Presidential Eyesore of Spaghetti Junction (Atlanta)

When leaving some of the most northern metro Atlanta suburbs, there’s a good chance of the approaching Spaghetti Junction (I-85 & I-285). Once you are at Spaghetti Junction you may notice a 15-story high-rise circular-shaped building that resembles the Westin Hotel of downtown Atlanta, but couldn’t really figure out the name of the building or what was actually used for. This structure was built as a hotel in the mid-1970s before the rise of Spaghetti Junction when it was just known as a cloverleaf interchange. 

The Building Structure 2010

This hotel was built in 1973 and opened as the Presidential Hotel given its name by the road it is located off of at 4001 Presidential Parkway. This 88,000-square-foot hotel features 234 units on 14 levels, conference rooms, retail space, and more. The hotel found itself as being a great landmark to Atlanta once the city began to grow rapidly with the construction of Tom Moreland Interchange also known as Spaghetti Junction which was completed in 1987 replacing an older cloverleaf interchange that dates back to the 1950s. Despite its great visibility from the interchange it sits near, one would have to drive a quarter mile down Presidential Parkway in order to get to the actual building. There are no nearby entrances or exit ramps onto the freeway that sits near the building itself.

1987 view of  Tom Moreland Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) 

Throughout the years the hotel fell into different ownerships. In 1987, the Presidential Hotel fell into debt and closed its doors after 14 years of operation. The reason behind it was often said that the construction of Spaghetti Junction at the time caused too much traffic which sparked a demise in business. Later a lawsuit was against the then owner Joe Wang in 1987. The hotel was then shuttered afterward for about 7 years until it was bought from the bank in 1995 and was renamed The Heights Hotel.

The Ramada Plaza Hotel (1996)

The Heights Hotel was short lived closing after being in operation for only a year, due to the high cost of building maintenance. It was purchased by Ramada and renamed Ramada Perimeter Northeast Hotel just in time for the Olympics. The hotel was then remolded at the end of 1996 adding advertisement billboards to the roof of the building facing Spaghetti Junction and also adding a nightclub to the building which was later opened as ‘Club Europe’ in 1997. Despite giving the building a fresh new look in the interior and making it mixed development use by adding a lounge; Ramada closed its doors for good in 2001 with another buyer already up for grabs. At this point, Club Europe remained open as it wasn’t included in the sale, due to being a separate joint venture with Ramada having no rights upon it.   

Celebrity Business Suites bought the building from Ramada turning it into more of a Multi-Use Office Complex. The building was slightly renovated only by adding more conference rooms and office suites as well as getting ‘LLumar R-20 SR CDF’ film installed on all windows to give it a more modern façade and to prevent excessive heat from entering the building caused by the sun. This then turned the hotel into more of a mixed-development use building by having a lounge, ballrooms, hotel/extended stay, and office suites for small businesses to rent out all in one building.  In an attempt to revive the hotel by using a different strategy, the concept wasn’t good enough to keep the doors open. 

The hotel went up for auction in 2010 and was purchased and renamed Presidential Boutique Condotel.  It was subsequently leased out and renamed The Solaris Atlanta Building for a short period of time prior to the auction. It was managed by a man named Habib Osta and his partner Vincent who at the time was operating the Club Europe that is connected to the hotel. Under his management, he used the same concept that Celebrity Business Suites did, except for putting money into the facility in terms of upkeep. Habib Osta promised each tenant to have low rates and the enmities that come with the hotel. Tenants on apartments always claimed that the apartment advertisements online were photoshopped and that they looked different in person. People also stated that the pests were out of control, rats roaming through the door, and the presence of mold.

    

When further reading the reviews, one former resident stated:

"Please do not move into the Presidential Boutique Condotel. The new owners are liars such as Vincent Lu and Habib Oasta. Every month the hot water is always off. This building has known maintenance, and security is sorry as hell. The building has a lot of electrical problems. This building is condemned with roaches and molds that will make you sick. If you go back to the building the garbage is always full. When I was living there I saw rats, and mice running in and out of the building. Please don’t waste your money, because the new owner is doing a lot of underhanded illegal stuff there at The PRESIDENTIAL BOUTIQUE CONDOTEL." 

In 2011 another review was stated from a former resident said: 

"Cannot believe that this building is allowed to operate with so much mismanagement, code violations, black mold in most units. Plain ole SLUM LORDS. A NIGHTMARE AND HORROR EPISODE DO NOT MOVE HERE, YOU WILL BE STRONG ARMED ROBBED BY THE MANAGER HABIB OSTA AS WELL AS ALL THE IN HOUSE BREAK INS COMMITED BY THEIR OWN LIVE IN SECURITY BOYS. YOU WILL ALSO GET A CONTACT HIGH FROM ALL THE DOPE SMOKING IN THE BUILDING. SAD"

A close look at the billboard that sits on top of the roof.

Despite all the negative reviews, The Mixed-Used Condominium continued to lease out rooms and office space continuing to collect rent from the tenants. In June 2011 the power was turned off briefly for owing close to $58,000 to Georgia Power which Osta claimed to pay at least $11,000 out of pocket just to have it turned back on. He blamed his business partner Vincent for not paying his half. With rising temperatures in Atlanta during the summertime, residents were left in the heat.

In early February 2012, it was reported that there was a dispute between the ownership of the property between Oasta and his partner Vincent who owned the nightclub as well as a few levels of the hotel in court over another non-payment of his half of expenses and utility bills. At this point, the hot water for the building was already turned off. Georgia Power then turned the power off at the property again leaving residents freezing at this point. On Valentine’s Day of 2012, the residents found themselves being evicted by Fire Marshalls from the property due to the building being unsafe without power. At this time the building was on backup generators only providing lights in the hallways leaving all units dark. Residents had to 5 PM to get their belongings and leave the building or else they would be arrested. Without working elevators, furniture and small belongings were carried down flights of stairs. Most people had nowhere else to go and some left furniture behind due to not being able to carry it down the narrow staircase.

Within the past years of the closure of the building, vandals and scalpers broke into the hotel breaking windows, spraying graffiti on the walls, and becoming a shelter for the homeless. When arriving at the hotel, I noticed that the door to the Former Club Europe was wide open and easy for anyone to walk in.  When going up the staircase of each level some rooms were fully furnished due to the previous residents not being able to carry the furniture down the steps.  Some rooms were still in good condition while others had rotten drywall on the side.

 While there was more to the building, it was best just to stay in the well-lighted areas near windows so that it was easy to navigate. The property is frequently navigated by a patrol car and it’s highly recommended you use high caution before entering and that you have somebody accompanying you.

Exterior Photos Taken in July 2016

Interior Photos Taken in July 2016

Club Europe

A nightclub that was opened in the building in 1997 until 2012 when the lights were cut off by failure to pay the power bill. This club was managed/owned by Habib Oasta's partner Vincent Lu. The club/lounge was met with good reviews having a wide number of visitors and small crowds. The club was closed long before the eviction of the remaining tenants out of the building.

Today the interior of Club Europe is in bad condition with every single glass on the interior being busted as well as water leaks. Heavy graphite is also present as well. When approaching this side of the building, the doors are wide open letting anyone who wants to enter in. 

Floor Plans 

2010 Rent Roll