11 stories · Inside The Perimeter, Atlanta
A new 16-home infill project called The Row 900 is going up on the 900 block of Hank Aaron Drive in Peoplestown, right on the path of MARTA's new Rapid A-Line. Homes range from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet with prices starting around $600K.
Mayor Andre Dickens and Living Walls dedicated a new public artwork by Charity Hamidullah at Windsor and Rawson streets. The mural, part of the Bridges, Tunnels, and Walls program, was inspired by Octavia Butler's novel and tied to the city's Moving Atlanta Forward housing initiative.
MARTA's new bus rapid transit service, a long-delayed piece of the agency's expansion plan, got a hands-on review this week as it shuttles riders between downtown and the Summerhill corridor.
Segments 4 and 5 open in Glenwood Park and link Grant Park, Ormewood Park, and Boulevard Heights into the loop, bringing the BeltLine to 14.8 of 22 miles with another segment due before FIFA World Cup kickoff.
The first total bus system redesign since 1972 launches tomorrow, tripling the number of high-frequency corridors and introducing Atlanta's first bus rapid transit line connecting downtown to the BeltLine Southside Trail.
Bryce Elder dominated on the mound and Ozzie Albies homered as Atlanta won the series and kept its record of not losing a series all season.
Smith drove in four runs including a go-ahead three-run double in the eighth inning as Atlanta came back from a 4-0 hole.
A new section of the Atlanta BeltLine's Southside Trail is now open, extending the multi-use path deeper into southeast Atlanta's neighborhoods.
MARTA is rolling out new express bus routes, extended rail service hours, and temporary park-and-ride capacity as Atlanta prepares to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan has confirmed Atlanta as its team base camp.
The Rapid A-Line is Atlanta's first BRT service, running 5 miles with 14 stops from downtown through Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, and Peoplestown to the BeltLine's Southside Trail. Buses arrive every 10-15 minutes and can change traffic lights to keep moving.
GSU wants to transform the area around Center Parc Stadium into a cohesive sports campus. New softball, beach volleyball, and football practice facilities are planned for the next three to five years, all within walking distance of Georgia Avenue.
Summerhill is one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods, sitting just south of the old Turner Field site (now Georgia State University's stadium and a major mixed-use development). It's bounded roughly by I-20 to the north, the railroad tracks to the east, University Avenue to the south, and Capitol Avenue to the west. For years Summerhill was under-invested and overlooked, but the conversion of the Turner Field area into a massive development called Summerhill (confusingly, the development shares the neighborhood name) has brought a wave of new restaurants, retail, and housing.
The new Summerhill development along Georgia Avenue has become a genuine food destination. Wood's Chapel BBQ is one of the best barbecue spots in Atlanta. Junior's Pizza does Detroit-style pies that are worth a drive. The Little Tart Bakeshop outpost, Halfway Crooks (a lager-focused brewery), and several other restaurants have turned this strip into something worth visiting. Georgia State football games bring periodic energy to the stadium area. The BeltLine's Southside Trail will eventually connect through here, which will be a major catalyst.
Housing in Summerhill is split between the new development (modern apartments and townhomes at market rate) and the historic neighborhood blocks to the south and east, where you still find smaller, more affordable homes. The neighborhood has been the subject of intense debate about gentrification, development agreements, and community benefits. It's changing fast. If you want to be in on the ground floor of a neighborhood that's clearly headed somewhere, Summerhill is the most obvious bet on the southeast side.