curbed.com
Southwest Atlanta is getting some more love, in terms of investment dollars, from the Atlanta Beltline.
The Beltline has snatched up another 2.5 acres of trail-adjacent property that promises to boost the stature of the consequential Murphy Crossing site abutting the Westside Trail, project leaders have announced.
For $2.1 million, the Beltline scored what could be a key piece of property—on Allene Avenue in Adair Park—that will allow the abandoned site, leaders believe, to prosper in ways nearby neighborhoods could truly benefit from.
Beltline CEO Brian McGowan, who’s leaving the operation this month to take an economic development job in Seattle, said the expansion of the Murphy Crossing property, which is near the Ashby Oakland City and West End MARTA stops, could be a catalyst for needed growth in the oft-overlooked southwestern side of Atlanta.
“This is a chance for development in Southwest Atlanta to reflect the existing community’s wants and needs, while positioning the area to benefit from the Atlanta Beltline’s jobs and housing goals and the city’s larger equity and affordability goals,” McGowan said in a press release.
The Beltline’s new property, which was sold by the Georgia Building Authority, used to house the Archives and History Warehouse as well as the State Farmers Market.
The purchase means the Murphy Crossing site now spans some 20 acres, making it more marketable for redevelopment proposals, which will be entertained later this year, when the Beltline launches its Request for Proposals.
For context, the Pratt-Pullman Yard redevelopment site/movie lot on the flip side of town is 27 acres.
Which pitch will be accepted, Beltline officials say, will be determined by the housing and job-creation goals brought by the proposals to come.
“This is yet another important acquisition that shows the City of Atlanta is serious about development south of I-20,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the press release. “This site will be key to ensuring economic equity in all parts of the corridor, lifting up the surrounding neighborhoods with opportunities for success.”
But the Beltline still lags far behind its affordable housing promise, and a multi-million-dollar purchase answers few questions—at least for now—about how the city aims to catch back up to its 5,600-unit goal, especially since McGowan said 10,000 affordable options should be something to aspire to.
