An Atlanta-based rock climbing facility is on track to open a third area location, this time in Midtown.
The new Stone Summit location will open in a renovated office building that was built in 1972 near the Fox Theater, meaning it will operate a bit differently than its predecessors.
The main difference: height restrictions in the 715 Peachtree Street NW building require it to be a bouldering-specific facility. So instead of a full-fledged, 60-foot rock-climbing wall, guests will climb shorter heights —about 12 to 14 feet — without ropes, and with a big mat underneath.
Co-owners Daniel Luke and Daron Pair had been looking for a new space anywhere from East Atlanta to West Midtown for the past fours years, but struggled with finding a good location that had parking and ceiling heights suitable for a bouldering gym.
It was trial and error — until they found the Midtown building being gutted and renovated by developer Carter. It had 505 parking spaces and an old Bank of America data center that could be turned into a climbing area.
The facility will be 10,000 square feet, about a third the size of the northeast Atlanta and Kennesaw locations (which opened in 2010 and 2014, respectively). Unlike those locations, this one will not offer fitness classes, such as yoga and pilates, but will have a workout room with cardio equipment and free weights.
De-construction of the long, narrow space has begun; new elements, including 5,000-square-feet of bouldering wall, haven’t gone in yet.
Luke hopes for the new spot to open in early fall.
He imagines the bouldering-specific Midtown location will attract a specific demographic.
“Young professionals are usually a little bit more daring than the grown-up corporate America,” Luke said.
Stone Summit may open more Atlanta locations in the future and is soon starting construction on a facility in Dallas, Texas, Luke said.
Carter, which acquired the building in July 2015, hopes to attract growing technology companies. Bareburger and Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company have also been reported as tenants.
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