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Vision emerges for BeltLine mixed-use buildings on Northeast Trail Josh Green Wed, 05/08/2024 - 08:23 Plans are coming into clearer focus for a two-building project at a creek-side site that includes direct water access and what Atlanta BeltLine leaders have described as “picturesque views.”

New details and renderings come by way of an Invest Atlanta report showing the project will include 130 multifamily units and roughly 10,000 square feet of commercial space deemed affordable in the Lindbergh neighborhood, near a future stretch of the BeltLine’s Northeast Trail.   

Invest Atlanta is expected to approve $250,000 from the BeltLine TAD Predevelopment Loan Fund. That will help fund an expected $2.1 million of predevelopment work to get the project off the ground, according to officials.

Located at 579 Garson Drive, the 2.68-acre site in question is just west of Piedmont Road and north of Interstate 85, along the banks of Peachtree Creek. MARTA’s Lindbergh station and the Uptown redevelopment are located about two blocks directly north.

BeltLine officials in August selected developer Pennrose and affordable housing specialists Radiant Development Partners to build the project, with a focus on both equitable housing and commercial spaces. The BeltLine had purchased the vacant Garson site from Wells Fargo with a goal of introducing more attainable housing options in the Lindbergh area.

According to early drawings, the shorter building closer to Piedmont Road would see four stories of residential uses above “micro-commercial” space, or smaller retail units meant to help small businesses get started, with a plaza fronting the BeltLine.

via Invest Atlanta

Next door would be a building with five stories of residential over two levels for parking and commercial space. Facing the BeltLine would be an elevated courtyard for residents and larger commercial and art plazas. Other aspects will include bike storage, a designated rideshare drop-off area, and pedestrian-oriented design overall.  

Onside amenities are expected to be less over-the-top than most other new apartment ventures around Atlanta. Those include a clubhouse, picnic area, fitness center, and washer-dryer connections in units, per Invest Atlanta.

Overview of how the 130-unit, two-building complex would front the Northeast Trail. via Invest Atlanta/ABI

Apartments considered affordable would be reserved for households earning between 50 and 80 percent of the area median income or less.

At the least expensive end of that equation, that means the bulk of rentals in the buildings (74 total) at 50 percent AMI would see studio units of 398 square feet renting for $798 monthly.

One-bedroom options with 580 square feet would cost $847 monthly.

Elsewhere, 13 options at that rate would have two or three bedrooms, renting from between $1,023 monthly (for 850 square feet) to $1,036 (1,150 square feet).

None of the apartments will rent at market rate, according to Invest Atlanta. Leasing rates for the project’s commercial spaces have yet to be specified.

Potential look of commercial frontage along the Atlanta BeltLine. via Invest Atlanta/ABI

Invest Atlanta estimates total costs for the project will be just shy of $60 million. A tax-exempt loan to developers would cover about half of construction costs, while another combined $19 million would come from federal and state tax credits and BeltLine TAD funding.

According to the BeltLine’s Request for Proposals issued to developers last year, the site has sufficient demand for two restaurant spaces that would cater to an estimated 235,000 annual BeltLine visits, plus a 5,000-square-foot daycare facility.

BeltLine officials expect the project to create 200 new construction jobs in the short term—and to contribute to the agency’s goal of delivering 5,600 affordable housing units by 2030.

Developers plan to partner with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs to identify and boost small local businesses, according to the BeltLine.

via Invest Atlanta

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Pennrose’s recent projects include affordable housing at South Atlanta’s Haven and two different ventures in Sweet Auburn, McAuley Park’s first and second phase.   

BeltLine officials told Urbanize Atlanta last summer construction on the project could begin in late 2024, contingent upon developers securing financing and entitlements. Invest Atlanta’s report says the construction period will last for a year and ½, with the complex delivering sometime in 2026.

Overview of the area's existing and planned trail network from 2023. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The area in question is envisioned as a key cog in a regional network of trails near the future confluence of the BeltLine, Peachtree Creek Greenway, South Fork Confluence Trail, and nearby PATH400, which is expected to branch into Sandy Springs in coming years.

Find more imagery and context for the project in the gallery above.

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579 Garson Drive Pennrose Radiant Development Partners Lindbergh City Center Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Peachtree Creek Northeast Trail Affordable Housing Land deals Lindbergh MARTA station Uptown Mixed-Income Housing PATH400 Peachtree Creek Greenway South Fork Conservancy Confluence Trail South Buckhead South Fork Confluence Trail Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

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Overview of the 579 Garson Drive site in South Buckhead today. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Overview of the area's existing and planned trail network from 2023. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

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via Invest Atlanta

Overview of how the 130-unit, two-building complex would front the Northeast Trail. via Invest Atlanta/ABI

Potential look of commercial frontage along the Atlanta BeltLine. via Invest Atlanta/ABI

via Invest Atlanta

Subtitle Plan calls for 130 residences—all of them below market rate—and more in Lindbergh

Neighborhood Lindbergh

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200 more rentals declared finished over Howell Mill Road Josh Green Tue, 05/07/2024 - 15:25 A project described by developers as the only luxury apartment community to deliver in the northern reaches of booming Howell Mill Road during the long, current development cycle is officially finished.

After breaking ground in summer 2022, mixed-use venture The Howell is fully open at 1850 Howell Mill Road in Collier Hills. As with other new multifamily projects in Midtown, two months of free rent are currently being offered as an incentive.

The Howell’s 2.65-acre parcel constitutes the northwest corner of Howell Mill Road’s intersection with Interstate 75, a highly visible location in Buckhead’s Collier Village section.

The site is where Atlanta’s first food truck park operated for a decade, before closing in late 2021 and uprooting with a tweaked concept to Jonesboro.

The Howell's pool deck level and general stance next to I-75. thehowellatl.com

The smallest floorplans currently offered span 664 square feet. thehowellatl.com

According to developers SHR Resi, a subsidiary of commercial real estate firm Songy Highroads, The Howell delivered on time and on budget despite challenges such as rising costs in the CRE industry. (Project reps tell Urbanize Atlanta photos of the property won’t be available for a few weeks, but updated renderings were provided today.)

The Class A residential project includes 212 modern-style units, ranging from one to three bedrooms. Apartments count nine to 12-foot ceilings, with quartz countertops and walk-in closets, and some offer balconies described as oversized.

The least expensive unit listed to date—one bedroom and one bathroom in 664 square feet—is renting for $1,890 monthly.

The Howell's facade and forthcoming retail portion along Howell Mill Road. thehowellatl.com

Meanwhile, The Howell’s priciest options start at $3,941 monthly. That rents three bedrooms and three bathrooms in 1,488 square feet.

According to SHR Resi, a distinguishing feature of the building is its open-air resident lounge on the seventh floor, with sweeping views of Midtown and downtown skylines. Other perks include coworking space, a resort-style pool and deck overlooking the interstate, a clubhouse, pet run, and pet spa.

As for the retail component, some 3,500 square feet of space is situated at the ground level near Howell Mill Road. Negotiations are ongoing with “exciting new tenants” to potentially take those spaces, per project leaders.

Quick access to neighborhoods such as Wildwood and Springlake—and entry into Buckhead’s Morris Brandon Elementary School district—are also cited as locational perks.

The Howell's largest three-bedroom floorplans currently offered start at nearly $4,000 monthly. thehowellatl.com

The project's 1850 Howell Mill Road location, just north of Interstate 75 in Collier Hills. Google Maps

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1850 Howell Mill Road NW The Howell SHR Residential Healey Weatherholtz Properties Upper Westside Community Improvement District Cooper Carry Upper Westside Interstate 75 Howell Mill Road Buckhead Songy Highroads Collier Village Atlanta Food Truck Park Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Mixed-Use Development Walton Street Capital Ameris Bank Reeves Younge Rivers Residential Gables Residential

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The project's 1850 Howell Mill Road location, just north of Interstate 75 in Collier Hills. Google Maps

The Howell's facade and forthcoming retail portion along Howell Mill Road. thehowellatl.com

The Howell's pool deck level and general stance next to I-75. thehowellatl.com

The smallest floorplans currently offered span 664 square feet. thehowellatl.com

The Howell's largest three-bedroom floorplans currently offered start at nearly $4,000 monthly. thehowellatl.com

Subtitle "Exciting" tenants in talks for The Howell's retail portion, as $1,900/month rents get foot in the door

Neighborhood Collier Hills

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3 years later, is Vine City greenspace new standard for urban parks? Josh Green Tue, 05/07/2024 - 13:31 Westside Park has sheer size. Midtown’s 10th Street Temporary Park project has a convenient location. And the Grant Park Gateway counts a dynamic design and, yes, views of elephants and giraffes.

But when it comes to the complete urban park package, does any new greenspace in Atlanta—or any other U.S. city, for that matter—hold a candle to Historic Vine City’s functional, gorgeous Rodney Cook Sr. Park?

With that question in mind, we returned to the 16-acre, $40-million project for photos recently as the third anniversary of its opening nears.

Following 15 years of planning and four years of construction, the park debuted in summer 2021, solved the neighborhood’s chronic flooding issues, and became an immediate hit with neighbors and Westside visitors, according to project leaders.

Boulders dotted around the park’s water features were sourced from Bellwood Quarry, now Westside Park. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

For those who haven’t been, Cook Park is located two blocks west of the Georgia World Congress Center, connected by new protected bike lanes to the Westside BeltLine Connector trail and the rest of downtown.

The centerpiece pond and other areas in the park can store up to 9 million gallons of stormwater—equivalent to a swimming pool the size of a football field that’s 28-feet deep. Its natural, rolling landscape offers views to Midtown and downtown, with security cameras overlooking the park itself.

The 650-foot steel bridge, at left, was installed over the pond because it helps connect pedestrians from English Avenue to MARTA's Vine City station a few blocks south. Its design echoes an old pedestrian path worn into the previously empty lots.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A splash pad greets visitors at Cook Park's corner opposite downtown, with the new Signia by Hilton Hotel peeking over the trees, as seen one recent weekend afternoon. (What were saplings here in 2021 are starting to become actual shade trees.) Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Some other highlights, as previously outlined for Urbanize Atlanta by project spearheads the Trust for Public Land:

• An outdoor classroom, with a mini raised stage and seating.
• An outdoor gym area—now covered by canopies and easily one of the most extensive in Atlanta—is designed to accommodate visitors of all fitness levels.
• Two sport courts with stadium seating mark Cook Park's southern boundary. The courts were striped for a variety of uses: basketball, soccer, four square, volleyball, and futsal.
• The popular Cook Park splash pad—the top request from nearby residents during community design workshops—joins a half-dozen others across Atlanta.
• Two fountains and three pools aerate stormwater before it enters the pond, creating a healthier habitat. The pools collect stormwater from 160 acres around the park and allow sediment to drop, removing debris from the street.
• Boulder-like climbing structures that were fabricated and funded by The North Face outdoor apparel company—after being designed by kids in the neighborhood.
• Located at Cook Park's northwest corner, the playground was designed to be accessible for all ages and abilities. (Fun fact: The playground’s theme is based on nearby Proctor Creek, which used to run almost diagonally though the park site years before Vine City was developed. The creek was channelized and buried long ago, but the playground’s color scheme and wavy pattern pays homage to it.)
• A seven-foot-tall Congressman John Lewis statue by sculptor Gregory Johnson is the first of many installations the National Monuments Foundation eventually plans to install around the park.

If all of that sounds like the ingredients for a top urban greenspace with many important purposes, we wholeheartedly agree. 

At the park's southeast corner is a system of stone-built pools and fountains used to recirculate and purify water. The rock-studded channels are designed to clean stormwater before it enters the pond.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The park includes a mile and 1/2 of stainless steel railings. Bridges were fabricated in Alabama, shipped over, and fitted onto raised concrete structures. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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Trust for Public Land Astra Group City of Atlanta Historic Vine City HDR Rodney Cook Sr. Park English Avenue Cook Park Mercedes-Benz Stadium Department of Watershed Management National Monuments Foundation Westside BeltLine Connector Urban Redevelopment Park Design Atlanta Parks Atlanta Greenspaces Congressman John Lewis John Lewis

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Boulders dotted around the park’s water features were sourced from Bellwood Quarry, now Westside Park. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The park includes a mile and 1/2 of stainless steel railings. Bridges were fabricated in Alabama, shipped over, and fitted onto raised concrete structures. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

At the park's southeast corner is a system of stone-built pools and fountains used to recirculate and purify water. The rock-studded channels are designed to clean stormwater before it enters the pond.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The 650-foot steel bridge, at left, was installed over the pond because it helps connect pedestrians from English Avenue to MARTA's Vine City station a few blocks south. Its design echoes an old pedestrian path worn into the previously empty lots.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A splash pad greets visitors at Cook Park's corner opposite downtown, with the new Signia by Hilton Hotel peeking over the trees, as seen one recent weekend afternoon. (What were saplings here in 2021 are starting to become actual shade trees.) Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Photos: Checking in on beautiful, purposeful Rodney Cook Sr. Park

Neighborhood Vine City

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In budding Edgewood commercial village, garage redo plans unveiled Josh Green Tue, 05/07/2024 - 08:18 Two and ½ years after its days as an auto garage ended, plans are coming to light for how a 1950s building will be transformed at a key Edgewood intersection with an ever-popular taqueria next door.

A chef-driven, local pizzeria and neighborhood market will operate in a small corner building located at 131 Whitefoord Ave., immediately north of traditional Mexican concept El Tesoro, according to the building and business owner, attorney Sid Weinstein, who has lived nearby for 19 years.

The building and lot in question—shuttered and cleared of autos since late 2021—is located near Whitefoord Avenue’s intersection with Arkwright Place. Atlanta urbanists have prophesized that intersection could emerge as Edgewood’s version of a downtown commercial village; Weinstein’s concepts, the multi-use Eastside Trolley Trail that opened last summer, and a recent demolition across the street that sources say could produce a breakfast concept are evidence that could be happening.

Weinstein’s property spans just shy of 8,900 square feet, roughly equivalent to a typical intown housing parcel. In the 1950s, an entrepreneur built the property’s lone cinderblock building as a three-bay auto repair garage, and for roughly two decades, it operated as Rudy’s Auto.  

Weinstein tells Urbanize Atlanta roughly half of the 1,400-square-foot building will be devoted to a non-franchise pizzeria concept serving pasta, salads, grab-and-go meals, beer, and wine, though space limitations won’t allow for a traditional brick-fired oven. Plans call for extending the building's roof to cover brick patio seating in front, separated by a wall from the sidewalk.

“Most of the seating is going to be inside—very little of it inside—because we just don’t have the room,” says Weinstein. “But it’ll be really cool.”

The Rudy's Auto building after cars were cleared out in 2021. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The corner property's 131 Whitefoord Ave. location at a commercial intersection in Edgewood. Google Maps

The concept’s name has yet to be made public, and Weinstein says project renderings are pending. Preserving the property’s character, he says, will be paramount.

“We’re going to try to keep it as unpolished as possible for the neighborhood,” says Weinstein. “That’s part of what put the kibosh on [this concept] for a while. The first designer designed something that should be in Alpharetta, other than down here.” A lengthy process of soil-testing as part of the City of Atlanta’s Brownfields Program also caused delays, he says.

The other half of the building will become a neighborhood market that Weinstein says will lean more “high-end,” offering dairy, meat, beer, wine, fresh breads, canned mixed-drinks, and possibly fresh vegetables in limited space. (One drawback, says Weinstein, is that the building’s character-rich garage doors face east, into the morning sun, meaning they’ll have to be replaced to keep temperatures stable for produce inside.)

Parking in the area has been a source of neighborhood and business concerns. Tentatively about eight to 10 parking spaces are planned behind the building, constituting what Weinstein says is more than half of the lot. He’s also in talks with nearby landowners about possibly leasing space for additional parking, at least at the outset.

“It’s like Virginia-Highland used to be, 33 years ago,” says Weinstein. “People get used to it, and they learn to park other places.”

Where the former auto property meets El Tesoro, at left, as seen two years ago, prior to the Eastside Trolley Trail's installation. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The pizzeria-market concept was scheduled to go before Edgewood’s zoning committee Monday evening to start the redevelopment process.

Weinstein hopes to open the building by late summer or early fall. It will be open seven days a week, from morning until “as late as we can go,” according to ordinances, he says.

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131 Whitefoord Avenue SE Adaptive-Reuse Sidney Weinstein El Tesoro Rudy's Auto Eastside Trolley Trail Atlanta Pizza Pizzeria Neighborhood Market Adaptive Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project Neighborhood Markets

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The corner property's 131 Whitefoord Ave. location at a commercial intersection in Edgewood. Google Maps

The Rudy's Auto building after cars were cleared out in 2021. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the former auto property meets El Tesoro, at left, as seen two years ago, prior to the Eastside Trolley Trail's installation. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Neighborhood market, pizzeria planned next to popular Mexican concept El Tesoro

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GWCCA eyes $1B growth spurt. But where should that happen? Josh Green Mon, 05/06/2024 - 14:23 Anyone who’s wandered the blocks north and west of Georgia World Congress Center and noticed a distinctive lack of vibrancy—or buildings in general—hasn’t been alone.

The initial steps of a potentially billion-dollar plan are being put in place that could make the 220-acre, state-owned campus feel less like a fortress and more like a natural extension of downtown, where investments on a massive scale aim to reshape the urban landscape over the next decade.

Atlanta-based architecture firm HKS is putting together a master plan for mixed-use growth around the GWCC that was unveiled for the first time to one of the agency’s committees last week. It marks the GWCCA’s first master plan since 2008, prior to a major convention center expansion, the construction of its Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and other updates to campus, as the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports.

In general, the new development could create between $1.1 and $1.3 billion of hotel rooms, housing, offices, and retail space—some of it directly linked to a multi-use Atlanta BeltLine connection trail—on what’s underused land today. The result could be a more robust convention business and more developed blocks around Atlanta’s Westside, especially in Vine City. It’s all in nascent stages, as crucial components such as funding sources and potential development partners have not been discussed, GWCCA officials told the ABC. What section of land might be redeveloped first has also not been determined.

The master plan pinpoints four potential development sites: A surface parking lot just west of the GWCC along Northside Drive called the Blue Lot.

Just north of there, another site could be the GWCCA’s Yellow Lot and its adjacent marshaling yard fronting Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard (briefly considered a viable site for building Mercedes-Benz Stadium a decade ago).

Another potential property is just south of Centennial Olympic Park, next to MARTA’s GWCC/CNN Center station.

The two main development sites in question (at top). Property adjacent to MARTA’s GWCC/CNN Center station is also being considered. GWCCA

Key highlights could include: a bridge over Northside Drive linking the Blue Lot redevelopment with main convention center facilities. That site would also have direct access to the 1.7-mile Westside BeltLine Connector trail. Today’s yellow lot and marshaling yard could see apartments, a grocery store, and creative offices, with greenspace possibly lining Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Next to the MARTA station, a new hotel and two levels of food and beverage spaces could be worked in, per the plan.

Next steps call for HKS to conduct more studies throughout this year, and for GWCCA staff to dive into hypotheticals in September during a planned annual retreat, per the ABC.

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The study comes as GWCCA has taken a more active approach to developing other adjacent land in its portfolio.

Atlanta’s tallest new hotel in nearly four decades—the 976-room Signia by Hilton—opened next door to convention spaces in January.

More recently, GWCCA officials issued a call in April for developers to remake its 11-acre Home Depot Backyard into a “entertainment development project.” GWCCA’s goal is to create a more seamless integration of entertainment venues, convention center buildings, and greenspace on the westernmost fringe of downtown, between convention space and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Request for Qualifications bids for that project were due last week.

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285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW GWCCA Georgia World Congress Center Authority HKS Mercedes-Benz Stadium Westside BeltLine Connector Beltline Centennial Olympic Park Downtown Atlanta Atlanta Hotels

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The two main development sites in question (at top). Property adjacent to MARTA’s GWCC/CNN Center station is also being considered. GWCCA

Subtitle New study pinpoints current parking lots near convention center, nearby MARTA station

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Opinion: Safe streets advocates decry new ATL transportation budget Josh Green Mon, 05/06/2024 - 13:03 Editor’s note: With its population growing, transportation costs rising, the popularity of safe-streets infrastructure trending up, and yes, FIFA World Cup matches on the horizon, the City of Atlanta finds itself at a crossroads, according to Propel ATL.

The 33-year-old nonprofit (formerly Atlanta Bicycle Coalition) advocates for safer streets, biking infrastructure, and a more connected transportation system for getting Atlantans safely around the city. But achieving that in the short term is under threat, the agency posits, by the proposed Atlanta Department of Transportation fiscal year 2025 budget unveiled last week. Propel ATL leaders fear the budget will lead to more stagnation and unrealized promises, setting Atlanta further behind its competitors.

Propel ATL is calling on the city to boost its transportation department spending to a level matching that of its urban peers. The following letter submitted to Urbanize Atlanta has been lightly edited for clarity and space:

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Despite a growing population and increasing demand for efficient transportation, the recently announced Fiscal Year 2025 transportation budget fails to repair a paralyzing budget cut the administration of Mayor Andre Dickens made last year.

In fact, the FY 2025 budget announced last week doesn’t even keep up with inflation, adding just a 2 percent increase for the Atlanta Department of Transportation.

This drastic reduction directly hampers ATLDOT’s ability to manage a growing list of urgent projects and to maintain safe conditions on our streets, a situation that should be of great concern to all Atlantans.

Atlantans in every neighborhood share the desire for safe, thriving streets and the autonomy to travel freely to jobs, schools, and essential services. A reliable network of public transit, bus lanes, bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks is not only a hallmark of a healthy, sustainable city but also the most affordable way to get around.

But the FY 2025 budget announced by the administration would allow the department to add just two positions. Two. It actually reduces the funds available for ATLDOT salaries overall. In comparison, the budget adds 43 new positions to the Department of City Planning and 44 to the Mayor’s Office.

Breakdown of the City of Atlanta's proposed FY2025 General Fund budget, which totals about $854 million. ATLbudget.org

Atlanta transportation is falling short of promises and potential. Here’s how:

2023: The administration reduced the ATLDOT budget by more than 12 percent to $50.7 million. $50.7 million is about three times less than the transportation budgets of other, similarly sized cities, whose median transportation budget is $164 million. 

2022: Atlanta residents voted overwhelmingly for transportation improvements with “Moving Atlanta Forward,” a capital fund to build infrastructure projects. But we have yet to see the attendant increase in ATLDOT staffing levels—and now the budget’s been further slashed. The promised projects can only be delivered if ATLDOT has the personnel to design, approve, and manage them.

2015-2016: Atlanta residents voted for the Renew Atlanta Bond and TSPLOST 1.0 projects, which included a significant investment in Complete Streets projects. But neighborhoods across Atlanta are still awaiting the Complete Streets projects promised in 2015-2016. Capital funds must be matched by sufficient operating funds or the whole enterprise doesn’t work.

The City of Atlanta stands at a pivotal point. We have the potential to dramatically improve our transportation infrastructure with adequate funding.

Completing long overdue street redesigns like those slated for Monroe Drive, Lee Street, and South Boulevard have the power to boost local business, improve our environment, and enhance the quality of life for our half-million residents while reducing inequities in access to transportation and mobility options that still plague many parts of our city. And as Atlanta prepares to welcome the world for the 2026 World Cup, the need for a robust, efficient transportation system becomes even more pressing. 

We have a consensus on what makes communities thrive. We are calling for an increase in the fiscal year 2025 operating budget for ATLDOT, including: 

• Significant investment in higher staffing levels to manage the 2022 Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure projects and overdue 2015 and 2016 projects; engineers to provide high-quality, lower-cost designs in-house; planners to make rapid progress on Vision Zero and Safe Routes to School; and maintenance crews to maintain safe conditions on our streets.
• $10 million for necessary, quick-response safety improvements.

This Thursday, May 9, the Atlanta City Council will have the opportunity to question Atlanta Department of Transportation Commissioner Solomon Caviness at the department’s budget briefing.

As the mayor and city council hold discussions and public meetings through June, we have reached the crucial moment for residents to voice their support for this essential funding increase so that our city can thrive—now and for years to come.

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Breakdown of the City of Atlanta's proposed FY2025 General Fund budget, which totals about $854 million. ATLbudget.org

Subtitle Recent budget cuts threaten "urgent projects" across Atlanta, Propel ATL asserts

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Crane watch: 373-unit Westside project begins vertical construction Josh Green Mon, 05/06/2024 - 07:56 The latest multifamily bet on Atlanta’s Westside is beginning to make its mark in English Avenue, continuing a wave of investment in the Northside Drive corridor between a BeltLine connecting trail and Georgia Tech.

Mill Creek Residential has begun vertical construction at a 2.3-acre site at 576 Northside Drive, formerly home to a low-rise commercial building and fenced-off parking lots due west of Midtown.

Mill Creek has named the project Modera Westside Trail, a nod to the BeltLine’s Westside BeltLine Connector trail located about a block away.

It joins hundreds of other new Westside apartment options within about a three-block radius. Those include the residential portion of Lincoln Property Company’s multifaceted, 19-acre Echo Street West project, Georgia Tech’s multi-building Science Square district that opened last month, and the under-construction second (and largest) phase of Herndon Square, an affordable housing venture.  

The Modera Westside Trail project will stand eight stories total—five floors of wood over a three-level concrete podium.

Base floors for the 373-unit development's southern face. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the eight-level project is expected to look over the intersection of Northside Drive and North Avenue. Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

Expect 373 apartments at the latest Modera-branded build, with the majority of them—57 percent, or 214 units—being one-bedroom residences. Options will range from studios to 10 three-bedrooms, with apartments being 833 square feet on average, developers told Urbanize Atlanta when breaking ground on the project in July.

No retail component is in the plans.

The project is expected to start delivering in fall 2025. Pre-leasing has yet to begin, and rents have not been specified. But 10 percent of the units, or 38 total, will be reserved for tenants earning 60 percent of the area median income or less, project leaders have said.

In terms of amenities, Mill Creek’s plans call for an eighth-floor sky lounge with indoor and outdoor spaces and unobstructed views to downtown and Midtown.

Cranes tower over North Avenue for the beginnings of Modera Westside Trail's vertical construction this month. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

On the fourth floor, expect three courtyards with perks that include outdoor coworking zones, a kitchen with grilling stations, and a resort-style pool with Midtown views. A fitness center, steam room, sauna, yoga and spin rooms, a pet park and spa, and other amenities are in the works below that.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, another Modera-branded complex recently topped out at 32 stories in Midtown, and the developer has broken ground on a 402-unit community called Modera Southside Trail in Peoplestown.

Another Modera complex near the BeltLine in Reynoldstown, a two-phase project in Buckhead, and Modera Decatur mark Mill Creek’s most recently finished ITP endeavors.

In the gallery above, find more context and updated site photos for Modera Westside Trail.

The 2.3-acre development site, located on a Northside Drive bend about a mile west of Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium. Google Maps

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576 Northside Drive Modera Westside Trail Mill Creek Residential Dynamik Design English Avenue Vine City Westside Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Westside BeltLine Connector Echo Street West Science Square Georgia Tech Beltline Atlanta BeltLine

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Cranes tower over North Avenue for the beginnings of Modera Westside Trail's vertical construction this month. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The section of the building closest to Northside Drive, at right. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Base floors for the 373-unit development's southern face. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The 2.3-acre development site, located on a Northside Drive bend about a mile west of Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium. Google Maps

The site in question in early 2023, looking east along Northside Drive with Midtown and downtown beyond. Google Maps

How the eight-level project is expected to look over the intersection of Northside Drive and North Avenue. Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

Subtitle Modera Westside Trail rising where Northside Drive meets BeltLine-downtown connection

Neighborhood English Avenue

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Midtown's eye-catching new Art Walk has officially arrived Josh Green Fri, 05/03/2024 - 16:16 A promenade of curated landscaping, public art, and improved pedestrian infrastructure befitting the Southeast’s largest concentration of arts and cultural venues has officially arrived, according to project leaders.

A 137-foot-long mural has been installed as one highlight of Midtown’s most recently finished Art Walk section, a pedestrian corridor and series of public plazas that aims to engage and inspire anyone walking between 10th and 11th streets near the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

The three-sided mural—called “Electric Saturation” by Baltimore-based duo Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn, known in art circles as “Jessie and Katey”—joins vibrant new pavement markings on the 10th Street crosswalk and 11th Street intersection as finishing touches on the latest ½-mile Art Walk piece. The artists’ work marked a collaboration between Living Walls, Midtown Alliance, and MARTA Artbound.  

The recently finished mural, at left, and artist Andrew Crawford’s 2003 sculpture “Lift” are Art Walk highlights. Midtown Alliance

The Art Walk also includes “color-changing custom light spheres” hung from catenary wires overhead that help with wayfinding; upgrades along the Peachtree Walk corridor include new public furniture, specialty concrete, landscaping, security bollards, and sidewalk alterations for a more shared-street vibe, per Midtown Alliance. 

Eventually the Art Walk is planned to stretch five blocks between the Midtown MARTA and Arts Center MARTA stations, incorporating both private property and public space.  

The “Electric Saturation” mural (in the background) and the recently spruced-up 10th Street crosswalk mark the southern entry to the newest Art Walk section. Midtown Alliance

Sections of the remaining four Art Walk phases have been completed in conjunction with private development, including the dual-branded AC/Moxy hotel (2019) and Selig’s 1105 West Peachtree mixed-use complex (2021). Phase two, between 11th and 12th streets, was moved from initial concepts toward design development and construction last year, per Midtown Alliance. And the final piece—phase five, between 14th and 15th streets—is pending future redevelopment of the failed No2 Opus Place parcel.

According to Midtown Alliance’s latest update, the fresh Art Walk section will be home to programming (yes, please) and more art installations throughout this year and next. That will include monthly community events and “ephemeral works” that periodically rotate. 

Midtown Alliance

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Midtown Atlanta Midtown Alliance Art Walk Midtown Art Walk Peachtree Walk Midtown Greenspace Midtown Parks Atlanta Parks Pocket Parks Astra Group Electric Saturation Jessie and Katey Cracking Art MARTA ARTBOUND

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The “Electric Saturation” mural (in the background) and the recently spruced-up 10th Street crosswalk mark the southern entry to the newest Art Walk section. Midtown Alliance

The recently finished mural, at left, and artist Andrew Crawford’s 2003 sculpture “Lift” are Art Walk highlights. Midtown Alliance

Midtown Alliance

Subtitle Large mural by Baltimore duo marks finishing touch on latest section—for now

Neighborhood Midtown

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6 months later, 'missing middle' housing replacements still on market Josh Green Fri, 05/03/2024 - 13:00 Six months after construction wrapped, sellers are getting creative in an effort to sell upscale duplexes in Edgewood that took shape where a controversial proposal for missing-middle housing was cancelled in the face of neighborhood ire.

The 10 duplex units include a six-home, modern-style flank along Whitefoord Avenue called The Alley of Edgewood. 

When those duplexes were first listed while under construction last summer, prices ranged between $949,900 and $979,900—each of them gunning to be the most expensive sales in neighborhood history, apart from a 4,200-square-foot modern home that had traded for $1 million in May last year.  

Today, it’s a different story.

Unit A was discounted on Tuesday by another $50,000 to $749,900. Its sibling unit remains on the market but went under contract a couple of weeks ago, according to Keller Knapp Realty listings.

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

The two remaining duplexes are both now on the market as combo packages. They’re asking $1.69 million each for two four-bedroom, three and ½ bathroom dwellings attached to each other, each side with a two-car garage and sizable rooftop deck.

“[There] may not be a better investment opportunity in ATL right now,” the listings exclaim. “[It’s an] unbelievable opportunity.”  

Developer SLR Investments built the duplexes on a corner property just east of the Edgewood Retail District and south of a MARTA station that’s been transformed into a hub of housing and commercial spaces. 

Two more traditional-style duplex units on the Finley Avenue side of the project sold in January and March, both for $849,900. Another has also sold on that side of the project as well, according to listing agent Jonathan Rich.

The 1-acre corner site was the source of a heated debate in 2022 stemming from SLR’s relatively dense housing proposal in the middle of residential Edgewood.

A glimpse inside one side of a duplex offered as a two-unit package for $1,695,000. Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Initial plans for 90/98 Whitefoord had called for creating four dozen missing-middle rental options, some reserved at prices people earning less than $36,000 annually could afford. Rents for studios would have been as low as $453 monthly. The unit count was later rolled back to 36, with a one-to-one parking ratio, in an effort to gain approval. The project carried the slogan “Edgewood for Everyone.”

SLR had hoped to rezone the property from single-family or duplex uses to a missing-middle housing designation, or MR-MU, to capitalize on walkability. The site is roughly four blocks from the Edgewood/Candler Park MARTA station, and a MARTA bus stop is located across the street. Following continued neighborhood pushback, however, SLR killed those plans in 2022 and moved forward with larger duplexes.

Opponents and some neighborhood leaders contended the site wasn’t right for so much new housing in one place. Lack of dedicated parking and traffic were concerns, as was a disagreement that the project didn't align with the broader Edgewood Redevelopment Plan. Some residents did applaud the project’s scale and non-subsidized affordability goals and offered suggestions on other Edgewood locations where it might be more appropriate.

The missing middle concept refers to housing that fills the gap between apartment complexes and single-family homes—the difference, in some cases, between subsidized housing and more expensive, market-rate living options. 

Today, the duplexes border a more affordable infill rental project, Finley Street Cottages, that managed to gain approval and finish construction last year. A key difference is that the Finley Street project renovated two 1920s Craftsman bungalows and placed additional units in large yards behind them, rather than erecting ADUs behind new buildings that front the sidewalk.

Find a closer look at The Alley of Edgewood, both inside and out, in the gallery above.  

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90 Whitefoord Avenue NE The Alley of Edgewood SLR Investments The Parliament Mayson Avenue Missing Middle Housing Affordable Housing MRMU R5 Nonsubsidized Whitefoord Avenue Finley Avenue Jonathan Rich Edgewood Retail District Edgewood MARTA Candler Park/Edgewood MARTA Station Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Keller Knapp Realty

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How the six-unit Alley of Edgewood project fronts Whitefoord Avenue today.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the six Whitefoord Avenue duplex units replaced the two former single-family homes.Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

A glimpse inside one side of a duplex offered as a two-unit package for $1,695,000. Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

Entryway toward garages behind the six units on Finley Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Will Dodgen/J.Rich Atlanta; courtesy of Kelley Knapp Realty

The two more traditional duplexes behind the Alley also being sold by Keller Knapp Realty. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A rendering depicting the three building facades along Whitefoord Avenue that were ultimately scrapped. SLR Investments

Subtitle The Alley of Edgewood project undergoes multiple price adjustments, strategies

Neighborhood Edgewood

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Portman bends to pushback, shrinks Amsterdam Walk proposal Josh Green Fri, 05/03/2024 - 08:05 With a key neighborhood vote looming this month, a prominent Atlanta developer has scaled back plans for a multifaceted development that would reshape and densify a former warehouse district along a new section of Atlanta BeltLine trail.

The result, as illustrated in revised Amsterdam Walk renderings, could be significantly smaller buildings fronting Piedmont Park and the Northeast Trail for generations to come, especially as relates to the proposed office component.

Portman Holdings has been working with the Virginia-Highland Civic Association and Morningside Lenox Park Association and hosting community forums to gather feedback and gauge concerns for nearly a year. Complaints about the development have hinged on worries about increased traffic, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and the prospect of tall buildings blocking some city views at homes on neighboring streets.

Naysayers have argued the Portman proposal is too dense, too tall. It initially called for 900 new apartments, 70,000 square feet of retail, between 300,000 and 400,000 square feet of offices, 1,400 parking spaces, and a collection of new buildings standing between seven and 17 stories, all separated by wide promenades and dotted with street-level patios.

The pushback appears to have worked.

Comparison renderings showing the Amsterdam Walk redevelopment as initially proposed last year—and 17 percent smaller now. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Updated rendering for The Laneway section of the proposal. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Amsterdam Walk design changes and revised renderings were presented Thursday evening at a VHCA meeting—the last meeting of its type before the VHCA votes on whether to recommend Portman’s rezoning application for Amsterdam Walk.

Mike Greene, Portman’s vice president of development, tells Urbanize Atlanta the proposal has been reduced by 250,000 square feet, or 17 percent, overall. All changes were made to the nonresidential facets of the project that Greene says would impact traffic more.

Increased traffic congestion was the main bone of contention at meetings, and according to Greene, the revised plans would reduce car trips to and from Amsterdam Walk by 40 percent.

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

A closer look at revised plans fronting the BeltLine's Northeast Trail. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Following earlier discussions, “we’ve agreed to lower the density of the project, reduce the height of several buildings, agreed to certain architectural controls, and many more features and protections the neighborhood associations have requested,” Greene wrote via email. “We’re obviously excited to have the opportunity to develop this very unique property into a truly special place.”

Updated imagery provided by SOM shows the change in building scale, new plans for public realm space around Amsterdam Walk, and how the revised project would be visible (or not) from nearby streets.

Opposition to the project has formalized in recent months beyond naysayers at community meetings with development leads, some of whom feel Portman’s initial plans were “incompatible” with surrounding neighborhoods.

Naysayer yard signs like this dot surrounding neighborhoods. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Yard signs decrying the Amsterdam Walk plans as too large stand along many nearby streets. On a Facebook group with 65 members called “A Better Amsterdam Walk,” neighbors allege that an employee of Halpern Enterprises—Amsterdam Walk’s owner for nearly four decades, which is partnering with Portman on the redevelopment—was recently caught on multiple residential security cameras stealing yard signs opposed to the project. A police report has been filed, per the group’s Facebook page.

Portman officials have said the price tag for remaking Amsterdam Walk—at least as initially envisioned—could climb north of $750 million, with development spread across roughly 11 acres where the current district would be cleared away. Portman filed a rezoning application with the city in September.

Find a more detailed breakdown of Portman’s initial plans for Amsterdam Walk here.

In the gallery above is a closer look at where the potential redevelopment stands now.

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• Images: Does Amsterdam Walk extreme makeover justify pushback? (Urbanize Atlanta)

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533 Amsterdam Avenue Amsterdam Walk Halpern Enterprises Adaptive-Reuse Portman Holdings Portman Fresh Renderings Renderings Beltline Piedmont Park Northeast Trail Atlanta BeltLine Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Development Lenox Park SOM Kimley-Horn & Associates Kimley-Horn NIMBY NIMBYs Morningside Morningside-Lenox Park

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Comparison renderings showing the Amsterdam Walk redevelopment as initially proposed last year—and 17 percent smaller now. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

A closer look at revised plans fronting the BeltLine's Northeast Trail. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Updated rendering for The Laneway section of the proposal. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

What's described as the Evelyn Street Farmers Market in updated renderings. SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Naysayer yard signs like this dot surrounding neighborhoods. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

SOM has provided Google Earth Views from nearby streets showing views toward Amsterdam Walk with revised, future development collaged in.SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

SOM architects; courtesy of Portman Holdings

Subtitle After months of neighborhood negotiations, Atlanta BeltLine-adjacent project now 17 percent smaller

Neighborhood Virginia-Highland

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Uniquely 'important' townhome development officially a go Josh Green Thu, 05/02/2024 - 16:12 A residential project with a purpose unique among ITP Atlanta’s townhome influx is officially moving forward.

The 10-unit venture called Hope Springs Townhomes is planned for 2903 Metropolitan Parkway in the Hammond Park neighborhood on Atlanta’s southside.

Atlanta nonprofit MicroLife Institute and its Georgia-based partner on the project, Hope Springs Housing, held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the initiative that Will Johnston, MicroLife’s founder and executive director, described asboth “highly anticipated” and “important.”

The townhomes will serve as attainable housing for women convicted of nonviolent offenses who are coming out of incarceration and looking to reunite with their children in a supportive, safe environment designed to foster community, according to MicroLife.

Rents haven’t been specified, but all units will be reserved for families earning 30 percent of the area median income or less.

Planned two-story facades at Hope Springs Townhomes. MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

The 10-unit townhome project's 2903 Metropolitan Parkway SW location on Atlanta's southside. Google Maps

Situated just north of Hapeville, between the Interstate 85 and 75 split, the vacant Metropolitan Parkway site was most recently used as an auto lot. MicroLife acquired it last summer.                                                                                                                         

The Hope Springs units will range in size from 750 to 1,200 square feet, according to a Request for Proposals issued by MicroLife last year. Communal greenspaces and social areas with playground equipment are also in the works.

The project is being funded with $2.75 million from the American Rescue Plan and the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget.

Case management and other support services will be included for women who live at Hope Springs and minor, dependent children coming out of foster care. “We hope to create a meaningful project that will keep families together,” notes the project’s website, “as well as make a lasting impact on housing within the community.”

MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

Sample floorplan for Hope Springs units. MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

The townhomes won’t be MicroLife’s first housing initiative in metro Atlanta. The group also built and sold out space-conscious village Cottages on Vaughn near downtown Clarkston in 2021.

Elsewhere on Metropolitan Parkway, a 176-apartment development called Metropolitan Place is expected to break ground later this year on another, larger vacant lot, with a small commercial piece included, according to Invest Atlanta.

Head up to the gallery for more Hope Springs context and renderings.

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• Mixed-use project aims to boost Atlanta’s Metropolitan Parkway (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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2903 Metropolitan Parkway SW Hope Springs Townhomes Hope Springs MicroLife Institute Georgia Office of Planning and Budget Hope Springs Housing Metropolitan Parkway Atlanta Nonprofits Foster Care Southside Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Atlanta Townhomes Groundbreakings Affordable Housing Atlanta Affordable Housing Hammond Park

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The 10-unit townhome project's 2903 Metropolitan Parkway SW location on Atlanta's southside. Google Maps

Planned two-story facades at Hope Springs Townhomes. MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

Sample floorplan for Hope Springs units. MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

MicroLife Institute/Hope Springs Housing

Broader context of the ITP area in question. Google Maps

Subtitle Nonprofit initiative on southside aims to reconnect formerly incarcerated women with their kids

Neighborhood Southside

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BeltLine unveils plan for 3,300 Westside homes, commercial village Josh Green Thu, 05/02/2024 - 13:34 Following a year of pop-up events, study groups, and other forms of community engagement, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. has unveiled ambitious redevelopment plans for a large section of Westside land that reflect what the community wants, according to project officials.

As revealed during a Monday study group meeting, 60 acres of land both vacant and occupied just south of MARTA’s Bankhead station could see a staggering 3,292 housing units take shape, alongside a 123,000-square-foot commercial village and a variety of new greenspaces, connecting trails, and amenities such as playgrounds and an amphitheater.

That’s according to a master plan BeltLine project heads are finalizing for sites owned by ABI and the City of Atlanta along Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Chappell Road, with about half of it fronting the Westside Trail corridor.

The BeltLine owns more than half of the property in question, or 31 acres, which the agency has said will bolster its push toward creating fresh affordable housing options intown.

One key “front door” component that would take shape on 6 acres along Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway would be a big-box grocer or retailer up to 40,000 square feet that needs visibility from the key east-west traffic corridor, as the Atlanta Business Chronicle first reported, citing BeltLine officials.

Plans for the full scope of the 60-acre site, with the Atlanta BeltLine-owned portion at bottom left. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The city’s portion of the site is more complicated, because it’s currently used by a variety of city facilities that would have to be relocated, apart from Department of Watershed Management operations that would likely remain on site. BeltLine officials expect a draft plan for those relocations to be finished later this year, though completing relocation could take a significant amount of time, as the ABC relays.

In the meantime, the BeltLine plans to plow forward with turning its portion of the site into 1,031 townhomes, apartments, and live-work units, plus connecting paths to nearby parks, the BeltLine, and the MARTA station. Proctor Creek, which cuts through the BeltLine’s site, would separate the bulk of new housing from planned park space closer to the Westside Trail.

The BeltLine's portion of the site could see more than 1,030 townhomes, apartments, and live-work units. Greenspace, at right, could include playgrounds and an amphitheater. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The BeltLine’s forecast calls for soliciting development partners early next year, and then establishing affordability guidelines and starting work on trail connections throughout the property. BeltLine leadership plans to cap a portion of both residential and commercial space at below-market rates—the median household income in the area is just $42,000 per year, or less than 40 percent of metro Atlanta's overall—but exactly how much, and at what cost, hasn’t been determined.

According to BeltLine officials, residents recently polled about the redevelopment during a series of events said they would like to see the largest portion of the land—41 percent of it—devoted to retail and commercial space. That was followed by housing/affordable housing (22 percent), connectivity options (also 22 percent), and greenspace (15 percent).

Tentative plans for BeltLine connectivity to future housing and other development. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Update on construction of the final Westside Trail link. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The BeltLine acquired the acreage in Bankhead’s Historic Westin Heights neighborhood three years ago as part of its land-acquisition strategy to support more equitable development near the 22-mile loop. At one and ½ times the size of Centennial Olympic Park, the BeltLine’s property was previously home to Chappell Forest Apartments, which had been shuttered for several years before being demolished.

The Westside location has much going for it.

The land is adjacent to Grove Park, near the Maddox Park greenspace, directly south of the massive Westside Park and 90 acres owned by Microsoft, which paused redevelopment of a new campus last year, citing economic conditions.

Another significant driver for investment, the Westside Trail corridor’s final unbuilt section, is under construction just to the east. That 1.3-mile trail piece is on pace to open in summer 2025. MARTA has also taken steps toward redeveloping its Bankhead station into a mixed-use hub about a half-mile away.

Find more context and imagery related to the Bankhead site in the gallery above.

The 60-acre combined site's location west of downtown. Google Maps

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Plans for the full scope of the 60-acre site, with the Atlanta BeltLine-owned portion at bottom left. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The BeltLine's portion of the site could see more than 1,030 townhomes, apartments, and live-work units. Greenspace, at right, could include playgrounds and an amphitheater. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Tentative plans for BeltLine connectivity to future housing and other development. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Update on construction of the final Westside Trail link. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The 60-acre combined site's location west of downtown. Google Maps

The BeltLine's 425 Chappell Road site's context near MARTA's Bankhead station, the Maddox Park greenspace, and the last unbuilt Westside Trail corridor. Google Maps/Urbanize

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The 425 Chappell Road site's conditions today. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Bankhead site in question borders last unfinished stretch of Westside Trail

Neighborhood Bankhead

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