From the in-the-know Tomorrow’s News Today…

West Egg Cafe, which first opened on the Westside in 2004 and moved to its current home, (a few feet away) also within White Provision in 2010, is finally branching out. West Egg founders Ben & Jennifer Johnson will open a second eatery later this fall in Emory Point on Clifton Road near Emory University. Though a name has not been confirmed for the new eatery, I’m told “East Egg” has at least been mentioned. I’m told the new eatery will not be exactly the same as West Egg and will likely offer a number of bagels and a larger assortment of breakfast beverages.

From a Emory Point press release…

Cousins Properties has secured the first U.S. lease for La Tagliatella, a European pasta and pizza restaurant. Founded in Madrid in 2001, La Tagliatella has more than 110 restaurants in Spain and France and chose Atlanta as the first American city to introduce its flavors. Atlanta-based Tin Lizzy’s and Fresh To Order also have signed on to the property to round out the wide variety of eating choices. Additionally, Emory Point will get the fourth location for Jazmin Spa, which has a variety of treatment services.

This development is quickly becoming a reality.  I can’t believe how fast those buildings are going up over on Clifton Road!

From a Cousins Properties press release…

ATLANTA (October 31, 2011) – Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE: CUZ) today announced the first group of retailers to sign leases at Emory Point. Located in the Clifton Corridor, adjacent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in close proximity to Emory University and Emory Healthcare, Emory Point is a vertically integrated mixed-use development.

The first group of retailers includes: CVS, Jos A. Bank, Marlow’s Tavern, Which Wich, Solar Dimensions and Carriage Cleaners.

…The $100+ million Phase I of the project will include more than 80,000 square feet of retail space and 443 luxury apartments. Construction began in July and is expected to be complete by fall 2012. The second and third phases of the project will be developed according to market demand.

H/T: Va-Hi Patch

Amidst some of the boasting in a press release sent out yesterday announcing the commencement of construction at the new mixed use development, Emory Point, (“first new retail project built in the trade area in 20 years”, “the largest private development start inside the Perimeter in more than three years”), is this interesting little snippet…

Under the DeKalb County zoning plan for Emory Point, 25 acres of densely wooded land behind the development, approximately half of the site, will be protected as undevelopable under Emory’s land classification plan. Prior to the rezoning, those woodlands were not protected.

Hey, it ain’t 185-acre Lullwater Park, but 25 acres ain’t nothing to sneeze at!  Dense urban development, you’ve done it again!

BTW…first confirmed retailer at Emory Point?  Which Wich!

According to an email forwarded by Ann, Emory Point – a mixed-use development across from the CDC campus on Clifton Road with 82,000 square-feet of retail and 440 “luxury apartments” – will break ground this summer and is scheduled to open in Fall 2012.  (A potential phase two will add another 440 residential units to the property)

While this is news to me, it probably isn’t to anyone in the area, as the area was rezoned by the DeKalb Commission way back in 2007 and area residents were surveyed about the project.

According to the Clifton Community Partnership website, the rezoned 50 acres currently includes…

- 25 acres of forest, now protected under Emory’s land classification plan and the new rezoning site plan

– 10 acres of existing development (the Emory Conference Center Hotel, which had an expansion that was completed in May 2009, and the 1599 Clifton Road facility, formerly known as the American Cancer Society building);

– 15-acre construction site along Clifton Road that previously included a parking lot and several dozen graduate housing units. The Emory Inn also operates on the site, but in time will be demolished.

Back in November, the Atlanta Business Chronicle predicted “Emory Point could be one of the largest mixed-use projects to be launched once the market recovers.”

The  visual above – along with other in this brochure - really gives an idea of the sheer size of this new mixed-use site.   This should be a very interesting project to watch rise from the ground and fill up with residents and retail.