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Despite pushback, multifaceted project bound for downtown Woodstock Josh Green Fri, 02/21/2025 - 13:07 Despite naysayer concerns regarding density, increased traffic, and building height, a multifaceted infill development recently scored a government green-light to continue downtown Woodstock’s latest growth spurt. 

The proposal from developer Dinesh Vudutha at 8261 Main St. and 8271 Dobbs Road would replace what’s largely vacant land today. The 2.3 acres form a downtown corner about a five-minute walk north of Woodstock’s central hub of eateries, shops, and drinking establishments. 

Fronting Main Street, plans call for a four-story, mixed-use building with commercial spaces at the base and 24 condos above, standing 56 feet tall at max. 

Behind that structure, the project would see 14 townhomes arranged around surface parking spaces and a central green. 

The multiple retail spaces would total about 14,300 square feet.

As seen looking north along Main Street, the Woodstock properties in question in 2021. Google Maps

Main Street frontage for the four-story mixed-use proposal, with 14 townhomes and parking tucked behind. Eighty-six parking spaces (include one and two-car garages) are planned overall. Courtesy of Dinesh Vudutha

According to the Cherokee Tribune, a community petition put together in December had gathered 60 signatures from residents concerned with density and height—and that the proposal hadn't been altered from previous designs that drew concern. (The developer previously told city officials that shrinking unit counts would jeopardize the project’s financial viability.) At a Woodstock City Council meeting Feb. 10, however, an equal number of public commenters spoke in favor of the development as those against. 

The city council voted to approve the project 3-2, with Mayor Michael Caldwell’s vote breaking a tie, according to the newspaper. 

Inquiries to the development team from Urbanize Atlanta regarding a potential groundbreaking and construction timeline weren’t returned. 

The 8271 Dobbs Road and 8261 Main St. sites, situated just north of Woodstock's growing downtown mixed-use hub. Google Maps

Plans call for a 10-foot-wide sidewalk along Main Street—and for no more than 10 percent of units to be rentals, according to a condition applied by the city. 

The council’s vote approves the required rezoning of properties in question from a designation called DT-RO (that’s Downtown Residential Office) to DT-CBD (or Downtown Central Business District). 

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• Woodstock news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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8271 Dobbs Road 8261 Main St. Woodstock Dinesh Vudutha Woodstock City Council Woodstock Development Woodstock Construction Mixed-Use Development OTP Atlanta Suburbs Cherokee County City of Woodstock Downtown Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell Suburban Development

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The 8271 Dobbs Road and 8261 Main St. sites, situated just north of Woodstock's growing downtown mixed-use hub. Google Maps

As seen looking north along Main Street, the Woodstock properties in question in 2021. Google Maps

Main Street frontage for the four-story mixed-use proposal, with 14 townhomes and parking tucked behind. Eighty-six parking spaces (include one and two-car garages) are planned overall. Courtesy of Dinesh Vudutha

Subtitle City council OKs Main Street proposal fought by petition in growing area

Neighborhood Woodstock

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Some 'truly affordable' homes near Beltline aren't selling. What gives? Josh Green Fri, 02/21/2025 - 11:01 A townhome project billed as being “truly affordable” has taken shape with prices not seen in most other Beltline-adjacent neighborhoods in a decade. But these residences are hardly flying off the shelf, in most cases. 

Planned to be a 36-unit community eventually, Avenue at Oakland City is located off Murphy Avenue, about four blocks from the Beltline’s Westside Trail. 

Formerly called Tucker Avenue Homes, the for-sale, two-story townhouses have been billed as “truly affordable” and “affordable Beltline living” since the project’s inception nearly six years ago. The Avenue’s broader goal is to push back against gentrification growing pains in Southwest Atlanta. 

According to Zillow, four homes in the 15-unit first phase have sold to date, with prices from $186,000 to $369,000, and two others are under contract. So as walkable Beltline lifestyles go, relative affordability does seem to apply. 

But other Avenue offerings have been on the market for up to eight months. 

Are high interest rates to blame? The project’s unique resale structure, in some cases? Something else?

Finished phase one facades of the Avenue at Oakland City project. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

Model living and kitchen space for a $425,000 unit at the Avenue at Oakland City. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

According to listing agent LaCressa Morrow of Keller Williams Realty Intown Atlanta, eight townhomes deemed affordable are still available, each with two or three bedrooms and between 1,086 and 1,532 square feet. 

The project’s market-rate homes—all three bedroom, three and ½ bathroom options with between 1,532 and 1,676 square feet—start at 399,000. 

Another category, the “permanently affordable” townhomes, range from $210,000 to $296,000. But according to Morrow, buyers must qualify for a conventional loan with a preferred lender, based on 80 percent and 100 percent of the area’s median income. 

Designed by the Xmetrical firm, the Avenue is being developed by Atlanta Land Trust and Intown Builders, with $1.7 million in grant financing contributed by Invest Atlanta. 

ALT officials have said the majority of townhomes—29 of 36 units—will remain permanently affordable through use of the community land trust model. 

That means the trust will own and maintain the land it secured from the real estate market, and when it comes time to move, the homeowner agrees to resell the residence at restricted, affordable pricing to another lower-income buyer, with the price determined by an Atlanta-specific formula, officials have said. 

Some Avenue buyers can qualify for down payment assistance through Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, and Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership. But those buyers must finance through one of ALT’s preferred lenders.

The 1095 Tucker Ave. site in relation to the Beltline, downtown Atlanta, and other landmarks. Google Maps

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

As for location, the Beltline’s Murphy Crossing redevelopment site—where a planned housing and jobs hub called Murphy Crossing by Culdesac recently fell apart—is located just over the MARTA tracks. The Oakland City MARTA station is roughly a half-mile south. (The infill MARTA station announced last year for Murphy Crossing, however, would be much closer, should that come to fruition.) 

Walkability to the Westside Trail and the Lee + White retail district—both about a half-mile away, to the north—is cited as a perk.

Initial community meetings for the townhome project were held back in 2019. 

The project’s broader goal, as ALT officials said when construction kicked off in late 2022, is to help “mitigate gentrification resulting from public investments in the area” by using a “comprehensive, equity-driven approach that connects people, places, and quality of life.” 

Site plans indicate five, two-story residential buildings will eventually rise around a surface parking lot when the Avenue is complete. A similar ALT project called The Trust at Oakland City is under construction a few block away in the same neighborhood. 

In the gallery above, find more context and a closer look at the Avenue today. Morrow noted that open houses are held at the Avenue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday. (More details here.)

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1091 Tucker Avenue Avenue at Oakland City Keller Williams Realty Intown Atlanta Xmetrical Affordable Housing Affordability Beltline Westside Trail Murphy Crossing Atlanta BeltLine Avenue @ Oakland City Atlanta Land Trust Intown Builders Oakland City MARTA station Invest Atlanta Atlanta Housing Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership Tucker Avenue Homes Southwest Atlanta Ypiretis Keller Williams LaCressa Morrow Keller Williams Intown Atlanta Keller Williams Realty Intown ATL

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The 1095 Tucker Ave. site in relation to the Beltline, downtown Atlanta, and other landmarks. Google Maps

Finished phase one facades of the Avenue at Oakland City project. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

Model living and kitchen space for a $425,000 unit at the Avenue at Oakland City. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

Layout of the initial site plan (at left) on Tucker Avenue. Avenue at Oakland City; Xmetrical

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

As seen last year, brightly colored facades of Avenue at Oakland City's initial phase along Tucker Avenue in Southwest Atlanta. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty; photography by Home Tours of America

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

Each Avenue home is bookended by porches. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

Proximity to the nearby MARTA line and Beltline's Westside Trail. GAMLS/Keller Williams Realty

The smallest floorplan offered in the project's first phase. Avenue at Oakland City; Xmetrical

Avenue at Oakland City; Xmetrical

The largest floorplan currently on tap. Avenue at Oakland City; Xmetrical

Subtitle Where prices start in low-$200Ks for new townhomes a few blocks from Westside Trail

Neighborhood Oakland City

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Avenue at Oakland City

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Swanky ‘Ronara’ to continue downtown Alpharetta densification Josh Green Thu, 02/20/2025 - 17:04 The densification of blocks around Alpharetta City Center is set to continue with housing that starts at a couple of million bucks. 

Infrastructure work and street installation is finished for a residential project called “Ronara” that will take shape between 236 and 244 N. Main St., a few blocks north of downtown Alpharetta’s main hub of shopping and dining. 

According to Ronara joint venture partners Monte Hewett and Atlanta-based Kingdom Estates, vertical construction is scheduled to begin at the 1.61-acre site next month. 

Ronara is replacing two single-family houses perched above North Main Street with 11 luxury, detached homes that will feature side courtyards instead of sprawling, suburban yards. 

Expect prices of $2 million—and up—for Ronara homes.  

Overview of Ronara plans along North Main Street. Courtesy of Monte Hewett/Kingdom Estates

The 244 to 236 N. Main St. sites in relation to the bulk of downtown Alpharetta, located just to the south. Google Maps

Home sizes haven’t been specified, but selling points are expected to include walkability to nearby businesses and design that “will redefine luxury living in downtown Alpharetta, offering the perfect balance of privacy, style and convenience,” as Monte Hewett, president of Monte Hewett Homes, put it in an announcement. 

Just beyond the Ronara front stoops, Georgia Department of Transportation is deep into the $50-million reconstruction of North Main Street/Ga. Highway 9. 

That project is widening the corridor to four lanes for 3.6 miles between Upper Hembree Road and Windward Parkway, while also installing bike lanes, 10-foot sidewalks, on-street parking in places, ADA-friendly sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, and other features. 

Courtesy of Monte Hewett/Kingdom Estates

The North Main Street parcels in question in May 2022. Google Maps

Monte Hewett has built more than 35 neighborhoods in Atlanta and places such as Halcyon since its founding in the early 2000s. Recent intown ventures include The Harman near East Atlanta Village and the townhome component at West Midtown’s growing The Interlock district.

Elsewhere in Alpharetta, the developer started bringing condo project Findley Row to market last summer, just north of Ga. Highway 400 between North Point Mall and Avalon. That’s one residential component of a new mixed-use enclave called Northwinds Summit.

Swing up to the gallery for more Ronara context and images.

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244 N. Main Street 236 N. Main Street Alpharetta Ronara Monte Hewett Kingdom Estates Downtown Alpharetta North Main Street Alpharetta Construction Alpharetta Development OTP Atlanta Suburbs Alpharetta Homes for Sale Alpharetta Housing Monte Hewett Homes

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The 244 to 236 N. Main St. sites in relation to the bulk of downtown Alpharetta, located just to the south. Google Maps

The North Main Street parcels in question in May 2022. Google Maps

The Ronara site last summer, as seen next to the Ga. Highway 9/North Main Street road-widening project. Google Maps

Overview of Ronara plans along North Main Street. Courtesy of Monte Hewett/Kingdom Estates

Courtesy of Monte Hewett/Kingdom Estates

Courtesy of Monte Hewett/Kingdom Estates

Subtitle North Main Street project is bringing 11 residences in place of two

Neighborhood Alpharetta

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Near Decatur Square, 2 old motels, more floated for redevelopment Josh Green Thu, 02/20/2025 - 15:11 A unique palette for potential redevelopment has recently hit the market near downtown Decatur’s bustling food, drink, and retail blocks. 

The assemblage of three contiguous properties on Church Street—two 1960s motels and a brick single-family home structure—is being marketed as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop a landmark project” within a quick walk of Historic Decatur Square, according to the Keller Williams Realty Intown ATL listing. 

The three properties totaling .62 acres were listed last week for $10.5 million. 

Situated about three blocks north of popular Decatur establishments such as Leon’s Full Service restaurant, the addresses span from 909 to 921 Church St. 

Today they’re home to the standalone house, Super 8 by Wyndham Decatur, and at the north edge, the Decatur Inn. 

The Super 8 motel and, at right, the single-family home structure included in the $10.5-million sale. Google Maps

Decatur Inn, the northernmost property for sale, today. Google Maps

Immediately to the east are the pretty, historic grounds of Decatur Cemetery. The site being relatively flat and rectangular is called a selling point. 

The strong Walk Score (86/100) and Transit Score (85) can’t hurt, but the Bike Score (55) could seem weirdly low, especially with Decatur’s new Church Street cycle track at the doorstep. 

According to listings, the site’s current zoning would support a variety of redevelopments; larger-scale projects would require a zoning change. 

Possibilities could include condos over commercial spaces, or a luxury condo project with walkability and scenic views over the graveyard and DeKalb County’s county seat, per sellers.  

Looking east across the three properties in question, with the historic graveyard next door. Google Maps

The Church Street properties in relation to the bulk of downtown Decatur, located a few blocks to the south.Google Maps

Another option could be a high-end retirement community within a short walk of leisure and healthcare perks around downtown, per Keller Williams.

“Whether you're considering a luxury townhome community, mixed-use residential/retail project, or a specialized development like a retirement home,” reads the spiel, “this prime site offers the foundation for extraordinary returns and community impact.”

Note: The assemblage is being offered only as a package deal and won’t be sold piecemeal, per sellers. 

Which begs the age-old question: What should go here? 

Overview of the three contiguous properties in question, with Historic Decatur Cemetery at right. Keller Williams Realty Intown ATL

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The Church Street properties in relation to the bulk of downtown Decatur, located a few blocks to the south.Google Maps

Looking east across the three properties in question, with the historic graveyard next door. Google Maps

The Super 8 motel and, at right, the single-family home structure included in the $10.5-million sale. Google Maps

Decatur Inn, the northernmost property for sale, today. Google Maps

Overview of the three contiguous properties in question, with Historic Decatur Cemetery at right. Keller Williams Realty Intown ATL

Subtitle Assemblage called "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Any big ideas?

Neighborhood Decatur

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Development overlooking strip club, Beltline shows signs of life Josh Green Thu, 02/20/2025 - 12:40 A mixed-use development that would cast a literal shadow over an under-construction Atlanta Beltline section and popular strip club is showing signs of life. 

Project leaders with 1283 West filed paperwork this week with Atlanta’s Department of City Planning to bring the proposal before the department’s Concept Review Committee. 

The project by Atlanta-based Five Points Development would continue the groundswell of new housing that’s recently popped up in Blandtown as the Beltline carves its path around the neighborhood. 

Plans call for 200 residential units and 7,000 square feet of commercial space rising from what’s currently a vacant lot at 1283 Marietta Boulevard, about two miles west of Atlantic Station. 

The site is bordered by Elaine Avenue to the north, Marietta Boulevard to the west, a small office complex to the east, and Vivide strip club to the south.

Recent filings with the city indicate the project would stand 14 stories—or slightly shorter (roughly two stories) than what renderings released last year showed. 

Retail and a plaza would face Marietta Boulevard, while amenities including a pool would be situated near the base, per renderings.

Aerial 1283 West rendering, looking east over Marietta Boulevard toward Midtown. Picard Associates; courtesy of Five Points Development

The 1283 Marietta Boulevard site in question (middle) in relation to the Beltline section opened in 2022. Google Maps

Cassius Coleman, a Five Points Development principal, told Urbanize Atlanta last year his company closed a deal with Capital Impact Partners in January on the land required to build 1283 West. 

Twenty-five percent of the apartments would rent for prices reserved for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income or less, while 3,000 square feet of the retail and restaurant space would be leased to underserved tenants, according to Coleman. 

Beyond the pool and retail, amenities will include a fitness room, indoor lounge, common-area seating throughout the building, and an outdoor skyline view lounge up top, per Coleman. 

We’ve reached out to Coleman for an outlook on 1283 West’s potential groundbreaking and other details and will update this story should further information come. The developer forecasted last year a construction loan could close toward the end of 2024. 

According to Fulton County property records, the roughly 1.5-acre corner site sold for $6 million in early 2024 and still carries an industrial zoning designation. 

Picard Associates; courtesy of Five Points Development

Five Points Development's previous work includes the Legacy at Vine City project and two housing ventures near Greenbriar Mall, among other projects.

Four years ago, a different, shorter concept called RYM BeltLine was pitched for the Marietta Boulevard site. That called for 200 units of co-living housing geared toward students and recent graduates.

Should 1283 West come to fruition as planned, it would overlook walkers, joggers, and bicyclists on the Beltline west of Midtown. 

Construction on the first segment of the Northwest Trail began in May and is scheduled to deliver this year, according to Beltline officials. 

That .7 mile segment—one of five Northwest Trail sections that will eventually connect the West Midtown area to Buckhead—would pass directly in front of the 1283 West apartments on Marietta Boulevard and Elaine Avenue. 

Some aspects of the project on Elaine Avenue are on hold as a surprise utility is relocated by the city, but Segment 5 is on pace to deliver this fall, per the Beltline. 

Meanwhile, across the street, the northernmost section of the Beltline’s Westside Trail opened less than a block south of the site in 2022.  

The vacant property in question in 2022, with Vivide's parking lot located at right. Google Maps

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1283 Marietta Boulevard 1283 West Capital Impact Partners Five Points Development Cassius Coleman Affordable Housing Commercial Space Atlanta Mixed-Use Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Vivide Picard Associates AEC Atlanta Strip Clubs

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The 1283 Marietta Boulevard site in question (middle) in relation to the Beltline section opened in 2022. Google Maps

The vacant property in question in 2022, with Vivide's parking lot located at right. Google Maps

Aerial 1283 West rendering, looking east over Marietta Boulevard toward Midtown. Picard Associates; courtesy of Five Points Development

Picard Associates; courtesy of Five Points Development

Subtitle Marietta Boulevard build would bring retail, apartments to doorstep of Northwest Trail

Neighborhood Blandtown

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Report: Atlanta emerging as leader in office-to-residential conversions Josh Green Thu, 02/20/2025 - 10:59 Just last year, Atlanta lagged behind several much smaller U.S. markets when it came to the sheer number of former offices being converted to rental units. But that appears to be changing. 

Boosted by conversion proposals in towering downtown buildings, such as the 51-story Georgia-Pacific Center skyscraper and 2 Peachtree, Atlanta has emerged as the nation’s sixth biggest retrofitter in terms of repurposing older offices as places for people to live. 

That’s according to new findings by national apartment search platform RentCafe, which show that office-to-apartment conversions have exploded across the U.S. from 23,100 units in 2022 to nearly 71,000 today, setting a new record. 

Not surprisingly, mammoth New York City now leads the retrofitting pack, with 8,310 units currently in some stage of adaptive-reuse development.  

Atlanta counts 2,239 units set to come to life through conversion soon. That’s good for the third most in the South—if you count Washington D.C. as the South—according to the analysis. 

Speaking of D.C., it’s now the only smaller metro with more conversion units coming—6,533, good for No. 2 in the country—than Atlanta on RentCafe’s ranking of the top 20 markets. 

RentCafe

Atlanta notched an impressive 57 percent year-over-year jump in the number of conversions proposed. But whether that momentum can continue remains to be seen, as the analysis indicates just 6 percent of Atlanta’s existing office space is suitable for conversion to living spaces. That’s well below the national average of 14 percent. 

That 6 percent, however, is more than 14 million square feet of suitable office floorspace across Atlanta, or what RentCafe analysts called “plenty of opportunities for future projects.” 

By comparison, for context, Los Angeles counts a whopping 83 million square feet of convertible office space—six times Atlanta’s count. But competing markets such as Nashville, Austin, and Phoenix each have less than 6 million square feet ripe for conversion.

Overall, according to RenCafe’s findings, the South has emerged as the region with the most office-to-residential units (22,000 total) coming down the pike. 

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On a related note—and perhaps a somber one for development wonks—new JLL research shows Atlanta was home to exactly zero new office groundbreakings last year. 

Given record vacancy levels, that’s not surprising—but it does make for the lowest office pipeline since the 1980s in Atlanta, per JLL. 

The more positive news is that trophy office assets continue to see positive absorption in the city, driven by what’s called the “flight-to-quality” trend.

Meanwhile, according to JLL’s findings, office markets in Atlanta suburbs are rebounding faster than the urban core’s. OTP vacancy rates are plummeting and starting to approach pre-pandemic levels overall, in fact. 

Factors driving that trend include: the fact that suburban areas saw a less dramatic vacancy increase during the pandemic; tenants “right-sizing” and shifting to cheaper, more flexible suburban markets for space; and outdated suburban office supply being yanked from inventory to balance supply and demand, per JLL’s research. 

JLL

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Subtitle After slow start, 2,200 units in pipeline in one of South’s hottest conversion markets, analysts find

Neighborhood Citywide

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Two options emerge for Piedmont Park’s grand overhaul Josh Green Wed, 02/19/2025 - 15:00 After more than 30 public engagement events and 1,500 contributions of 2 cents from Atlantans, the clearest picture to date for Piedmont Park’s proposed future has emerged. But a choice still has to be made. 

Piedmont Park’s first Comprehensive Plan in 25 years has been boiled down to two options: one that emphasizes play, with a new grand entrance and sweeping boardwalks over Lake Clara Meer; the other with a focus on nature and enhancing existing scenic views. 

Both options would introduce pickleball to Piedmont Park. 

Both choices would also implement new basketball courts, build a concessions and restroom area near the park’s expanded northernmost tip, and bring the natural asset that is Clear Creek more to the forefront of the park experience. 

Without further ado, here’s a look at both options, with finer differences explained and drawn: 

OPTION A

Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

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OPTION B

Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

Chances to weigh in on what becomes of Piedmont Park are dwindling.

In-person meetings have concluded, but two virtual community input sessions (from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, and 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26) do remain. 

Otherwise, the Piedmont Park Conservancy’s interactive online platform will be open throughMarch 8 for anyone unable to attend a session.

It’s all leading up to “The Big Reveal”—the April 24 Landmark Luncheon at the park’s Promenade where finalized, official plans for the park’s first overhaul in a quarter-century will be unveiled. (Donations/tickets to the 28th annual luncheon start at $175.)

Last year, the nonprofit launched the Piedmont Park Conservancy 35th Anniversary Appeal, a campaign to raise $3 million for a masterplan to add new greenspace and acreage, implement enhancements and needed improvements, and generally help reimagine the park. Smaller beautification efforts, including upgraded entries, have already begun. 

Below is another new visual showing more standard upgrades that would be implemented around the park. Those would include fixes (yes, please) for drainage issues around the main meadow that often leave pathways swamped with mud puddles, sometimes for days. 

Other changes would include enhanced Beltline entrances and oodles of new seating: 

Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

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Piedmont Park Piedmont Park Conservancy Piedmont Park Comprehensive Plan Atlanta Parks Atlanta Parks and Recreation Parks and Recreation Atlanta Greenspaces Midtown Parks Midtown Projects Park Tavern Piedmont Park Expansion Piedmont Park Upgrades Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Northeast Trail

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Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

Courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy

Subtitle Unveiling called “The Big Reveal” set for April; public input sessions end next week

Neighborhood Midtown

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Images: Project near beleaguered Gwinnett Place Mall almost finished Josh Green Wed, 02/19/2025 - 12:29 As a sign of hope for the 2,000-acre Gwinnett Place area, advocates pulling for a mixed-use overhaul of the mostly vacant Duluth mall property have pointed to well over 1,000 new residential units in the pipeline nearby. 

More than 300 of those residences are about to come to fruition. 

Charleston-based, global developer Greystar has opened pre-leasing for a Duluth project called Elan Satellite Place (a nod to the district and a nearby boulevard) that’s being billed as a “sophisticated sanctuary” northeast of Atlanta. 

Located at 3100 Commerce Ave., the 328-unit multifamily project has risen just north of Interstate 85 and around the corner from Gwinnett Place Mall. County leadership last year acquired another 23 acres of the mall property, calling it a “significant milestone” toward Gwinnett Place’s long-planned revival. 

The new apartments are situated within the Satellite Place Office Complex, and Greystar built a parking deck as part of the project that will be used by both residents and office tenants, per officials. 

Design plans for the Elan Satellite Place clubroom. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Proximity of the 3100 Commerce Ave. NW project (in red) to Gwinnett Place Mall's property, spread across more than 90 acres. Google Maps

Elan Satellite Place apartments range from studios to three-bedroom floorplans, with perks that include quartz countertops, full-size washers and dyers, rainmaker showerheads, and GE stainless steel appliances.

Studios with 620 square feet start at $1,530 monthly, while bigger one-bedroom options start at $180 more per month. 

Meanwhile, the largest offering available—a three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad with 1,559 square feet—is asking $2,770 per month. 

Amenities at the complex will include a summer kitchen/biergarten near the central pool, a coworking hub, large fitness center and wellness studio, a dog park, and what’s described as a “speakeasy social club,” among other facets.  

Planned exteriors for the Duluth project just north of Interstate 85. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Plans for the expansive fitness center. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Beyond quick interstate access, perks of the location include entry into Gwinnett County Public Schools, plus proximity to Gas South Arena, Sugarloaf Mills, Dukkan International Market, and employers and food-and-drink options along Satellite Boulevard and downtown Duluth, according to Greystar. 

The first apartment-dwellers at Elan Satellite Place are set to move in in late April, and Greystar reps say the full complex will be finished this summer. 

Find a quick tour of interior design plans and more context in the gallery above. 

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3100 Commerce Ave. NW Duluth Elan Satellite Place Greystar Gwinnett Country Sugarloaf Mills Gas South Arena Gwinnett County Apartments Gwinnett County Development Gwinnett Growth Gwinnett County Construction OTP Atlanta Suburbs Gwinnett Place Mall Satellite Place Satellite Boulevard Dukkan International Market

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Planned exteriors for the Duluth project just north of Interstate 85. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Proximity of the 3100 Commerce Ave. NW project (in red) to Gwinnett Place Mall's property, spread across more than 90 acres. Google Maps

Design plans for the Elan Satellite Place clubroom. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Coworking space. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

The Elan Satellite Place lounge. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

The onsite dog spa. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Plans for the expansive fitness center. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

The lounge. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Fitness center. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Typical kitchen plans for Elan Satellite place. Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Elan Satellite Place; courtesy of Greystar

Subtitle Elan Satellite Place, a "sophisticated sanctuary," to inject more than 300 residences into area

Neighborhood Duluth

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Report: Influx of Millennials, older professionals fueling Georgia growth Josh Green Wed, 02/19/2025 - 10:57 The Peach State’s timeworn selling points—low taxes, plentiful jobs, family-friendly lifestyles, relatively agreeable weather, and so forth—appear to still be working, especially among younger professionals. 

That’s according to a new StorageCafe study tracking U.S. migration patterns from the most recent year with full available data, 2023, when about 7.5 million Americans moved to a different state. (That’s roughly equivalent to all of Arizona moving across state lines.) 

According to the analysis, Georgia gained nearly 62,000 more residents than it lost in 2023, placing the Peach State among the top five destination states, following Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas, respectively. 

That added to a net inflow of more than 400,000 new residents since 2014—and put Georgia among just a handful of states with 11 million residents or more. 

Top U.S. Millennial magnets in 2023. StorageCafe

Net migration per capita in the U.S. in 2023. Georgia ranked 12th in this metric, with 5.6 new residents for every 1,000 people. StorageCafe

In 2023, Georgia saw a surge of more than 20,200 Millennials gained. 

That was coupled with nearly 14,000 new Baby Boomers and more than 11,000 Gen Xers, making Georgia the fifth top state in all three categories, according to StorageCafe, an online platform with nationwide storage unit listings. 

Meanwhile, Gen Zers are generally leaning more toward the laidback lifestyles and dynamic job markets of Arizona and both Carolinas, per the study.

“A rush of Millennials is heading to Georgia to put down roots, seeking the perfect blend of affordable homes, career opportunities, and family-friendly living,” a StorageCafe rep wrote via email to Urbanize Atlanta. 

Other aspects working in Georgia’s favor are a “thriving economy” with “decades of impressive growth” in industries such as logistics, technology, healthcare, and film and entertainment, per the study. 

Florida, Texas, and California sent the most new residents to Georgia in 2023, many attracted by lower homeownership costs. (Average home prices in Georgia are 55 percent lower than California, the study found.) 

StorageCafe's 2023 findings.

Some other noteworthy findings for Georgia: 

• Almost four in 10 new Georgians bought a home within just a year of relocating;
• The demographic the Peach State is drawing is described as well-educated, with 33 percent of new residents having earned at least a bachelor's degree;
• Well-heeled transplants from Illinois and New Jersey are bringing “significant economic impact,” with average net worth ranging from $77,000 to $90,000, respectively, per the study.

Overall, the analysis found that seven of the top 10 hotspot states for net migration were in the South.  

Data used to determine demographic characteristics of people moving across the country was sourced from the U.S. Census, including the US Census American Community Survey PUMS microdata for 2023, per StorageCafe.

“What we’re witnessing is a fundamental reshaping of America's demographic landscape," Emilia Man, the study’s lead analyst, wrote in summation. “Affordability is driving interstate migration, with people gravitating toward regions where active construction meets housing demand.” 

States that experience negative net migration in 2023. StorageCafe

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Top U.S. Millennial magnets in 2023. StorageCafe

StorageCafe's 2023 findings.

Net migration per capita in the U.S. in 2023. Georgia ranked 12th in this metric, with 5.6 new residents for every 1,000 people. StorageCafe

States that experience negative net migration in 2023. StorageCafe

Subtitle “Thriving economy” puts Peach State near top for attracting three different demographics, analysis finds

Neighborhood Citywide

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Images: Two-phase Mechanicsville development moving forward Josh Green Tue, 02/18/2025 - 14:21 A multiphase infill project that could provide relatively attainable options for homeownership in the shadow of downtown is aiming to start coming together this year, according to project officials. 

Plans remain a work-in-progress, but the Signature at Pryor project in Mechanicsville calls for building duplexes and standalone townhomes on several parcels in the 500 block of Pryor Street SW. 

Those sites—situated on Pryor Street between Richardson and Crumley streets—are about four blocks south of Interstate 20, due west of Summerhill’s ongoing redevelopment. 

The project by an LLC called Lynch Land Holdings has been in planning stages for more than three years. 

Adam Morrison, a Realtor with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty’s intown office, tells Urbanize Atlanta that construction on the two-phase venture could begin as soon as March, once remaining plans are finalized. 

Draft renderings for one facet of Signature on Pryor that will be updated, according to the sales team. Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

Location of parcels in question for Signature on Pryor, just west of Summerhill redevelopment and south of Interstate 20. Google Maps

Tentative plans call for delivering the first phase of housing—between 10 and 14 units—in roughly the third quarter of 2025, according to Morrison. 

Pricing hasn’t been finalized because floorplans are still being revised, per Morrison. (Renderings included with this story reflect earlier plans but lend an idea of scale.) Three interior packages will be offered, per marketing materials. 

“We hope to offer a premium, spacious product with sustainable features, garages, patios, and signature finishes in a storied but still-overlooked neighborhood of Atlanta—Mechanicsville,” Morrison wrote via email. 

“Initial pricing will allow buyers to invest in themselves and in Mechanicsville's growth,” he continued, “with larger homes with higher-end finishes that would cost more elsewhere.”

One facet of Signature at Pryor plans where Richardson Street meets Pryor Street. Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

One parcel in question in the 500 block of Pryor Street, as shown with New Hope Baptist Church in the distance last summer. Google Maps

Proximity to everything from Centennial Yards, Mall West End’s redevelopment, nearby freeways, Center Parc Stadium, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (where Super Bowl LXII will be played in three years) is cited as a locational perk.  

Signature at Pryor would join a handful of Mechanicsville infill multifamily ventures to pop up in recent years. 

Others include the MetroVille duplexes, the 11 townhomes in Vertical Row, and more recently the Point 5 project, where prices for 17 townhomes started in the low $500,000s.

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Location of parcels in question for Signature on Pryor, just west of Summerhill redevelopment and south of Interstate 20. Google Maps

One parcel in question in the 500 block of Pryor Street, as shown with New Hope Baptist Church in the distance last summer. Google Maps

One facet of Signature at Pryor plans where Richardson Street meets Pryor Street. Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

Draft renderings for one facet of Signature on Pryor that will be updated, according to the sales team. Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

Subtitle Signature at Pryor calls for relatively affordable, for-sale housing just south of downtown, per agent

Neighborhood Mechanicsville

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Beltline's long-promised connection to Ponce is (almost) here Josh Green Tue, 02/18/2025 - 12:03 A small but crucial connecting point that’s been in planning and construction phases for more than a dozen years is nearly complete where four eastside neighborhoods meet. 

According to Atlanta Beltline Inc., a new ramp linking the Eastside Trail to Ponce de Leon Avenue is on pace to finish construction in April, finally providing easy access between the Beltline’s most popular stretch and the bustling commercial corridor.

Plans call for 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. (However, the Ponce ramp’s surface won’t be serrated metal, in order to spare dogs’ feet, Beltline officials have said.)

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

The ramp’s wall construction continues, while columns for the elevated ramp structure and handrails will be installed between now and April, according to the Beltline’s February construction update. 

A layout of the Ponce ramp system, which will look similar to Edgewood Avenue’s metal-ramp connection to the Eastside Trail, as pictured above. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Previous conditions heading east on the avenue near Ponce City Market. The Ponce-Beltline ramp is being installed at left. Google Maps

An enhanced pedestrian connection at Ponce has been part of the Eastside Trail’s design since it debuted in 2012. Previous plans to begin work in summer 2021 were delayed by a Georgia Department of Transportation review process. 

Meanwhile, the Ponce de Leon Avenue Streetscapes project next door—the conversion of a section of the busy street into a safer, more approachable thoroughfare for pedestrians and bicyclists—has wrapped major construction. 

The Beltline reports that bike lane resurfacing and extensions, sidewalk construction, striping, light-pole installation, traffic signal installation, and landscaping for the streetscapes overhaul have all now been completed. 

Bike lanes and new pedestrian and vehicular traffic lights, as seen in front of Ponce City Market as part of the Ponce de Leon Avenue Streetscapes project. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

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

That project started construction in fall 2022 and covers just shy of .7 miles, between Boulevard and John Lewis Freedom Parkway. Popular destinations in between include Ponce City Market, Green’s, Whole Foods, CVS, and the Beltline. 

Ponce bike lanes were extended on both sides of the Beltline, up to the entrance of the Kroger in Poncey-Highland. But tight right-of-way constraints and existing traffic-lane configurations on that section of Ponce prohibited the in-street bike lanes from being fully extended to Freedom Parkway, Beltline planners have said.

Trees and new lighting stand in buffers between sidewalks and the bike lanes. Meanwhile, traffic signals were reconfigured at Boulevard, Glen Iris Drive, Midtown Place, and the entrance to Kroger and the 725 Ponce development, per Beltline officials.

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Atlanta BeltLine Atlanta Construction BeltLine Construction Eastside Trail Ponce de Leon Avenue Midtown Atlanta Midtown Place Ponce City Market Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation JHC Construction CVS Atlanta Complete Streets

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Previous conditions heading east on the avenue near Ponce City Market. The Ponce-Beltline ramp is being installed at left. Google Maps

Bike lanes and new pedestrian and vehicular traffic lights, as seen in front of Ponce City Market as part of the Ponce de Leon Avenue Streetscapes project. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

A layout of the Ponce ramp system, which will look similar to Edgewood Avenue’s metal-ramp connection to the Eastside Trail, as pictured above. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

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

Where floral, raised medians will go. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Subtitle Project linking Eastside Trail to eating, shopping districts, improved bike lanes nears finish

Neighborhood Midtown

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Unique, pint-sized infill project pitched for Grant Park Josh Green Tue, 02/18/2025 - 10:42 For the second time in as many months, an interesting pitch for infill development has popped up along a stretch of Memorial Drive between a famous cemetery and the Atlanta Beltline. 

The latest proposal, as listed Thursday with Bolst Real Estate Atlanta, involves a postage-stamp lot along the east-west thoroughfare with “endless potential,” per sellers. 

It's asking $185,000 for the land.  

A rendering by Polygon LLC shows the .057-acre parcel brought to life as two stories of mixed uses, with an office tenant at the base and residential upstairs. The design is simple but modern—and contextually appropriate. 

The 615 Memorial Drive property is less than a block from Oakland Cemetery on the northern edge of Grant Park, with the Eastside Trail a half-dozen blocks in the other direction.  

Potential design for the Memorial Drive lot recently floated in listings. Rendering by Polygon LLC; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

The Memorial Drive site's proximity to Oakland Cemetery (left) and the Beltline's Eastside Trail (right). Google Maps

The lot is currently zoned C-2, a versatile commercial designation that permits uses from multifamily homes to retail shops, smaller storage spaces, and eating and drinking establishments. (Some height limitations do apply.) 

Overall it’s marketed as “rare opportunity” amidst “thriving neighborhoods” for “a business to enjoy exceptional connectivity and visibility, attracting a steady flow of traffic,” per the Bolst listing. 

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

Rendering by Polygon LLC; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

It’s worth noting the algorithmic scores for the parcel in question are either exceptionally good or pretty solid: Walk Score (a 93 “walker’s paradise”), Bike Score (79), and Transit Score (61). 

Records indicate the lot last traded in 2019 for $134,000. 

Find more context and imagery in the gallery above. 

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615 Memorial Drive SE The Justin Landis Group Bolst Bolster Real Estate Polygram Eleanna Panagoulia Zachary Lancaster Memorial Drive Cabbagetown News Memorial Drive Development Reynoldstown Oakland Cemetery Eastside Trail Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Atlanta Infill Infill Infill Development Atlanta Land Land deals HomeTour America Cabbagetown

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The Memorial Drive site's proximity to Oakland Cemetery (left) and the Beltline's Eastside Trail (right). Google Maps

Potential design for the Memorial Drive lot recently floated in listings. Rendering by Polygon LLC; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

Condition of the infill parcel today. HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

Rendering by Polygon LLC; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

HomeTour America; courtesy of Bolst Real Estate Atlanta

Subtitle Memorial Drive parcel marketed as having “endless potential”

Neighborhood Cabbagetown

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