Near GSU Stadium, old buildings will soon gain new life

Abandoned commercial storefronts along Georgia Avenue will soon have new restaurants, bars

By Michael Kahn Updated Jul 10, 2017, 8:02am EDT

Construction near the former Turner Field site—now being turned into GSU Stadium—will begin in the coming months to bring new retail and restaurants to Summerhill, as part of the massive overhaul planned for the neighborhood by GSU and developers.

According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the development team, led by Carter, has filed permits to begin work along Georgia Avenue to transform the long-neglected corridor into a vibrant commercial strip.

The street, stretching from Summerhill to Grant Park, contains an assortment of low-rise early 20^th century commercial buildings that will be given a new lease on life. The work is part of the larger vision to create a new residential and business hub in the city, south of downtown, in the parking lots of the former home of the Braves.

While the stretch of Georgia Avenue east of Fraser Street wasn’t always a part of the redevelopment plan, it was added when Carter, Oakwood Development, and Healy Weatherholtz purchased buildings along the street earlier this year for $3.2 million.

This first phase of work will rehab a 30,000-square-foot commercial building, and include an addition to blend with the style of the existing context. Local firm Kronberg Wall Architects, who rehabbed an old church building as their office space, will lead the charge and emphasize the assets of the old building.

With one lease signed, and multiple letters of intent, the leasing agents Colliers International indicate the development will be food and beverage-heavy.

Construction is slated to begin in the fall, and the first tenants could move in by next spring or summer.