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Next phase of West Highlands redevelopment breaks ground Josh Green Mon, 03/17/2025 - 16:22 A mixed-income housing venture with dozens of units has officially entered the pipeline northwest of Midtown. 

Atlanta Housing and its development partners, Perry Homes Redevelopment and Brock Built Homes, held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday to kick off construction of the next phase of redevelopment at the expansive West Highlands project. 

The 2000 Perry Boulevard NW site is situated between Midtown’s northern reaches and Interstate 285, adjacent to Norfolk Southern’s massive Inman Yard railroad hub. 

The property formerly housed the Perry Homes housing projects, built in the 1950s and fully demolished in 1999 as efforts to clear public housing in the city ramped up. 

The next phase of West Highlands—already one of the largest master-planned communities in the City of Atlanta—calls for 65 for-sale townhomes and detached single-family houses. 

Overview of the latest West Highlands section to break ground, with communal greenspaces included. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

Context of the 2000 Perry Boulevard site, situated northwest of Midtown. Google Maps

According to Atlanta Housing officials, 25 units (or 38 percent of the next phase) will be priced at rates deemed affordable, while the rest will be market-rate. 

That means 25 townhome units will ask $252,000 when finished. Elsewhere, the 40 units of market-rate housing will be priced between $385,000 and $490,000. 

The West Highlands homes will range from 1,400 to 2,500 square feet, according to officials.

The next phase is considered a public-private partnership led by both Atlanta Housing and Brock Built, which has been building a range of communities in the area for years. 

Atlanta Housing is providing $562,500 as a development cost subsidy, in addition to land-value subsidies for affordable units, per agency officials. 

Terri Lee, Atlanta Housing president and CEO, called the project “another step forward in [the agency’s] mission to create inclusive communities where families of all income levels can thrive” in an announcement. 

Totality of the West Highlands project, with the under-construction new section shown at far left. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

Today, the West Highlands redevelopment includes 700 mixed-income rentals and 513 for-sale homes, 144 of those capped for families earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Another 114 homes are currently in the pipeline. 

Other components of the project—described by Atlanta Housing as “a model for mixed-income, community-driven revitalization”—include a community center, a park, and playground.

Breakdown of affordable housing units at West Highlands (red) and market-rate housing.Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

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Context of the 2000 Perry Boulevard site, situated northwest of Midtown. Google Maps

Breakdown of affordable housing units at West Highlands (red) and market-rate housing.Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

Overview of the latest West Highlands section to break ground, with communal greenspaces included. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

Totality of the West Highlands project, with the under-construction new section shown at far left. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing

Subtitle Where townhome prices will start in the $250Ks, per officials

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Wedge-shaped project tops out near Beltline, MARTA station Josh Green Mon, 03/17/2025 - 14:13 Another three dozen housing units are quickly taking shape in West End on a lot that had been vacant for well over a decade near the Atlanta Beltline and a MARTA station. 

The wedge-shaped infill project stands in the shadow of elevated MARTA tracks at 889 Lee St. SW, less than a block north of the mixed-use Lee + White warehouse district, and the Beltline’s Westside Trail beyond that.

A Chevron gas station borders one edge of the site, and a street called Rose Circle the other. MARTA’s West End station is about two blocks farther north.

Filings with Atlanta’s Department of City Planning indicate the project will include 36 apartments and 39 parking spaces on what had been a grassy, empty lot. 

Duluth-based United Family Homes is developing the project, according to building permit filings. Inquiries to that company for construction updates and details on forthcoming rentals have not been returned. 

“Lee Street in [Southwest] Atlanta represents a tremendous challenge to area residents—and an opportunity for a safe connection for people outside of cars,” reads a description of the project on the company’s website.  

How the topped-out, three-story project meets Lee Street between West End's MARTA station and the Lee + White district today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Projected look of facades in the 800 block of Lee Street.Gamble + Gamble Architects

Site plans indicate the project was designed by seasoned Atlanta firm Gamble + Gamble Architects, whose work includes the Hotel Clermont renovation and more recently the Lyric Lofts building in Castleberry Hill and Walker Place Townhomes in Edgewood. 

The vacant .85 acres in question last traded for $676,000 in 2019, according to Fulton County property records. An Alpharetta-based LLC called United Apartments at Lee Street is listed as the owner today. Land development at the site started more than two years ago. 

Southernmost flank of the 36-unit project today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The .85-acre construction site in relation to MARTA's Gold and Red lines, Lee + White, and the Beltline. Google Maps

As reported on these pages last week, another West End housing development—23 townhomes in two phases—is also underway on the opposite side of the Lee + White district along White Street. 

Find more photos and context in the gallery above. 

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• West End news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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The .85-acre construction site in relation to MARTA's Gold and Red lines, Lee + White, and the Beltline. Google Maps

How the topped-out, three-story project meets Lee Street between West End's MARTA station and the Lee + White district today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How 36 units are being wedged into an oddly shaped site at 889 Lee St. Gamble + Gamble Architects

Projected look of facades in the 800 block of Lee Street.Gamble + Gamble Architects

Southernmost flank of the 36-unit project today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Entry to the community's parking area off Lee Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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Subtitle Another three dozen housing units on tap for West End

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Census: Atlanta drops two spots on biggest metros list Josh Green Mon, 03/17/2025 - 12:50 Tough news for ATL zealots: We’re not No. 6 anymore. 

The metro areas of both Miami and Washington D.C. have leapfrogged metro Atlanta in terms of overall population, bumping Georgia’s capital city back to No. 8 on the list of largest metros in the country, according to Vintage 2024 estimates of population totals and components of change recently published by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Last year, the 2022-2023 version of the same report showed metro Atlanta had surpassed both Miami and Washington D.C.—after having overtaken metro Philadelphia the year prior—to become the sixth largest U.S. metro, and the biggest in the Southeast. That marked an impressing jump for Atlanta from being the ninth largest metro at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic—but alas, it was short-lived, per the new Census tabulations.   

Those estimates put Greater Miami as the sixth largest U.S. metro, after it notched more than 123,000 new residents over the year ending July 1. Washington D.C. brought in another 90,600 people, good for No. 7, per the Census findings. 

Metro Atlanta’s 29-county region hardly stagnated, however, adding more than 75,000 people, or a 1.19 percent population bump. 

Big picture, Census officials found that even metros where populations had dipped during the pandemic were on the rebound between July 2023 and a year later; all 387 metro areas in the country saw positive net international migration, accounting for nearly 2.7 million people. 

“While births continue to contribute to overall growth, rising net international migration is offsetting the ongoing net domestic outmigration we see in many of these [metro] areas,” noted Kristie Wilder, a Census demographer, in the report released Thursday. 

The top 10 largest U.S. metros right now, per Census estimates released last week. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began five years ago, the population across the City of Atlanta and metro counties has climbed by nearly 5 percent, adding more than 290,000 people, per the Census data. (Contrast that against the metro with the highest rate of increase among top 10 cities, Dallas, which has added more than 676,000 residents; or the one that’s shrunk the most, Los Angeles, where the population had dipped by 119,200 people, as of July.) 

There is a bright spot in the Census findings, as Peach State growth patterns are concerned. 

Two of the top 10 fastest growing counties in the U.S. are in Georgia, in terms percentage growth rates, and both are located in the northern exurbs. 

Situated northwest of Gwinnett County, Jackson County (No. 4) grew by 5.8 percent over the year in question. 

Meanwhile, Dawson County—where Atlanta’s sprawl meets the North Georgia Mountains, due north of the capital city—grew by 6.4 percent, which was good for No. 1 in the country among counties with at least 20,000 residents. (And who says proximity to outlet malls isn’t a selling point?)

Top 10 counties across the country in terms of percentage growth over the year ending July 1, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates.

On the flipside, Clayton County’s reduction of 1,677 residents landed it on the dubious top 10 (No. 6) of counties that saw numeric decline. According to Census findings, 297,700 people now call Clayton home. 

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Top 10 counties across the country in terms of percentage growth over the year ending July 1, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates.

The top 10 largest U.S. metros right now, per Census estimates released last week. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates.

Subtitle Wait—what?!?

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Images: Another new downtown ATL hotel nearly topped out Josh Green Mon, 03/17/2025 - 08:02 Barely six months after its site was cleared and prepped for vertical construction, another downtown hotel development has nearly reached its ultimate height, albeit shorter than originally expected.

Intown’s second Moxy by Marriott hotel continues a wave of new and proposed lodging options across downtown Atlanta—from near the Gold Dome to the former Gulch and the tourism district’s heart—with a month of FIFA 2026 World Cup matches now just 15 months away. 

As of this week, the 329 Marietta St. Moxy project has about two more stories to rise before topping out, according to renderings and building permit details.  

The 183-room lodge will stand next to Hyatt Place Atlanta hotel in a location easily walkable to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia World Congress Center, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, among other attractions.

Progress on the Moxy by Marriott project Sunday in the 300 block of Marietta Street downtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Previous building on the 329 Marietta St. property, with downtown's Hyatt Place shown to the left and behind. Google Maps

The hotel’s development team of Nexera Capital and Emerge Hospitality Group has previously said they hope to finish the project as soon as possible, with downtown’s FIFA frenzy on the horizon next year. Winter Construction is building the project. 

Building permits indicate the hotel will stand 10 stories—a reduction of three stories from earlier plans with different designs, especially for base levels and the roof. (The room count, however, remains the same as before.) An updated Elevate Architecture Studio rendering shows plans for multi-story, lighted signage wrapping a corner of the building have also been subtracted.

Designs do call for a rooftop lounge, a bar at street level, a speakeasy, and several other gathering spaces around the property, according to developers. 

Marriott opened its other Atlanta Moxy hotel—a dual-branded fusion of Moxy and its European-inspired AC Hotel brand—on 14th Street in Midtown just before for another impactful event: Atlanta's 2019 Super Bowl. The hotel giant bills the Moxy concept as more “playful, affordable, and stylish” than more upscale brands under its flag. More than 125 Moxy locations operate around the world.

The hotel's stance near a retail portion of another newer lodge, Hyatt Place Atlanta, next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Moxy project as seen today, looking south from Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Moxy concept will join numerous hospitality ventures recently delivered or in the works near downtown’s signature park.

The Signia by Hilton project delivered almost 1,000 hotel rooms last year, marking Atlanta’s tallest new hotel in four decades. Fronting Centennial Olympic Park, the 22-story Margaritaville resort condo building by Wyndham Destinations opened in 2022 with 200 suites and two floors of retail near SkyView Atlanta. And Centennial Yards expects to finish its 229-room Anthem hotel this year, with another 230-room lodge also under construction as part of that project’s entertainment and sports district.

Meanwhile, near the northeast edge of Centennial Olympic Park, a proposed Residence Inn by Marriott would rise 14 stories. And plans came to light last year for a 260-room hotel that would include the Motto by Hilton brand at 524 West Peachtree St., where the 1920s Rosser Building was demolished several years ago.

Elsewhere in South Downtown, adaptive-reuse The Origin Hotel Atlanta, a Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property, was previously scheduled to open last fall, but that’s been delayed.

Head up to the gallery for more context and a Moxy project update in photos. Below is a comparison of current plans and the taller concept initially proposed. 

Current designs for the 239 Marietta St. project. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Earlier designs for the Moxy-branded downtown hotel, with parking levels more transparent and a bolder roofline. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

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Progress on the Moxy by Marriott project Sunday in the 300 block of Marietta Street downtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Moxy's facade over Marietta Street today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The hotel's stance near a retail portion of another newer lodge, Hyatt Place Atlanta, next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Moxy project as seen today, looking south from Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Previous building on the 329 Marietta St. property, with downtown's Hyatt Place shown to the left and behind. Google Maps

Current designs for the 239 Marietta St. project. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Earlier designs for the Moxy-branded downtown hotel, with parking levels more transparent and a bolder roofline. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Subtitle Well, that was quick

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Photos: How range of dense housing transformed this Atlanta block Josh Green Fri, 03/14/2025 - 14:26 File this one under random urban observations—and potentially important templates for Atlanta’s growth. 

Where just a single house had stood during the pandemic (along with offices for manufacturer Stein Steel), more than 60 housing units have finished construction and come together in a unique way in Reynoldstown. 

The relatively dense housing node is a block from the Beltline’s Eastside Trail, bounded by Kirkwood Avenue and Gibson, Holtzclaw, and Mauldin streets. 

The majority of the homes (56 units) were built by Empire Communities as part of the expanding Stein Steel project, with prices ranging from the low $300,000s for one-bedroom condos to three-bedroom townhomes in the $600,000s. Duplexes and smaller contemporary cottages by a separate development team also helped fill the formerly barren block. 

Outline of Empire Communities' portion of development, where just one home had stood prior to construction in Reynoldstown. Courtesy of Empire/Google Maps

Demolition at the longstanding steel plant kicked off in early 2021, and construction on the block in question really took off soon after. Today, it’s deserving of a photo tour to help paint the picture. 

So come, take a quick walk around the block in the gallery above. 

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Looking southeast from near the Beltline, the block in question housed Stein Steel's former offices (in white) and parking but was mostly empty. Google Maps

Outline of Empire Communities' portion of development, where just one home had stood prior to construction in Reynoldstown. Courtesy of Empire/Google Maps

Today, where a nook of modern-style cottages is tucked between larger housing structures along Holtzclaw Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Cottage entries along Holtzclaw. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

At left in gray brick are Stein Steel's "stack terrace" units, which have all sold. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

In the distance is another stack terrace building coming together as part of the 6.5-acre Stein Steel infill development. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Two rows of "stack quarters" condos stand in the middle of the block as part of Stein Steel. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A row of larger Stein Steel townhomes stands over Kirkwood Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View toward the Beltline's Eastside Trail, with new condo units coming together on the block immediately north. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Stacked condos in brick-clad buildings (the Milltown section of Stein Steel) face Gibson Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The same Reynoldstown corner in question in 2016. Google Maps

Wide sidewalks and three-sides-brick buildings on Gibson. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A new street called Beardon Circle serves as an entry point to much of the new housing. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Rounding out the tour, we find this row of modern-style duplexes that kickstarted the block's redevelopment about four years ago. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Could formerly barren Reynoldstown streets near Beltline be template for sites across city?

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City: Downtown streetcar will extend to Eastside Trail—but not in it Josh Green Fri, 03/14/2025 - 12:21 Following Thursday’s bombshell revelation that city and Beltline leadership have no intention of building light-rail transit on the popular Eastside Trail in coming years, the same officials stressed that streetcar expansions could very much be in Atlanta’s future—and to high-density places not previously included in plans.  

Those extended streetcar routes could reach the Beltline corridor near Krog Street Market as previously planned—but streetcars would stop there, and not slink up the Eastside Trail, per city officials. 

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in a Thursday meeting with MARTA’s Board of Directors relayed for the first time unequivocally that city leaders were shifting focus away from the Eastside Trail after years of planning for an estimated $230-million light-rail system there. MARTA’s plans for a five-stop route to Ponce City Market—unveiled two and ½ years ago—outraged some naysayers but lent hope for many Atlantans that city leaders might finally embrace new rail in walkable, densely populated places. 

Dickens told MARTA leadership a southside Beltline transit system in conjunction with MARTA would better serve the city, and that project leaders will focus on improving the current Atlanta Streetcar and branching it into Southwest Atlanta’s Beltline corridor via a connection at Murphy Crossing.  

On Thursday evening, Dickens' office issued a media release calling that strategy—and others—a “transformative plan for equitable access to transit” that would help “to build a local economy that works for all Atlantans.” The city has consistently been ranked as the country’s worst for income equality over the past decade, including again this month, city officials pointed out. 

So what could equity look like, in terms of light-rail expansion?

The stop nearest to the Beltline corridor in Old Fourth Ward, as shown in 2022 visuals. Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

According to the mayor’s office, plans call for public engagement in coming months as city and Beltline leaders move forward in different (or revised) directions. In the words of city officials, a beefed-up downtown streetcar system would look like this: 

• “Finally connecting downtown to the Beltline via the Streetcar East Extension... at grade at Irwin Street NE in Phase I of streetcar/light rail construction; 

• Advancing the Streetcar West Extension to connect downtown to [Atlanta University Center] and/or Georgia Tech in Phase II;

• Utilizing dedicated [right-of-way] on the Southside Trail to connect Southwest and Southeast Atlanta with world-class streetcar/light-rail service—accelerating the construction of [four previously] announced infill stations” for MARTA’s heavy-rail lines. 

Last night we asked city officials for clarity on a couple of points—for example, would the Streetcar East Extension be a looping route, or would streetcars essentially reach the Beltline via Irwin Street and turn back on the same rail line?—but have yet to hear back. 

We’ve also inquired about ballpark construction timelines for any of the streetcar extension initiatives outlined by the city late Thursday. 

Where the Atlanta Streetcar would branch off its current loop along Edgewood Avenue, per plans revealed in 2022. Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

Broader goals for the revised approach to light-right expansion would be to reduce poverty, boost graduation rates, increase MARTA ridership, and improve access to affordable housing for a larger swath of Atlanta’s population, per the city.  

Below are statements provided by key players in the light-rail expansion plans, lightly edited for length: 

Mayor Dickens:

“A thriving transit system is more than just buses and trains—it is about creating walkable, connected communities where people can live, work, and play near high-quality transit. MARTA has a substantial amount of high-value real estate holdings that can be leveraged to accomplish this… We need to ensure that our stations serve as hubs of economic activity, housing, and retail that benefit all Atlantans—particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods.”

Jennifer Ide, MARTA Board chair:

“I was excited to hear the mayor's plan to create equitable transit solutions throughout the city. By building transit-oriented communities, we can connect our neighbors across the city and secure MARTA's future as a world-class transit agency.”

Courtney English, the mayor’s chief policy officer and senior advisor:

“Just last week, Atlanta was once again ranked dead last for income equality. Sustained inequity is bad for people, bad for business, and jeopardizes the future health of the city. By bringing rail to Atlanta's Southside Trail, we connect transit-dependent riders to the necessary amenities they need to live choice-filled lives.”

Clyde Higgs, Atlanta Beltline president and CEO:

“Without frequent, accessible, and affordable transit, [underserved] communities face significant barriers to economic mobility and daily necessities… Investing in transit on the Southside section of the Beltline also helps address broader regional challenges, including traffic congestion, air quality, and workforce accessibility.  A more connected Atlanta strengthens the entire city, creating a more inclusive and resilient transportation network that benefits all Atlantans.” 

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The stop nearest to the Beltline corridor in Old Fourth Ward, as shown in 2022 visuals. Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

Where the Atlanta Streetcar would branch off its current loop along Edgewood Avenue, per plans revealed in 2022. Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

The 2022 route shown with Portman Holdings' mixed-use development The Junction on Krog over the Beltline.Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

Closer look at the legend outlining proposed extension components, as revealed by MARTA in 2022. MARTA 2040

Current plans for the in-street portion of the Atlanta Streetcar extension (with alternate bike lane plans in dotted green and track alignment in yellow). MARTA 2040

Subtitle Westward extension could also link to Georgia Tech, Atlanta University Center, per project leaders

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BREAKING: Atlanta mayor yanks support for eastside Beltline streetcar Josh Green Thu, 03/13/2025 - 15:22 In a surprising turn of events, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens today indicated the city is shifting priorities from building out a light-rail system on the most popular Beltline section to instead focus on transit in other parts of town. 

Dickens told MARTA’s Board of Directors during a transit meeting today that a southside Beltline transit system in conjunction with MARTA would better serve the city than downtown’s current streetcar branching to the Eastside Trail, and then on to Ponce City Market, according to WSB-TV. 

Another focus would be improving the current streetcar system and extending it into Southwest Atlanta, with a connection at the Beltline’s planned Murphy Crossing development. 

Courtney English, chief policy officer and senior advisor to the mayor, told the AJC the city remains committed to building rail in the Beltline corridor but not with the eastside strategy that’s been planned—and hotly debated—for several years. 

MARTA officials had estimated the streetcar extension project along the Eastside Trail to Ponce City Market would cost roughly $230 million. The transit agency’s forecasts called for breaking ground late this year and beginning fare service sometime in 2028. 

Transit-rich future for the Beltline's Southside Trail? Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Early reactions

Walter Brown, president of Better Atlanta Transit, which has lobbied against rail-based transit in the Eastside Trail corridor, provided the following statement in the wake of Dickens’ comments to MARTA officials: 

“Congratulations to Mayor Dickens for making the wise and courageous decision to defund the expensive, unnecessary, and inequitable Streetcar Extension East. It’s clear that the $3 billion Beltline rail loop would do nothing to address Atlanta’s actual transit needs and that it would detract from the enormous success of the Beltline. 

The Streetcar Extension would have gobbled up hundreds of millions of precious More MARTA dollars for a rail stub serving primarily wealthy eastside neighborhoods. That money will be better spent on transit TO the Beltline, such as the mayor’s proposed infill stations, and on transit that serves ridership demand in less well-healed neighborhoods, such as the Hollowell Parkway-North Avenue Bus-Rapid Transit line. 

We urge Atlanta Beltline Inc. to use this opportunity to leverage the Beltline’s success as an Emerald Necklace of trails and parks that has already connected neighborhoods and spurred economic growth. The Beltline trail is a wildly successful micromobility corridor. ABI must do more to nurture this asset. One place to start would be to examine the possibility of building a separate path for pedestrians along the most crowded stretches of the trail.”

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Regarding the matter of Beltline transit and the mayor’s opinion, Matthew Rao, Beltline Rail Now chair, provided Urbanize Atlanta with the following transcript of his statement to MARTA’s board: 

“Today you heard from Mayor Dickens and Courtney English about the administration’s changed priorities for building rail on the Beltline, nearly a year after pausing this project in final design with a $13-million contract approved unanimously by this board. 

We heard a brilliant presentation by English characterizing one of the principal pillars upon which Beltline rail as a cornerstone of the Beltline project is based—and that is equity. But that presentation for all its luster leaves much to the imagination and ignores certain realities. 

English drew a line from Northwest to Southeast and suggested that statistics show that the income divide is along that line. He is right to do so. The entire Beltline project and its transit component are based on equity. And while income inequality is represented by that line, so is the prosperity divide. The opportunity that exists on one side of that line does not exist on the other today, and delaying connection to the Eastside Trail with a thought of one day connecting the southwest side will not help move the equity needle, not in the short term nor in the long-term. The Peachtree Center MARTA station that exists now can get you to the Beltline at Ponce City Market in 15 to 20 minutes, if we adopt reasonable fixes to the downtown streetcar. We have the density and precursors for ridership success there. 

The fact is, you stand ready to deliver a project in revenue service in three years that crosses that equity divide. That’s a fact. You will be blamed for a failure to show progress if you delay —not the mayor. He will be long gone when those projects happen. What are you going to do now? 

We have met with your staff and are confident that they want to deliver a world-class project and that they can, if given the chance. Our impression is that MARTA is eager. It is City Hall that wants to take your eyes off the ball and then let you take the fall. 

To start over yet again would waste your progress and millions of dollars. And we would not get rail transit in three years but more like seven to 10. That not only represents a delay, but also a fabulous waste of money—and a delay in the point when people can access the thousands of jobs, the recreational, and health and shopping opportunities that already exist, and are only growing more rapidly in that corridor. 

It also puts pressure on developers to continue to increase the problem English identified, which is the city of cars choking on traffic based on large amounts of parking in every development to make them economically viable. 

The antidote was always planned—and that is Beltline rail. 

And by starting later somewhere else and one day, hopefully coming back around to where we already are, we will not deliver on that promise. And it will have been too late. We urge you to continue with [a streetcar extension eastward] on the Beltline and to move forward and enact the program that English proposed for Southside rail in due time when it is ready and it can be paid for. 

You have collected nearly $700 million in taxes and spent nearly eight years doing it. It’s time to show progress today and not someday, halfway into the 40-year program. With your leadership, collaboration and cooperation with this and future mayors, there must be away forward from where we are now that does not mean sidelining Beltline rail yet again.”

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Subtitle City feels southside is more logical option for transit alternative

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Fresh map puts $5.2B downtown development boom in perspective Josh Green Thu, 03/13/2025 - 11:11 Does the scope of downtown Atlanta development—both proposed and ongoing—make your head spin? Central Atlanta Progress has an app for that. 

Actually, it’s more of a webpage, but the agency’s updated edition of the Downtown Atlanta Investment Map recently went live online and is also available in print. 

Like a development wonk’s dream, the tool succinctly summarizes projects ranging from towering high-rises to low-slung renovations of old buildings across six districts, spanning from South Downtown to Science Square, the Stitch, and beyond. 

Not every project is solidly in what most Atlantans consider downtown—see: Bank of America Plaza renovations; the stalled Waldo’s; and the four-story, A Ma Maniere condo-retail combo at 479 Edgewood Ave.—but most are. 

The map features 71 projects total, each color-coded as complete, under construction, or planned.  

According to CAP’s tabulations, the finished and proposed developments across downtown total $5.2 billion in investments. 

Expected look of activated patios at The Mitchell building, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium across the street. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

Of that, 1,800 units of housing have popped up in the past two years, at projects such as Broadstone 2Thirty on Memorial Drive, Centennial Yards’ The Mitchell, and The Grace Residences. 

But that could pale in comparison to what CAP says is coming in the next five years: more than 5,000 housing units in some form of planning or development right now. 

That’s in addition to 1,000 new hotel rooms and what map creators call “vital bike, sidewalk, and park infrastructure projects that connect the private and public realm.”

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Subtitle Where 5,000 housing units (or more) is expected to materialize in coming years

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First look: Beltline-adjacent project bound for Southwest Atlanta Josh Green Thu, 03/13/2025 - 07:52 Atlanta urbanists and West End residents who’ve lobbied for residential development to accompany the vibrant former warehouse district that is Lee + White should take note. 

Demolition along White Street signals the beginning of an infill townhome project from Ackerman & Co., the same developer that owns Lee + White and its expanding office, retail, and food offerings. 

Ackerman reps tell Urbanize Atlanta the project will be called Hopkins and White Townhomes—named for the streets it will front—and that it will include 23 new residences eventually.

Overview of the full 23-unit townhome project between the Beltline and a Dunkin' in West End. Courtesy of Ackerman & Co.

Situated across the street from the Beltline’s Westside Trail and Gordon-White Park, just north of the Lee + White district, the properties in question were formerly home to two notable businesses: Best Friends Car Wash, which doubled as an outdoor art gallery for muralists, and Lean Draft House, once celebrated as the first new business to open on the Westside Trail eight years ago. 

As of a Saturday visit, the former car wash was rubble. 

Ackerman reps say the first phase of 13 townhomes is scheduled to be finished in spring 2026. 

The former Best Friends Car Wash on White Street was recently demolished, making way for townhome construction. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

General scope of the properties in question, with the Beltline's Westside Trail shown at left. Google Maps

Each townhome will have three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms in 2,056 square feet, with two-car garages at the base and rooftop decks above. 

The community will also feature a fenced-in dog park, according to project officials, who say it remains to be seen if Ackerman will use its name in association with the project.

Price ranges for the townhomes have yet to be determined, according to developers. 

The lone available rendering shows two rows of units, with rooftops emphasizing views of the pocket park and Westside Trail, which is set to be expanded in former rail corridor nearby. 

Maybe it's not the wave of new Beltline-adjacent housing in the area some have called for—but it's certainly a start. 

The former Lean Draft House building stood next to recent demolition Saturday. Google Maps

The site in relation to downtown and SW ATL landmarks. Google Maps

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600 Hopkins St. SW Hopkins and White Townhomes Lean Draft House West End Car Wash West End Development West End Homes West End Construction Westside Trail Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Lee + White SW ATL Southwest Atlanta Ackerman & Co. Ackerman and Co. Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Development Beltline Homes Beltline Townhomes Atlanta Construction Great Foundations Best Friends Car Wash Gordon-White Park

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The site in relation to downtown and SW ATL landmarks. Google Maps

The former Best Friends Car Wash on White Street was recently demolished, making way for townhome construction. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The former Lean Draft House building stood next to recent demolition Saturday. Google Maps

General scope of the properties in question, with the Beltline's Westside Trail shown at left. Google Maps

Overview of the full 23-unit townhome project between the Beltline and a Dunkin' in West End. Courtesy of Ackerman & Co.

Subtitle West End townhomes near Lee + White district replacing car wash, former restaurant building

Neighborhood West End

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MARTA declares audit results ‘clear win’ in tussle with city Josh Green Wed, 03/12/2025 - 15:12 Atlanta’s transit agency says the results of a second audit into More MARTA sales tax spending are a victory that should green-light the delayed overhaul of MARTA’s largest and busiest transit hub. 

The MARTA Oversight Committee on Tuesday released the findings of global accounting firm KPMG’s independent audit of the More MARTA Atlanta Program. 

That vetting of half-penny More MARTA sales tax spending—approved by Atlanta voters in 2016—shows that MARTA “operated ethically, transparently, and above board,” reads a MARTA media statement issued today. 

It doesn’t show that no More MARTA mistakes were made. 

MARTA shortchanged the program’s capital fund and overcharged operating expenses by $865,000, but that’s far less than City of Atlanta’s auditors claimed MARTA shorted the program ($70 million) in a separate audit last summer, which stoked heated tensions between the city and its transit authority. 

Back in August, MARTA blasted the city’s auditors for using a “flawed methodology,” and KPMG’s findings show they were correct, especially as it pertains to bus service calculations between 2017 and 2019, according to MARTA. 

Some Atlanta City Council members in March 2023 had demanded an audit of the More MARTA program for more transparency on spending, claiming taxpayers were being shorted on transit expansions they were paying for. Three months later, the city hired the Mauldin & Jenkins firm, an independent auditor, to perform an operational review of the program—eventually with MARTA’s blessing.

MARTA called the second audit’s results “a clear win for MARTA, our customers, and the future of transit improvement and expansion.”

A refined preview depicting how the opened-up transit hub could look and function. Courtesy of MARTA

MARTA also reaffirmed its stance that the Intergovernmental Agreement between MARTA and the city that governs the More MARTA program should be restructured to establish clear deadlines and decision makers, along with other changes, that would make the process of starting construction on new transit projects less burdensome.  

“In that spirit,” reads MARTA’s statement, “we would like to use this opportunity to urge [city officials] to expedite the approval of permits for the Five Points Station Transformation Project so that we can begin deconstruction.”

MARTA has claimed the city intentionally delayed the permitting process for Five Points station’s $230 million overhaul to roadblock progress following last year’s audit; city officials, meanwhile, have blamed delays on flaws in MARTA’s applications to begin work downtown, per the AJC's reporting.  

MARTA says the Five Points delays have put the project behind schedule. 

“It is critical,” per MARTA, “that we begin work to deliver this transformational project for our riders, our system, and the downtown area.” 

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MARTA City of Atlanta Five Points MARTA Transit MARTA Audit Mauldin & Jenkins Atlanta Transit Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation Atlanta City Council More MARTA More MARTA Atlanta Program MARTA Oversight Committee KPMG

Subtitle Results should green-light transformation of Five Points station, transit agency contends

Neighborhood Downtown

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For reborn CNN Center, new visuals, promo video paint vivid picture Josh Green Wed, 03/12/2025 - 10:22 South Downtown streets and Centennial Yards aren’t the only places brewing redevelopment plans downtown as 2026 FIFA World Cup matches inch closer. 

The former CNN Center—or downtown’s “repositioned commercial beacon” now called simply The Center—has signed a sizable restaurant, inked a partnership with Savannah College of Art and Design, and put together a fresh promotional package as redevelopment moves forward, officials announced today. 

The project, stylized in fresh visuals as “The CTR ATL,” will include a large interactive digital sculpture where the recognizable CNN letters once stood at street level, a variety of custom murals, and other installations within The Center's atrium—all facets moving forward with SCAD input. (A sizzle reel was also released today by owners CP Group that helps bring new and previously released renderings to life.) 

Elsewhere on the property, CP Group has “secured a confidential high-end restaurant tenant” that will claim nearly 10,000 square feet of space, per officials. 

On the art front, CP Group is also partnering with local creatives Neda Abghari and Bem Joiner to help curate Atlanta-specific artworks for the property, to boost its sense of place. 

Plans for The Center's revised Marietta Street facade.Courtesy of CP Group

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

We’ve asked project officials for more specifics regarding construction timelines and delivery of any aspects of The Center (the World Cup is just 460 days away, after all), and we’ll post any additional information that comes. 

Officials did say additional updates will be released later this year. CP Group is working with architecture and interior design firm TVS, general contractor Holder Construction, and marketing firm Core Twelve for branding of The Center. 

CNN departed the 1.2-million-square-foot building last year and stripped off its branding as its offices were moved to Midtown’s Techwood, ending a four-decade era of the media company being headquartered downtown.  

CP Group announced plans in April to remake the 1970s landmark known for its soaring atrium into a modernized hub of dining, retail, entertainment, and content creation.

Building permit paperwork filed with the city last year indicates the first phase of renovations would see exterior façade improvements at the former CNN Center’s north and south entries.

Courtesy of CP Group

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

Elsewhere, a new social area called “Hawks Plaza” is in the works for the building’s southernmost entry, nearest to State Farm Arena’s main entrance, according to marketing materials. Connected to that would be a remade atrium and reimagined retail corridors leading to arenas, the recently renovated Omni hotel, and downtown lynchpin Georgia World Congress Center. 

CP Group’s renovations call for 130,000 square feet of retail space, alongside 920,000 square feet of creative office and media production spaces, officials said last year. It’s all part of a massive portfolio the Boca Raton, Fla.-based company has amassed in Atlanta in recent years.   

Find a sneak peek at the latest visuals in the gallery above.

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CNN Center's vast interiors, as seen in 2018. Shutterstock

Plans for The Center's revised Marietta Street facade.Courtesy of CP Group

Courtesy of CP Group

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

Courtesy of CP Group; via Vimeo

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CP Group; Healey Weatherholtz Properties

CP Group; Healey Weatherholtz Properties

Subtitle Downtown’s “repositioned commercial beacon” now called The Center inks restaurant, SCAD partnership

Neighborhood Downtown

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Name, fresh details emerge for large-scale Marietta Boulevard project Josh Green Wed, 03/12/2025 - 08:06 A multifaceted project that could reshape three lots in an industrial, growing section of northwest Atlanta continues to move forward, with a groundbreaking potentially on the horizon. 

Atlanta-based Vida, a multifamily and build-to-rent real estate development firm, has coined the 2085 Marietta Boulevard project “GuildHouse at Upper Westside.”

The mixed-use venture in the Bolton neighborhood would rise on a 6.68-acre assemblage of three properties, replacing lots used for bus and truck storage, a café building, and a one-story NAPA Auto Parts store with a range of residential and retail development. 

The properties are situated across the street from Crest Lawn Memorial Park and around the corner from popular Mexican restaurant Nuevo Laredo Cantina on Chattahoochee Avenue.

The GuildHouse site plan calls for a blend of BTR townhomes, traditional apartments, and commercial space for the neighborhood, all situated around a pocket park. 

How retail and apartment facades would look along Marietta Boulevard.Courtesy of Vida

Approximate location of the three parcels in question, totaling about 7 acres. Google Maps

According to Vida president Joe Martinez, the project has completed its seed funding round for what’s called Vida Opportunities Fund I. The $47-million fund—which is seeking qualified investors—would pay for construction of GuildHouse and another multifamily project Vida is putting together in Buford. (The latter project, Carrena at Mall of Georgia, would see 332 apartments take shape at 3172 Financial Center Way.)

“Peak supply of apartments in Atlanta hit in the third quarter of last year, and there is a lack of new deliveries in the next three years to handle the absorption we’ve historically had,” Martinez noted in a release provided to Urbanize Atlanta. “We think this presents a tremendous investment opportunity.” 

Vida’s goal is to break ground on the GuildHouse project in Atlanta this year, as CoStar first reported. 

Plans call for 39 BTR townhomes, each standing three stories with three bedroom and two-car garages. Adjacent to that would be 354 apartments, ranging from 550 to 1,350 square feet, with a parking deck. Amenities call for a saltwater pool, coffee bar, sky lounge, pet spa, and two courtyards, according to Vida. 

The project’s 7,200 square feet of commercial space would face the pocket park. Another perk, as Vida notes, is the next phase of PATH Foundation’s Silver Comet Connector project, which will link the property to adaptive-reuse hub The Works.

Plans for an interior amenities space at GuildHouse at Upper Westside. Courtesy of Vida

How the three facets of new development would be arranged on combined parcels in the 2000 block of Marietta Boulevard. Courtesy of Proxima Residential/Vida Companies; designs, Geheber Lewis Associates/2023

Atlanta-based commercial advisory firm Terra Alma has been brought on to lead retail leasing at the GuildHouse project. According to Martinez, that could include a restaurant and other retail in commercial spaces. 

The sales price for the three parcels in 2023 was $13.05 million, according to the Marcus and Millichap real estate investment firm, the deal's brokers.

Coined “Upper Westside,” the area in question has evolved in recent years from an industrial zone into a brewery and loft-office district with a wave of new housing, located between Atlantic Station and Interstate 285. 

Newer residential developments within a few blocks of the GuildHouse site include Broadstone Upper Westside, Altus at the Quarter, and a more recent mixed-use project called BRYKS Upper Westside, which is delivering 600 more apartments in two buildings. 

Across Georgia, Vida’s other current projects include Verona in Fairburn and Solara in Powder Springs. Previously the company was part of a team working to build a village-like mix of commercial and residential structures on a 7-acre Oakland City site about a block from the Beltline’s Westside Trail.

Planned internal functionality between townhomes, apartments, and retail. Courtesy of Proxima Residential/Vida Companies; designs, Geheber Lewis Associates/2023

Along with large-scale retail and office projects, Vida’s leadership team has developed more than 7,000 housing units worth more than $1.7 billion over the past two decades, according to Martinez.  

Swing up to the gallery for more context and visuals for what could be in store along Marietta Boulevard. 

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2085 Marietta Boulevard 2051 Marietta Boulevard NW Marcus & Millichap Development sites Atlanta apartments Upper Westside Chattahoochee Avenue Atlanta Development Rental Townhomes Rental Trends Marietta Boulevard Infill Development Proxima Residential Vida Companies terra alma GLA Geheber Lewis Associates Vida Carrena Apartments Buford Mall of Georgia

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Courtesy of Marcus & Millichap

Approximate location of the three parcels in question, totaling about 7 acres. Google Maps

The sites in question in 2023, along the eastern side of Marietta Boulevard. Google Maps

Plans for an interior amenities space at GuildHouse at Upper Westside. Courtesy of Vida

How retail and apartment facades would look along Marietta Boulevard.Courtesy of Vida

Courtesy of Vida

How the three facets of new development would be arranged on combined parcels in the 2000 block of Marietta Boulevard. Courtesy of Proxima Residential/Vida Companies; designs, Geheber Lewis Associates/2023

Planned internal functionality between townhomes, apartments, and retail. Courtesy of Proxima Residential/Vida Companies; designs, Geheber Lewis Associates/2023

Subtitle Multifaceted "GuildHouse at Upper Westside" calls for covering 7 acres

Neighborhood Bolton

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