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Howell Mill: a haven for cranes and vehicle traffic.

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Scenes from Atlanta’s rapidly urbanizing Howell Mill Road corridor

Saddle up for a tour of some $1 billion in development on a single Atlanta street

By Josh Green
Photos by Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
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Considering the proliferation of restaurants, boutique shopping, and massive pits of construction sites, it’s hard to believe Atlanta’s Howell Mill Road was considered a sleepy, industrial no-man’s land a little more than a decade ago.

Officials with the Upper Westside Improvement District, a special governmental entity formed by commercial property owners and approved by the City of Atlanta in 2016, tell Curbed Atlanta that more than $1.3 billion in new development is moving forward.

The district comprises an area from Collier Road to Marietta Street and includes Chattahoochee Avenue, Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, and Huff Road.

But the vast majority of investment action is happening along Howell Mill, where mobility concerns have come to a head lately, in light of Renew Atlanta infrastructure bond program delays.

Mobility changes are as pressing as the sheer amount of change is impressive.

A more desolate Howell Mill Road, circa 2006.
Contributed
Pre-Room & Board days, circa 2006.
Contributed

October marked a decade since an important milestone for the area: the installation of the pedestrian bridge that connects Westside Urban Market to the White Provisions District.

“Square Feet Studio designed the bridge, which reflected the character of the area as well as the two 20th century former meatpacking buildings,” Chris Faussemagne, UWID and Third & Urban developer, remembers. “It also met the challenging criteria of spanning an active rail road line.”

Clearly, as this latest Visual Journeys installment illustrates, the bridge was only the beginning.

The north end of the Howell Mill section in question saw a former hotel site transformed into the 3-acre Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market in 2012.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
UrbanTree Cidery is a recent addition.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
It’s bottling day inside UrbanTree as the crew works to fill each one.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
Jessica Smith works on shrubs and syrups at UrbanTree.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
Last year, Design Within Reach debuted a corner store triple the size of its former Buckhead location at the Westside Provisions District. At Huff and Howell Mill roads, the site was formerly home to Figo Pasta, which was razed in an effort to modernize the corner.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
Across the street from Design Within Reach is the city’s water supply program project.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
By every metric, Howell Mill’s most significant new development is shaping up to be the $450 million Interlock, which broke ground this week.
The Interlock
Sited at the intersection of Howell Mill and 14th Street, The Interlock—named after its Howell Mill Interlocking Historic District home—is anticipated to bring some 200,000 square feet of loft office space, upwards of 100,000 square feet of retail, and a 145-key Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel.
The Interlock
A Howell Mill mainstay and Atlanta blues/dive-bar classic, the Northside Tavern neighbors Star Metals construction. Owners have indicated the bar, operating at the corner spot since 1972, will remain.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
The residential side of Star Metals is under construction within feet of the blues stalwart. The 1050 Howell Mill Road project—designed by Oppenheim Architecture and Dwell Design Studio, with interior designs by Atlanta’s Square Feet Studio—is set to bring 409 luxury apartments and 16,300 square feet of retail.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
On the other side of the street, construction on the office component of Star Metals has wiped away a scrap yard.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
What’s in store for both Howell Mill sites. Construction launched this past summer and is expected to conclude in 2020.
Meanwhile, foundation work begins at the corner of Howell Mill and 10th Street on what’s known as Osprey. Homebuilder Toll Brothers is expected to deliver 319 luxury rentals and 13,000 square feet for restaurants and retail here in 2020.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
The far end of the Osprey job site off Howell Mill and 9th Street.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
Osprey’s planned Howell Mill frontage.
Courtesy of Toll Brothers
8 West is proposed to take over four acres adjacent to where Bocado Burger and other retail shopping has enlivened this row of buildings in recent years.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
The $150 million 8 West apartment/office/retail development is expected to break ground later this quarter, a Gateway Ventures representative recently told Curbed Atlanta.
Rendering by MSTSD and ASD|SKY, courtesy of Atlantic Capital Properties, Gateway Ventures
More construction is seen just south of the Howell Mill corridor from a West Marietta Street bridge. The activity is Theory West Midtown construction, set to house more than 500 students.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
It might not be on Howell Mill, but the area’s most prominent new project will be 788 West Midtown—a glassy condo high-rise for which site work has launched on West Marietta Street.
Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta
Listings so far show a wide range of prices, beginning at $541,900 (two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,129 square feet) and climbing to more than $1.2 million for the penthouse (three bedrooms, three bathrooms, 2,189 square feet). Expect about 20 stories of condos, overlooking active rail lines with sweeping skyline views beyond.
788 West Midtown
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