When the celebrated Midnight Sun opened in Peachtree Center almost 50 years ago under the visionary eye of its creator, John C. Portman, Jr., cuisine, culture and cosmopolitan flair converged in a restaurant experience that redefined mid-century Atlanta’s standard for fine dining. This December, downtown dining will again reach a new level of sophistication when refined cuisine and contemporary elegance become one in the magnificent JP Atlanta, John Portman’s latest and most transformative addition to the continuing resurgence of the central-city environment he has been developing for more than a half century.
The Midnight Sun offered classic Danish haute cuisine prepared by Danish chefs to legions of discerning guests in a space of dramatic mid-century design. JP Atlanta will bring a modern interpretation of the Midnight Sun experience back to Downtown Atlanta in a landmark building undergoing its own resurgence. 230 Peachtree, which Portman first designed and developed in 1965 as part of his Peachtree Center complex, has been reacquired for adaptive reuse. John Portman & Associates will once again design a signature restaurant space within the building which will also be home to a new 203-room Hotel Indigo® hotel, Atlanta’s fourth location for the boutique hotel brand, set to open in December 2015.
“The Midnight Sun came at a time when sophisticated fine dining in a continental setting was all but unknown here,” recalls Portman, who continues as founder and chairman of Portman Holdings and John Portman & Associates. “But our vision for Atlanta then, as it is now, was one of global reach, influence and importance. That demanded a restaurant of international prestige and power, so that’s what we built,” Portman adds.
“The experience at JP Atlanta will be above and beyond anything that can be found downtown or anywhere else in Atlanta,” notes Ray Camillo, founder and principal of Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting, co-creator of the restaurant and bar concept. “Guests can expect a tremendous level of culinary execution and attention to service in one of the city’s most artistic and exciting restaurant environments.”
A new sculpture designed by Portman himself will be featured in the fully restored, fountain-accented public plaza through which JP Atlanta guests will arrive. As guests enter the building, a 20-foot tall skylight will greet them, along with white stone sleekness harking back to the building’s original 1965 design. Another Portman signature, a grand staircase seemingly floating in space and a glass canopy-topped bar will greet guests checking in to the Hotel Indigo hotel. A meticulously designed array of artwork and architectural sculptures will offer guests an art gallery-like experience.
With direct access to the Peachtree Center MARTA station and downtown’s new streetcar, plus thousands of vendors and shoppers at the connecting AmericasMart complex and tourist attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the College Football Hall of Fame and more than 100,000 weekday office workers, 230 Peachtree will become a highlight of the modern Downtown Atlanta. With JP Atlanta, downtown will now have an inviting option for a business breakfast, a quick lunch, a world-class dinner or a late night cocktail.
