Developer: New grocery store, restaurant, bike lanes could be bound for Summerhill

Look out, Popeyes: A new chicken sandwich concept could be bound for Atlanta.

Developer Carter is gearing up to announce in coming weeks the next food tenant—and possibly much more—headed for Georgia Avenue, Summerhill’s evolving commercial strip.

It’s unclear exactly where the chicken sandwich spot would go among other new eateries and watering holes dotting the area, such as Wood’s Chapel BBQ, Junior’s Pizza, and Halfway Crooks Beer.

Also on tap for the fast-developing neighborhood is a national grocery store, which developer Carter is in talks with now, as Jack Murphy, Carter’s senior director, tells Curbed Atlanta.

“The national brand we’re negotiating with is still reviewing the site,” Murphy said via email. “We’re hopeful we might hear something in the next month or so.”

Development officials are also working with neighborhood leaders and the City of Atlanta on streetscaping and traffic-calming initiatives that aim to distance cars from Georgia Avenue curbs, Murphy said.

Current plans call for a bike lane to line the northern side of the street; the southern side could get a bike lane, too, or parking spots.

Either way, updating the busy thoroughfare would create buffers between motorists and pedestrians.

Additional bike lanes could be bound for Hank Aaron Drive and Capitol Avenue as well. Those designs, however, will have to wait until MARTA finalizes plans for a bus rapid transit route slated to run through the neighborhood. (MARTA officials are expected to vote on a preferred route Thursday.)

During a recent meeting of the Organized Neighbors of Summerhill, micro home developer Tiny House Atlanta stopped by to float the idea of building a little dwelling in the neighborhood, according to ONS president Cheryl Turner.

Tiny House Atlanta officials could not be reached for comment for this story, but Turner said the community is generally interested in seeing the new housing style come to the area.