 18 months to join or surpass the Ritz Carlton and 4 Seasons as Atlanta’s 5 star hotel champions.

Atlanta is the real winner here. A property that could have been lost is saved and improved. Atlanta’s image as a luxury destination is enhanced, and the economic and tourist dollars that the hotels create will keep the town’s service sector vibrant.