The long-embattled Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter could be closing in November.
According to multiple sources, the facility — which has been blamed for thwarting development and spurring crime between Midtown and downtown for years, while backers maintain it's a needed resource — could be cashing out in order to relocate.
Operated by the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, the shelter and its surrounding streets have been the site of multiple murders and a hotbed for drug dealing. The prominent corner also has the dubious distinction of having the highest concentration of tuberculosis in the country.
Government and community leaders have been attempting to get the shelter closed for years. More than two years ago a lawsuit erupted over unpaid bills and an alleged conspiracy to boot the facility from the neighborhood. The building was foreclosed on and purchased by a developer, but that sale was blocked as the lawsuits inched forward. As the situation devolved, the mayor even threatened eminent domain with plans to convert the facility into a police and fire station.
Ultimately, the Georgia State Supreme Court agreed to hear the lawsuits, with a verdict expected this fall. However, ahead of those hearings, multiple affiliates have indicated that a resolution could be pending without the case going to trial and without the use of eminent domain.
While no parties involved are willing to comment on the record, a search of pending cases before the Georgia Supreme Court reveals that the case is not set to be argued as originally anticipated.
The news comes as development, which once shied away from the immediate area, moves closer, with plans for lilli Midtown, the Byron, and 715 Peachtree coming to fruition.
Additionally, the highway-capping Project Stitch could be a major catalyst for redevelopment with enough potential to reshape the neighborhood.
The news comes as a relief to neighbors, who often avoid the intersection of Peachtree and Pine streets.
If any parties involved in the deal respond with new information, we will update.
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