The cities of Atlanta and Charlottesville may be different in size and operate under different state governments, but one connection is a daily direct train service via Amtrak’s Crescent route.
Another shared connection: Both have unfinished buildings owned by companies associated with developer John Dewberry. Those in Charlottesville are familiar with the nine-story uncompleted hotel in the middle of the Downtown Mall, a project stalled since early 2009.
Multiple efforts are underway in Atlanta to compel Dewberry to move forward with renovation of a 21-story office tower at 1155 Peachtree Street NE called the Campanile Building in what’s known as Midtown.
“The abandoned high-rise construction site at Peachtree Street and 14th Street in Midtown Atlanta, including the long-idle tower crane and exposed structure, has remained a visible concern for years in the center of one of Atlanta’s busiest and most densely populated districts,” reads a petition on Change.org.
The petition has been signed by nearly 2,100 people who want the city to ensure the project is safe and that the crane is in no danger of collapsing. Among their demands is a timeline for when the site will be stabilized or when the abandoned structure will be removed.
“The community deserves clear information regarding next steps,” the petition continues. “If inspections determine that the crane or structure cannot be safely maintained, an appropriate removal or remediation plan should be implemented.”
According to Peachtree Commercial Real Estate, the building was originally constructed in 1987 and is undergoing an extensive renovation.
However, Josh Green of the website Urbanize Atlanta reported on May 15 that the project has been stalled for a number of years.
“Dewberry Capital began gutting the Campanile office high-rise—at one of the busiest intersections for pedestrian activity in the Southeast—around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic more than six years ago,” Green wrote, noting a similarity to the stalled Dewberry Hotel on the Downtown Mall.
On March 18, 2026, the City of Atlanta conducted a safety inspection at 1155 Peachtree and found several violations at the building. Fox 5 in Atlanta reported that there were at least three gaps in a perimeter fence deemed to be unsafe.
According to the City of Atlanta’s records, a stop work order was posted but a follow-up inspection was conducted on June 2.
“On-site inspection walking around perimeter barrier,” wrote the inspector in a comment. “Unsafe condition has been complied, posting has been removed.”
The pressure to get Dewberry to do something with the building is mounting. Rough Draft Atlanta has reported that two members of City Council introduced a resolution on June 1 to move forward with a mechanism against blighted property that is so far tested.
The City of Atlanta in Georgia is governed by a 16-member City Council. In August 2024, that body adopted legislation that allows the city to charge a blight tax to property owners believed to be neglectful.
“Atlanta Municipal Court judges will have the authority to increase the tax bills of these blighted properties by up to 25 times the current city tax rate,” said District 3 Council Member Byron Amos in a statement from August 5, 2024. “The goal of this legislation is to not only hold negligent property owners accountable but also to work with owners who are doing what they can to clean up their blighted property.”
One of the slides in the blight tax audit presentation given to the Atlanta City Council on March 25, 2026. given
The Atlanta City Council received an audit of steps to get the blight up and running at their meeting on March 26 of this year. A major obstacle is that there is not yet an official in place to implement the program as defined in the ordinance.
That didn’t stop District 2 Council Member Kelsea Bond and Post 2 Council Member Matt Westmoreland from introducing legislation on June 1 seeking the tax increase be imposed at 1155 Peachtree.
“While Blight Taxes are often used for residences that have been abandoned and are creating unsafe conditions, this process is eligible to be used for commercial properties that are not the primary residence of one of more persons,” reads the resolution. “The construction zone at 1155 Peachtree St NE began work in 2019, stalled in 2020, and had remained in a state of structural disrepair ever since.”
To what extent are such taxes allowed in Virginia? What powers exist for local governments to compel or persuade landowners to address unfinished structures? Can lessons be learned between localities in different states?
Dewberry’s lingering presence in Charlottesville
The Dewberry Hotel began as the Landmark Hotel with a groundbreaking ceremony held on March 11, 2008. The idea was to have the project completed by July 2009, but the Atlanta-based bank that provided most of the financing failed in 2008. Construction stopped in January 2009 and the project was eventually sold at auction.
A company associated with Dewberry Capital purchased the unfinished hotel and the land for $6.25 million in March 2012 and submitted design plans to move forward in 2017. That December, Council voted 3-2 against a performance agreement that would have provided for a tax abatement of up to 50 percent to incentive the project moving forward. There are three paragraphs in the minutes.
The city asked for a structural integrity report in 2020 but Dewberry did not provide one. In February 2022, the group Friends of Downtown Charlottesville wrapped the skeleton with decorative artwork.
Before you go: The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things. Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the June 4, 2026 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. You can either subscribe through Substack or make a charitable contribution.
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