Ponce City Market won’t open until late 2013, but there is still reason to celebrate now.
Michael Phillips, managing director of Jamestown Properties, said the Oct. 1 Party at Ponce -- which is being billed as more of a fundraiser than a festival -- will signify the rebirth of the historical site, a 2 million-square-foot brick structure formerly known as City Hall East that at one time housed Sears, Roebuck and Co. and was purchased by Jamestown this summer.
“For six years, there was a big question about who was buying the building and what its future would be. This party is a good demarcation of the beginning of the next cycle,” Phillips said.
The centerpiece of the “party,” which also will mark the 10th anniversary of Green Street Properties, will be musical performances by Atlanta-based stars the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins and Francine Reed.
A portion of proceeds from the event will benefit the Atlanta Beltline Partnership and Georgia Organics.
Phillips said he specifically sought acts with a local connection, and in the case of the Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray, there is a particularly close tie: Her mother once worked in the Sears building.
The acts all agreed to perform at a “greatly reduced cost,” according to Phillips, who added that it signified the artists’ commitment to their roots.
“It’s really a testament to them. We know they perform at [fundraisers] all the time and that this isn’t the only one they’re asked to do,” he said.
While the ticket price is slightly higher than a typical concert or event, Phillips said it’s important to remember that this is primarily a fundraiser.
Along with the musical performances, guests will receive access to food offerings from some of the South’s top chefs and area food trucks. A cash bar also will be on site.
Another draw for the Party at Ponce -- and included in the ticket price -- is the ability to have a final look around the building in its present form, before extensive renovations begin.
Tours will take place at scheduled times, which are available at www.partyatponce.com.
“We want people to have a time capsule,” Phillips said. “There is this iconic asset in the region that people have had looming in their world for decades, and the idea is to make it real for them, to give them an opportunity to have a 3-D experience.”
Event preview
Party at Ponce with Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins and Francine Reed
7 p.m. Oct. 1. $90 (includes food, music and tour of the old Sears building; cash bar on site). Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. Free parking available at Ponce City Market deck with proof of ticket purchase. www.partyatponce.com, 404-842-5387.
