JLL Project and Development Services leads interior buildout of adaptive reuse food hall

JLL’s Project and Development Services (PDS) group in Atlanta announces the completion of The Hall at Ashford Lane, a 17,000-square-foot food hall featuring nine stalls, three bars and multiple spaces for private and semi-private events. JLL PDS was selected by Florida-based operator The Vigor Group, LLC, to manage the interior build-out of the food hall, which transforms a former furniture showroom into a space fit for numerous full-service dining concepts. A dynamic addition to CTO Realty Growth, Inc.’s 268,000-square-foot retail and dining district Ashford Lane, The Hall celebrated its grand opening last month.

JLL PDS provided design and construction management, overseas vendor and customs coordination, and furniture procurement, with Project Manager Cameron Long overseeing the project on behalf of the tenant and executive oversight by Managing Director David Shonk. Additional partners include general contractor Choate Construction, architect Warner Summers, structural engineer Shear Structural, civil engineer Flippo Civil, MEP engineer Barrett Woodyard & Associates and kitchen designer The Design Difference.

“The Hall at Ashford Lane places exceptional local concepts and global cuisine under one roof, introducing the first food hall to Dunwoody and bringing new energy and purpose to a formerly underutilized space,” said JLL’s Long. “Kicking off pre-construction planning in 2019, it was impossible to predict the challenges the next few years would bring – from a global pandemic to supply chain disruptions. Our team provided the technical expertise and grit needed to complete an adaptive reuse project of this scale with minimal disruptions or challenges. Creating new value in unexpected places is one of the most exciting parts of what we do, and this project creates an innovative and inclusive community gathering space for all to enjoy.”

A former Henredon Furniture showroom was completely reimagined to accommodate the ground-level food hall and a second-floor office tenant. The Hall at Ashford Lane introduces a full-service twist to the classic food hall that uses new technology to enable full-menu table service, casual bar seating and grab-and-go counter service. In addition to nine food stalls, The Hall features three bars, two private dining areas – one of which includes a Topgolf simulator – and a general seating area. Tenants at The Hall include Jai-nai, Amato Italia, Madrid, True Island Kitchen, American Culture, El Greco, Send Noodz, Itzayana and South and Common.

“Reinventing a former furniture store into a full-service food hall requires extensive updates to the facility, including the addition of all new utilities, electrical, plumbing and grease traps,” JLL’s Long added. “Our team worked in lock-step with project partners to ensure the needs of all nine food vendors were met – and to create a five-star guest experience with first-class finishes and forward-thinking design.”

In 2020, JLL’s retail leasing team was also selected by CTO to lead Ashford Lane’s repositioning, reimagining the property formerly known as Perimeter Place into Central Perimeter’s most unique mixed-use town center – combining shops, restaurants, offices and residences around a walkable, central gathering place. This included establishing a vibrant new brand, re-tenanting the retail mix and transforming former big-box anchors into creative office space. Phase one also included the addition of The Lawn, a new greenspace surrounded by chef-driven restaurants and specialty food offerings with large outdoor patios – creating a vibrant, street-level energy that complements the activities hosted on the greenspace throughout the year.

Ashford Lane is centrally positioned within one of Atlanta’s most active office markets and is in close proximity to several Fortune 500 companies, including Mercedes-Benz and State Farm. The property is located within a 10-minute walk to the Sandy Springs MARTA Station and across the street from Perimeter Mall, adjacent to the new AC Hotel set to open this summer. The area boasts a daytime population of 364,375 within a five-mile radius.