Photo Credit : Curbed Atlanta
Since Georgia State University and Carter took control of the ballpark formerly known as Turner Field and surrounding parcels in early 2016, construction has kicked off on several of the projects planned for nearby areas such as Georgia Avenue. The revitalization of the long underutilized and blighted Georgia Avenue in Summerhill continues to show signs of redevelopment promise.
The private development team consists of Carter, Oakwood Development and Healey Weatherholtz Properties (COHW), who will redevelop Turner Field combined with an 80-acre mixed use project in downtown Atlanta partnering with Georgia State University. COHW’s vision is to galvanize the streets of Summerhill into a vibrant, walkable, commercial corridor. This would combine new and existing structures to create an accessible and lively place where people want to eat, shop and enjoy their friends or coworkers.
Since Georgia State University and Carter took control of the ballpark formerly known as Turner Field and surrounding parcels, the stadium has been overhauled to accommodate the Panthers football team, and construction has kicked off on several of the projects planned for nearby areas.
Phase 1 of the private development includes:
- Nearly 300 multi-family apartment units
- 55,000 sf of retail space
- Redevelopment of Georgia Avenue, including existing retail and retail in new standalone building space
- Up to 850 bed student housing project
- Corporate build-to-suit office
Halfway Crooks Brewing and Blending is a local brewery who was tapped as a debut tenant for the effort. The brewery will occupy a two-story block building on Georgia Avenue. East Atlanta’s own Hodgepodge Coffeehouse is another tenant who is confirmed for this mixed-use revival of the blighted area. Other local based tenants include Wood’s Chapel BBQ, Little Tart Bakeshop, and Big Softie Ice Cream. The developer is also open for other suggestions for businesses. The confirmed tenants could possibly be open for business on Georgia Avenue as soon as Spring 2019.
Carter is also designing apartments and new office and retail buildings at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Hank Aaron Drive which neighbors the rebranded Georgia State Stadium. [Insert photo of the planned future of Georgia Avenue –Kronberg Wall] Forty units of affordable housing are slated to be blended into the mix of apartments planned for the site. They would be available to people making less than 80 percent of the area median income. There is a possibility that a groundbreaking would take place at the beginning of next year with a possible completion date of 2020.
On another front, construction crews are building a student housing complex developed by Aspen Heights, which could possibly be ready for Georgia State’s fall 2019 semester. Additionally, Carter is under contract with Hedgewood Homes to purchase land south of Georgia Avenue, to build roughly 70 for-sale townhomes.
Although new buildings are being built, the intent of the design is to take on the character of the old Georgia Avenue. This effort shows a more organic and authentic mix of buildings that have been developed over time. According to the development team,
“Georgia Avenue is really a cool neighborhood street. We really want the tenants and creative folks to lead, instead of being [heavy-fisted] and saying this is a master-planned community.”
