Party At Ponce To Restore Building And Hope

The Party at Ponce will most definitely be dubbed Atlanta’s party of the year! To kick-off the re-development of the 2.1 million square-foot property that was the first Sears retail store in Atlanta (which later became Atlanta City Hall East in 1991,) Jamestown Properties celebrated plans to transform the historic site once an amusement park called “the Coney Island of Atlanta,” and the original home to the “Atlanta Crackers” baseball team into an urban mixed-use “destination” named Ponce City Market.

The huge venue featured a stage in the back lot bordered by food trucks parked along the perimeter, and a multitude of tables laden with food samples prepared by the chefs of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants inside the building’s massive loading area. Attendees enjoyed the musical talents of the Party’s headliners the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins and Francine Reed as they snacked on treats from Atlanta's most celebrated chefs including:

• Kevin Rathbun of Rathbun’s; Szechuan-peppered Pork Belly Tacos with Orange Hoisin Sauce, Sake Pickled Onions
• Joshua Hopkins of Abattoir; Brisket Salad
• Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia; Radishes with butter, Cheese Straws and Ginger-Molasses Cookies
• Shaun Doty of Yeah! Burger; Free-Range Turkey Burger with Pickle and Alabama White BBQ sauce
• Jay Swift of 4th & Swift; Braised Lamb with Pomegranate Couscous topped with Spiced Yogurt
• Hugh Acheson of Empire State South; She Crab Soup with Sherry Gelee with Mace Whipped Cream and Crisp Rice
• Scott Serpas of Serpas; House-Smoked Salmon with Chipotle Cream Cheese, Red Onions And Capers
• Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen; Sweet Onion and Fontina Tortelloni
• Duane Nutter of One Flew South; Blueberry Mountain Chicken over Waffles
• Ron Eyester of Rosebud; Marinated Shrimp and Late-Summer Peppers with Mustard Sorghum Vinaigrette
• Pano Karatassos of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group & Eric Cutillo of Kyma; Grilled Octopus over Quinoa Salad
• Frederico Castellucci of Iberian Pig; Iberico Ham and Artisanal Salads

Food truck offerings included frozen treats from Westside Creamery and Honeysuckle, Korean-style tacos from Yumbii, a selection of tamales from the Tamale Queen and jambalaya, crawfish dip and beignets from Just Loaf’n. Party goers also had the opportunity to try a "Cat's Meow," the PAP signature drink created by a master mixologist from Rosebud made with lemon-&-lavendar-infused Cathead Vodka, agave nectar and ginger beer.

Overall, the evening was an enormous success with all proceeds from the “Party” benefiting and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership and Georgia Organics. The future “Ponce City Market,” on land previously populated with natural springs known for their restorative properties, is certain to "restore" the building's usefulness and become the nexus of the four established neighborhoods and the future Atlanta BeltLine transit corridor.