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Images: At East Atlanta Village's doorstep, throwback building rises up Josh Green Wed, 07/16/2025 - 11:03

After years of community meetings, planning, delays, and construction, a multifaceted Ormewood Park project is making its mark over a high-profile eastside corner this summer. 

Since 2021, The Lodge project has been redeveloping in fits and starts a formerly vacant, blighted corner where East Atlanta Village meets Moreland Avenue, a main north-south thoroughfare.

Taking shape now is a ground-up, four-story spec office building with brick-clad designs at the corner of Moreland and Glenwood avenues. If renderings are any indication, it could serve as a unique entry point to Ormewood Park, with designs that echo architecture of a century ago. 

Revised plans submitted to the city in 2024 illustrate how The Lodge's spec office building will look. Clark Property R+D, King Properties; designs, Gentle Works architecture

Construction progress this month on a four-story spec office building at the corner of Moreland and Glenwood avenues. It constitutes the northeast corner of The Lodge complex. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Plans for the corner building call for ground-floor retail space with three levels of offices above. Each floor will be white-boxed, or left as raw space for future tenants, according to project filings submitted to the city last year. (Development officials have not responded to requests for construction updates this month.) As of last week, the building’s steel framing had reached the top floor. 

Meanwhile, The Lodge’s residential facet, Abbington at Ormewood apartments, is leasing one to three-bedroom apartments. One recent deal advertised three-bedroom rentals for between $1,211 and $1,600 monthly, with income restrictions applying. 

The residential component includes 42 units overall for tenants earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income (the project average is 58 percent AMI), according to Partners for Home. Georgia’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program helped provide financing. 

The project’s name pays homage to the Masonic Lodge at its core, which was built in 1947 and used for years as a Masonic Grand Lodge upstairs with a Kroger at street level. That building remains structurally sound despite years of vacancy and neglect, project officials have said. A recent site visit indicates renovations on the lodge portion are underway as well. 

How the forthcoming office component relates to the 1940s Masonic Lodge next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Site plan for The Lodge/Abbington at Ormewood apartments. Clark Property R+D, King Properties

The Lodge initially broke ground with demolition work in 2021, combining eight parcels that had previously housed individual homes, a parking lot, and ancillary buildings. Then came funding delays caused by hiked construction costs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the site went idle for well over a year.

The development is a partnership between the Clark Property R+D firm, affordable housing specialists Rea Ventures, King Properties, Porch & Square, and RAD Group. Invest Atlanta and Partners for Home have provided financial support. 

Project officials said in early 2024 The Lodge’s 33,000 square feet of office, retail, restaurant, and event space was 67 percent pre-leased via King Properties. No tenant announcements have been made.

In the gallery above, find more context and photos of The Lodge today. 

Where The Lodge's finished multifamily component meets Moreland Avenue today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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Construction progress this month on a four-story spec office building at the corner of Moreland and Glenwood avenues. It constitutes the northeast corner of The Lodge complex. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the forthcoming office component relates to the 1940s Masonic Lodge next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where The Lodge's finished multifamily component meets Moreland Avenue today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Revised plans submitted to the city in 2024 illustrate how The Lodge's spec office building will look. Clark Property R+D, King Properties; designs, Gentle Works architecture

How the corner of Moreland and Glenwood avenues appeared in early 2020. Google Maps

As seen in June 2024, topped-out residential facets of The Lodge project along Moreland Avenue.Urbanize Atlanta

Site plan for The Lodge/Abbington at Ormewood apartments. Clark Property R+D, King Properties

The Lodge communal courtyard area. Clark Property R+D, King Properties

One version of early plans for the future look of Glenwood Avenue at Moreland, looking southwest into Ormewood Park. Clark Property R+D, King Properties; designs, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

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Plans call for brick-clad retail, office component of The Lodge project where Ormewood Park, EAV meet

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Atlanta developer scoops up 3-building Alpharetta site, plans refresh Josh Green Tue, 07/15/2025 - 13:34

The developer behind intown industrial remakes Westside Paper, Armour Yards, and Common Ground on the Eastside Trail is again continuing its outward portfolio expansion, this time to Alpharetta. 

Atlanta-based real estate firm Third & Urban announced today it has acquired Georgia 400 Center, a three-building Alpharetta office park, as its latest move far from Atlanta’s Beltline buzz and grittier former warehouse districts.

Spread across 24 acres near Ga. Highway 400’s intersection with Haynes Bridge Road, the Georgia 400 Center campus is surrounded by large-scale development bets on the growing suburb. Those include mixed-use project The Gathering and residential build Toll Brothers at Lakeview, both next door, and the billion-dollar Avalon district to the north. 

Overview of the Georgia 400 Center property today, with Alpharetta's Avalon in the distance and construction on mixed-use The Gathering at left. Courtesy of Third & Urban

The Alpharetta buy marks the fifth of 2025 for Third & Urban, part of the company’s new strategy to acquire commercial assets across the Southeast it believes are undervalued. 

The Alpharetta campus has three office buildings—six or seven stories each—with more than 430,000 square feet. That space is 67 percent leased today, with tenants that include Toll Brothers, Morgan Stanley, and Century Communities of Georgia. 

Plans for upgrades at Georgia 400 Center call for new roofs, refreshed lobbies, and an elevated tenant lounge with a bar, conference center, games, and glass walls that open to an updated outdoor courtyard with seating, according to Third & Urban reps.  

The Alpharetta campus “presented an opportunity to modernize and deliver a high-quality office product at attainable rental rates in a top submarket,” said Third & Urban cofounder Pierce Lancaster in a statement. “[Property updates will] create an environment that meets today’s workplace expectations while positioning the asset for long-term success.”

Georgia 400 Center's Lakeview Parkway location in relation to downtown Alpharetta, Ga. Highway 400, and other north OTP landmarks. Google Maps

Georgia 400 Center's 2300 Lakeview Parkway building today. Courtesy of Third & Urban

Third & Urban’s new investment portfolio also includes seven-building Northridge Commons, a flex industrial campus off Ga. Highway 400 in Sandy Springs; Dunwoody Park, an 18-acre, eight-building office complex in Dunwoody; and a Virginia-Highland street retail portfolio, per the firm.  

Also in Sandy Springs, plans recently came to light for Third & Urban’s joint venture with Trammell Crow Company, the 8-acre Hillcrest mixed-use development near the City Springs city center. 

Closer to Atlanta, the developer is also leading efforts to remake Corporate Square’s dated 32 acres in Brookhaven into a walkable district with a variety of uses. 

In Alpharetta, the office campus was bought in partnership with Zalik Investment Group, and Cushman & Wakefield is being retained as the property’s leasing team, while Trinity Partners will manage the buildings. Newmark represented the seller in the Georgia 400 Center transaction.

Courtesy of Third & Urban

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Georgia 400 Center's Lakeview Parkway location in relation to downtown Alpharetta, Ga. Highway 400, and other north OTP landmarks. Google Maps

Overview of the Georgia 400 Center property today, with Alpharetta's Avalon in the distance and construction on mixed-use The Gathering at left. Courtesy of Third & Urban

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Georgia 400 Center's 2300 Lakeview Parkway building today. Courtesy of Third & Urban

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Studies: Atlanta shines for recreation—but still lacks walkability Josh Green Mon, 07/14/2025 - 17:08

Two recent analyses could help shed light on how Atlanta is evolving outside the realms of traditional real estate development. The news is both good and disconcerting.

First, the bad news. 

A revised analysis by Walk Score slots the City of Atlanta at 48 out of 100 possible points in its numerical walkability index, as 11Alive News first relayed. 

By that measure, the city is considered car-dependent, in that most errands require a vehicle. 

Atlanta’s scores for overall transit access (44) and bike infrastructure (42) are even lower. Rankings in the 40s signal “a few nearby public transportation options” and “minimal bike infrastructure,” respectively, per Walk Score. 

On the bright side, as Walk Score analysts noted, “many of Atlanta’s neighborhoods have that ‘small town in a big city’ vibe that makes it a pleasant place to live, even if you have to commute.” And there are some standouts around town, in terms of walkability, bikeability, and transit access—or all three at once:  

A revised ranking of Atlanta's most walkable intown places, according to WalkScore's tabulations. Walkscore.com

Meanwhile, Atlanta fares much better in a new national ranking of best U.S. cities for getting outside and enjoying yourself. 

As a nod to July being National Parks and Recreation Month, personal finance website WalletHub today published its “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking, which slotted Atlanta at No. 4. 

WalletHub’s study compared the country’s 100 largest cities across 47 key indicators of “recreation-friendliness,” including weather, quality of parks, and accessibility of entertainment and recreational facilities. 

Westward views over Piedmont Park in April 2023. Shutterstock

Atlanta captured the top spot in two categories: Spending on parks and recreation per capita, and number of swimming pools per capita. 

The ATL also scored exceptionally well for tennis courts (No. 4), music venues (No. 12), park playgrounds (No. 17), and bike rental facilities (No. 20) per capita. 

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Westward views over Piedmont Park in April 2023. Shutterstock

A revised ranking of Atlanta's most walkable intown places, according to WalkScore's tabulations. Walkscore.com

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Construction on large, flood-solving greenspace full speed ahead Josh Green Mon, 07/14/2025 - 14:23

This summer, a sprawling construction site in the middle of a historic Atlanta neighborhood marks not the beginning of another apartment complex but an additional city greenspace with unique functionality. 

Infrastructure work kicked off recently on a Peoplestown project that will install a community park and floodwater-capturing stormwater system across a former residential block once lined with single-family houses. 

The park site is located about four blocks from Georgia State University’s Center Parc Stadium and south of Summerhill. Grant Park’s The Beacon district is just southwest of the block in question, which is bounded by Atlanta Avenue, and Connally, Ormond, and Greenfield streets.

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management initiative—officially called the “Custer Avenue Capacity Relief Multi-Benefit Stormwater Vault project”—started the process last month of digging down from 20 to 30 feet below street level. That work is preparing the site for a vault upgrade to neighborhood stormwater systems, an effort to improve drainage and curtail flooding and sewer-overflow issues that have plagued the area in the past. 

Scope of infrastructure work this month on the Custer Avenue Capacity Relief Multi-Benefit Stormwater Vault project, as seen from Atlanta Avenue at Greenfield Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Overview of plans for the 5-acre greenspace. Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

The project for years was a lightning rod for land-use controversy and neighborhood protests critical of the city’s proposed use of eminent domain to buy home properties, clear them off the block in question, and construct the stormwater fix. That ended in August 2022 when Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ office announced the city had reached “breakthrough agreements” with holdout Peoplestown homeowners. A series of public engagement events to help determine park design were held last year. 

Above the project’s massive stormwater vault, finalized designs calls for a 5-acre greenspace. Features will include a splash pad, dog park, an elevated viewing structure, open fields, and a large playscapes section, according to renderings compiled by Pond & Company landscape architects. 

Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Construction this month from the corner of Atlanta Avenue and Connally Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The city’s schedule calls for completing the Peoplestown project in October 2027. It’s being funded with both water and sewer revenues, with additional funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.

Find more context and project images in the gallery above. 

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Context of the Peoplestown park project in relation to existing southeast Atlanta greenspaces. City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Scope of infrastructure work this month on the Custer Avenue Capacity Relief Multi-Benefit Stormwater Vault project, as seen from Atlanta Avenue at Greenfield Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Overview of plans for the 5-acre greenspace. Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Site-clearing and infrastructure construction along Atlanta Avenue last week. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Construction this month from the corner of Atlanta Avenue and Connally Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Plans for the park's splash pad, the second in Peoplestown after D.H. Stanton Park's. Pond; via City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

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City kicks off development push for vacant, 1930s school property Josh Green Mon, 07/14/2025 - 10:37

The process of resuscitating a nearly century-old Atlanta school while injecting a southside neighborhood with housing and jobs-producing commercial space has formally begun. 

Atlanta Urban Development Corporation, a nonprofit entity that aims to develop underused public land into mixed-income housing, has released a Request for Qualifications calling for developers capable of turning the long-vacant, former Lakewood Heights Elementary School into a mixed-use hub that boosts the neighborhood. 

The 2.1-acre Lakewood Heights site is one of eight “surplus” school properties planned for conversion into community assets around the city. It’s highlighted by a 1932 school building at 335 Sawtell Ave. that all recent planning efforts have pinpointed as being crucial for saving and restoring through adaptive-reuse development. 

The school has been shuttered and vacant since 2004; three years ago, it was at risk of being demolished, but APS reconsidered and scrapped those plans, citing historical value.  

The RFQ calls for development firms capable of turning the old school property into a “dynamic community asset,” with roughly 55 housing units, most of them two to three-bedroom rentals. Another component would be about 8,000 square feet of commercial space geared toward inclusivity and meeting local residents’ needs, per AUD officials. 

The former Lakewood Heights Elementary School. Google Maps

Four options for adaptive-reuse and new construction in Lakewood Heights compiled in a March report this year. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development

Beyond preservation of the school structure, the general vision compiled after numerous community meetings calls for pedestrian-friendly designs and mixed-income housing options. 

The Lakewood Heights property has been pinpointed by Atlanta Preservation Center as being of “major significance.” The three structures on site today include the 1930s school and additions from the 1950s and 1990s.

“This redevelopment initiative represents a significant opportunity to repurpose underutilized public land into a community hub,” said John Majors, AUD’s CEO, in an announcement. “Our goal is to create a mixed-income housing development that not only addresses the urgent need for affordable housing but also stimulates local economic growth and enhances neighborhood vitality.”

The deadline for replying to the RFQ is Aug. 25, via AUD’s website. 

A draft concept for the corner of Charleston and Sawtell avenues shows a new commercial storefront, courtyard, and potential look of new townhomes, per the master plan. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development; designs, Zanetta Illustration

An aerial view over the intersection of Charleston and South Bend avenues with new on-street parking, apartments standing two and three stories, and the adaptively reused school. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development; designs, Zanetta Illustration

Submissions from developers will be scored based on experience with similar projects and each company’s specific vision for the site and ability to execute it, according to AUD. 

Whichever developer is picked will work closely with both AUD and APS to finalize the intergovernmental Lakewood Heights redevelopment plan before moving forward, per officials.

For interested parties, a two-hour Q&A session and bus tour of the Lakewood Heights Elementary School property is schedule for 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday. An option to attend virtually is also being provided. Otherwise, find more context and imagery for the Lakewood Heights plan in the gallery above. 

A map of historically significant Atlanta Public School properties, as compiled by Atlanta Preservation Center and APS.APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development

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A map of historically significant Atlanta Public School properties, as compiled by Atlanta Preservation Center and APS.APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development

The former Lakewood Heights Elementary School. Google Maps

Overview of the former Lakewood Heights Elementary School property today. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development

An aerial view over the intersection of Charleston and South Bend avenues with new on-street parking, apartments standing two and three stories, and the adaptively reused school. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development; designs, Zanetta Illustration

Four options for adaptive-reuse and new construction in Lakewood Heights compiled in a March report this year. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development

A draft concept for the corner of Charleston and Sawtell avenues shows a new commercial storefront, courtyard, and potential look of new townhomes, per the master plan. APS/Housing Innovation Lab/Atlanta Urban Development; designs, Zanetta Illustration

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Transformation of Lakewood Heights school calls for housing, commercial mix; RFQ now released

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Workforce housing mix with more than 230 homes officially a go Josh Green Fri, 07/11/2025 - 16:02

Between downtown Atlanta and the airport, a residential development with no market-rate rentals is gearing up to move forward in coming days, according to Atlanta Housing officials.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled Tuesday for Sylvan Hills II, a 233-unit venture in Southwest Atlanta described by project leaders as a fully affordable mix of apartments and townhomes.

The 10.5-acre site at 1924 Sylvan Circle is situated a few blocks east of MARTA’s Lakewood/Fort McPherson station, just north of Langford Parkway, in Sylvan Hills. The property was formerly home to the Sylvan Circle Apartments.

The initial Sylvan Hills phase, a senior housing venture, was built around the corner, tucked off the north-south thoroughfare.

Exteriors planned for Sylvan Hills II. TCE Development, Radiant Development Partners

Sylvan Hills II's site in relation to the Connector (left) and Fort McPherson. Google Maps

Dignitaries including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Dr. Alan Ferguson Sr., Atlanta Housing’s chief housing and real estate officer, are scheduled to lead Tuesday’s groundbreaking.

Construction is expected to take 20 months, meaning the first units should be available for rent in late 2026, according to Atlanta Housing. The total project cost is $52 million.

The housing agency is partnering on Sylvan Hills II with TCE Development, Radiant Development Partners, EQ Housing Advisors, Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, and Metro Atlanta Land Bank.

Looking north toward downtown on Sylvan Road, the project's 1924 Sylvan Circle SW site (at right) in March. Google Maps

According to developer Radiant, the energy-efficient rentals will be a mix of garden-style apartments, townhouses, and carriage homes, with onsite amenities that include walking paths, a playground, and community room.

All 233 units will be reserved for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which will be “achieved without the utilization of traditional Low-Income Housing Tax Credits” to “deliver urgently needed housing in a high-opportunity corridor,” according to Radiant.

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Sylvan Hills II's site in relation to the Connector (left) and Fort McPherson. Google Maps

Looking north toward downtown on Sylvan Road, the project's 1924 Sylvan Circle SW site (at right) in March. Google Maps

Exteriors planned for Sylvan Hills II. TCE Development, Radiant Development Partners

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What will Atlanta 2050 look like? Josh Green Fri, 07/11/2025 - 11:25

Consider this: Should Atlanta Regional Commission’s forecasts prove accurate, our current metro by the year 2050 will add another 1.4 million residents, give or take. That’d be like packing on another DeKalb and Cobb counties to the ungainly behemoth of a metropolis that exists here today. 

And that’s just the ARC’s 21-county region—not the 29-county swath of North Georgia the U.S. Census Bureau considers the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Metropolitan Statistical Area, where population growth numbers could be significantly higher.  

Which is to say: If you feel like Atlanta’s full today, as the questionable slogan goes, just wait, per the experts. 

The ARC's 21-county forecast for metro Atlanta population (just shy of 8 million) and job growth over the next 25 years. Atlanta Regional Commission

It’s now the middle of 2025—and the halfway point to 2050 this century. If you were alive and not a small child during the year 2000, you probably realize that two and ½ decades can slip by like a finger-snap of time. In an amorphous place like Atlanta, which seems to change by the week, a quarter-century has potential to fundamentally alter many things. 

In 25 years, as available land in Midtown and downtown becomes scarcer, could Atlanta see it’s first 100-story building, or a bonafide supertall structure? Will the Stitch and similar freeway-capping parks come to fruition, remediating urban highway scars and creating fresh, healthy social environments? Will light-rail transit options exist, anywhere? Will the Beltline and its multimodal-path cousins create a web of transportation and recreation options spanning from, say, Peachtree City to Cumming, from Lithonia to Carrolton? Could one more MARTA rail station be built—whoa, hey now, let’s not get insane here! 

Atlanta Regional Commission

Let’s ponder for a moment what that 2050 version of Atlanta could look like from ground level, and how it will function (or not)? Are we doomed by our own attractiveness—or poised for a prosperous golden era? Will we choke on growth or manage to thoughtfully weave the city and region together, following decades of questionable (if not deplorable) land-use decisions? 

For our latest Friday Fun Bag installment, it seemed like an appropriate time to ask. 

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Images: Ormewood Park development nears finish, offers free e-bikes Josh Green Thu, 07/10/2025 - 16:58

Pet spas. Cold plunges. Outdoor gyms. Pool cabanas. Infrared saunas and jumbo golf-simulators.

All of the above has been used with new Atlanta multifamily buildings to help lure in renters. But free e-bikes? 

In what could be a first for the city, Ormewood Park residential development The Gracewood is finalizing details of a partnership with Kirkwood-based Edison Electric Bicycles that will gift free e-bikes to renters for a limited time, project officials tell Urbanize Atlanta.  

The 36-unit SLR Investments project, located where Moreland and Gracewood avenues meet, is on pace to be finished in August. Like the project's website, finalized details of the e-bike program are pending. 

“[It’s the] first incentive program I've seen of its kind where the owners are highlighting and concentrating on how e-bikes can change the way their tenants rely on and use their cars,” said veteran Atlanta real estate agent Jonathan Rich, whose Seven Real Estate Group is handling The Gracewood’s leasing. 

The Gracewood's parking area off Moreland Avenue this week. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Gracewood's site in relation to Moreland Avenue (in blue) and East Atlanta (at right). Google Maps

The brick-clad building replaced a vacant lot at 1160 Gracewood Ave., just south of the Ormewood Square commercial hub that’s home to Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream, Little Azio, and other businesses. It’s also across the street from Pollo Primo restaurant and roughly half a mile south of East Atlanta Village.

According to Rich, The Gracewood’s 36 apartments will all be one-bedroom units, with several different floorplans. Monthly rents will range from $1,600 to $1,800. 

SLR Investments—the company behind the Alley of Edgewood project, another new eastside residential build—purchased the .7-acre lot in Ormewood Park for $1.06 million in 2023.

Surface parking (one space per unit) is situated behind the building, according to plans compiled by Place Maker Design architects. All apartments will have with either outdoor spaces or porches.

The Gracewood's Moreland Avenue frontage. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The corner property formerly housed an apartment complex that was torn down several years ago, leaving the lot empty, as longtime residents told Urbanize Atlanta last year. 

Swing up to the gallery for more images and context. 

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The Gracewood's site in relation to Moreland Avenue (in blue) and East Atlanta (at right). Google Maps

Overview of the 1160 Gracewood Ave. site plan, with neighboring single-family property shown at top. Courtesy of SLR Investments

Renderings from 2024 showing The Gracewood's Moreland Avenue facade. Courtesy of SLR Investments

The Gracewood's parking area off Moreland Avenue this week. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The apartment building's southern face along Gracewood Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the 36-unit building in Ormewood Park meets Moreland Avenue today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Gracewood's Moreland Avenue frontage. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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Transit-connected project near Southside Trail lands tax break Josh Green Thu, 07/10/2025 - 12:08

A southside infill proposal recently scored a tax break as a means of bringing more housing to sites with MARTA and Atlanta Beltline connectivity, according to Invest Atlanta. 

CMC Development Group plans to build a mixed-income, modern-style venture called Ridge Commons on a vacant triangular lot at 1100 Ridge Ave. in Peoplestown. 

The Invest Atlanta Board last month approved a $1.5-million Beltline Tax Allocation District grant to help finance Ridge Commons’ construction. The project will include 46 multifamily units, with 29 of those considered affordable housing for tenants earning between 50 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Another seven apartments will be live-work arrangements, according to Invest Atlanta. 

The tax incentive was part of $7.5 million in grants for three projects approved by Invest Atlanta’s governing board. Others to receive grant funding ($3 million each) were the 1283 West apartment stack planned for Marietta Boulevard along a section of the Beltline’s Northwest Trail, and the Historic Broad Streetscape initiative that’s reimagining three city blocks in South Downtown. 

In Peoplestown, the 1-acre site is roughly two blocks from under-construction segments of the Beltline’s Southside Trail scheduled to open before June next year. The location is also just north of the Terminal South food hall, retail hub, and creative offices project that’s expected to start opening in coming weeks. 

How Ridge Commons would front Ridge Avenue in Peoplestown, just north of the Terminal South food hall and mixed-use project. CMC Development Group

Breakdown of the 1100 Ridge Ave. development site and landmarks within surrounding Peoplestown blocks. Google Maps; Urbanize Atlanta

Just to the east, along Hank Aaron Drive, is the route for MARTA’s first new transit line in decades, a five-mile, bus-rapid transit loop linking to downtown that’s now called the A-Line. Work on the BRT route has been delayed by unforeseen issues but continues today.

Ridge Commons calls for a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments, including some live-work units meant for “entrepreneurs and artists” in an area between industrial lots and quiet lanes of houses, per developers.  

CMC Development, a New York-based firm with a satellite office on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, counts a number of projects from the Bronx to Brooklyn in its portfolio. It’s also a joint-venture partner in a residential project near East Point’s MARTA hub and historic downtown called Norman Berry Village.

CMC Development Group

CMC Development Group

Ridge Commons received construction financing in October, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and expects to open for tenants in June 2026, the same month as Atlanta’s first FIFA World Cup matches, according to a project overview. (At less than a year out, and no construction on site, that timeline seems tough.) 

We’ve reached out to CMC Development this week for more details on a groundbreaking and construction outlook in Peoplestown; we’ll update this story with any additional information that comes. 

City of Atlanta permitting records show no recent activity at the Ridge Avenue site, which is currently zoned for mixed commercial and residential uses.

In the gallery above, find more context and images for the Ridge Commons proposal. 

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The Peoplestown site in relation to downtown Atlanta and the Connector expressway. CMC Development Group

Breakdown of the 1100 Ridge Ave. development site and landmarks within surrounding Peoplestown blocks. Google Maps; Urbanize Atlanta

How Ridge Commons would front Ridge Avenue in Peoplestown, just north of the Terminal South food hall and mixed-use project. CMC Development Group

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Long-sought Atlanta Beltline connection at Ponce is almost real Josh Green Thu, 07/10/2025 - 10:45

Following two years of construction, an infrastructure project designed to immediately improve connectivity to the Atlanta Beltline, jobs, and eastside retail is weeks away from opening, according to Beltline officials. 

A pedestrian connection at Ponce de Leon Avenue near Midtown Place shopping center has been part of the Eastside Trail's plan since before it debuted in 2012. Years, that is, before Ponce City Market even started opening. 

This week, Atlanta Beltline Inc. reports the key link is on pace to finish construction and open sometime this summer, which ends Sept. 22, though plenty of work remains. It will cap work on a broader .7-mile Ponce streetscape project that’s helped make the busy thoroughfare safer and more approachable for pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility users.  

The view of ramp construction in June from Ponce de Leon Avenue to the Eastside Trail. via Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The Beltline’s contractor, JHC Construction, is currently finishing railing work on the ramp between Ponce and the Eastside Trail, where columns have been poured and elevated structures are in place. Granite veneering and wall construction for the project has wrapped, as Beltline officials relayed in a recent construction update.   

The project aims to create a more seamless, quicker, and ADA-accessible means of exiting the Beltline for Ponce’s shopping and eating options, and vice versa. 

via Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Included are a steel ramp, stairs, and railings at the northwestern corner of the Ponce-Beltline bridge, similar to Edgewood Avenue’s metal-ramp connection to the Eastside Trail where Old Fourth Ward meets Inman Park. The surface, however, is concrete instead of serrated metal, in order to spare dogs’ feet. (You live, you learn.) 

Previous plans to begin work on the Ponce-Beltline connection in summer 2021 were delayed. Construction kicked off in earnest in summer 2023. 

Placement of the new ramp connection and a crosswalk near Ponce City Market's entrance. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

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The Ponce-Beltline intersection prior to construction. Google Maps

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An example of flexible delineator posts installed in sections of Ponce bike lanes. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

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The view of ramp construction in June from Ponce de Leon Avenue to the Eastside Trail. via Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

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‘One of largest developments in metro ATL history’ scores green light Josh Green Wed, 07/09/2025 - 17:35

A sprawling mix of lakeside neighborhoods and commercial uses billed as “one of the largest developments in metro Atlanta’s history” has cleared a key hurdle. 

Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a final Zoning and Development Agreement this week for a multi-phase megaproject called The Grove, which calls for transforming nearly 1,300 south metro acres, the development team announced Tuesday. 

For context, that much acreage could house Atlanta’s Piedmont Park six times over. 

The proposal by Sunbelt developer Geosam Capital calls for building more than 6,000 residential units and 2 million square feet of commercial, retail, and public space across several phases.

The Grove’s site is located about 22 miles south Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, just west of U.S. Highway 41 and south of Lovejoy. It's also near EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway), Georgia’s only NASCAR track. 

Overview of The Grove's 1,278-acre plans along the shores of Lake Talmadge in Henry County, with commercial uses at right. Geosam Capital

General location of The Grove's acreage west of U.S. Highway 41 and Interstate 75, between Lovejoy and Hampton. Google Maps

The acreage in question, described by Geosam as “picturesque,” counts more than six miles of frontage on Lake Talmadge. 

Amenities at The Grove call for 150 acres of greenspace, 35 pocket parks, eight miles of trails, and a “mix of public and private features that promote quality of life and connectivity,” per Geosam's announcement. 

Expect of mix of single-family, townhomes, multifamily, and active-adult housing, along with a commercial core for retail options and jobs, per the developer. 

County approval clears the way for an initial phase that will see the first wave of residential, alongside Georgia Department of Transportation roadway improvements and water and wastewater upgrades. 

Geosam has offices in Duluth and New Smyrna Beach, Fla. and more than $1 billion in projects either completed or underway, including more than 10,000 residential lots, per company officials. 

“The Grove will shape Henry County's future for generations,” Patrick Brooks, Geosam vice president, said in a statement. “Our phased approach ensures thoughtful, sustainable growth that benefits both current and future residents.”

The Grove's site in relation to south metro cities and landmarks and downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

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General location of The Grove's acreage west of U.S. Highway 41 and Interstate 75, between Lovejoy and Hampton. Google Maps

Overview of The Grove's 1,278-acre plans along the shores of Lake Talmadge in Henry County, with commercial uses at right. Geosam Capital

The Grove's site in relation to south metro cities and landmarks and downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

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Images: Sky-high cocktails, Italian eats, concept switch set for new tower Josh Green Wed, 07/09/2025 - 12:53

Significant additions and changes are in store for the recently opened and tallest residential tower in West Midtown. 

Denver-based Sentral—a quickly growing property management company that operates multifamily buildings with both furnished and unfurnished units inspired by luxury hotels—has added the Stella at Star Metals building to its flex-living portfolio in Atlanta, officials announced today.  

The 22-story, Allen Morris Company luxury tower at 660 11th St. has started introducing 327 studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and penthouse apartments—some with skyline views described as unparalleled—to the Marietta Street Artery neighborhood and broader, growing West Midtown submarket. 

Project officials also announced today the Stella building has finalized two food-and-beverage concepts. Rabbit Ears, a cocktail lounge, will operate in a soaring space on the 18th floor with sweeping city views; meanwhile, at street level, northern Italian restaurant concept Füm will take space at Stella’s base. 

Both concepts will be operated by Grassfed Culture Hospitality, a Michelin-recognized firm, and residents of the Stella building will have priority access, according to officials. 

Planned interior aesthetic and views at the Stella building's high-floor cocktail bar concept. Stella at Star Metals/Allen Morris Company

Sentral’s flex-living apartments offer a short-term rental option for travelers, digital nomads frequently switching cities, and longer-term residents. Stella at Star Metals will mark Sentral’s second community in Atlanta, following the Sentral Star Metals multifamily building located a block to the west. 

As the tallest component of the $500-million Star Metals District to date, the Stella project broke ground in early 2023 and officially opened last month. Up to eight weeks of free rent is being offered on some Stella apartments. 

Otherwise, Stella rents start at $1,699 per month for 482-square-foot studios. The priciest plans currently offered begin at $6,600 monthly, which rents two bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,326 square feet on the 18th floor. 

Copper-like cladding and curvatures on Stella at Star Metals' south face, toward downtown, as seen in March. Photos by Urbanize Atlanta

A two-story bar is planned for Stella's 18th floor, with these eastward views across the city.

Building amenities include an infinity-edge pool, a gym (with an outdoor component) curated by Peloton, a pet spa, screening room, and in-home dining options from Füm. In-home perks include Italian cabinetry, double-slider patio configurations for indoor-outdoor living vibes, and with penthouses, built-in dry bars and wine refrigerators, per Sentral reps. 

Eventually, the Stella building is expected to work in conjunction with a cluster of new buildings with an “urban forest” feel and large plaza space across three additional Star Metals phases.  

A year after it opened, Sentral West Midtown (originally called Star Metals Residences) transitioned to the flexible-living model that allows for rent arrangements of almost any period of time: a couple of days, a month, a quarter, or several years. Another high-profile new tower, the mixed-use Scout Living at Ponce City Market, operates a similar concept aiming to strike a balance between hotel flexibility and highly amenitized, furnished apartments. 

According to Sentral, the company has more than tripled its management portfolio since 2021 and now counts more than $5 billion of multifamily assets across the country. 

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