Atlanta Beltline Inc. announced another key move in the Buckhead area with the Aug. 25 purchase of a land piece surrounding the path’s Northwest Trail segment.
The Beltline bought six parcels of land along Peachtree Road and Bennet Street, and aims to turn the vacant buildings and pavement into commercial development and affordable housing.
“For years, this property stood as a symbol of neglect and missed potential,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. “Today, we’re turning that around.”
It also helps the Beltline inch closer to completing the 22-mile multi-use path that loops the city. The 4.3-mile Northwest Trail segment is the trickiest for the Beltline because the Buckhead area lacks an abandoned rail corridor to build off of.
Instead, the Beltline has spent the past year acquiring land to build out the path. In November, ABI announced the acquisition of an acre of land, including the “nuisance” Elleven 45 Lounge. It kicked off construction on segment 2 of the Northwest Trail.
With the Aug. 25 purchase, the Beltline now has a total of 3.2 acres on and near Peachtree Road to accommodate the trail and allow for surrounding development. In recent years, the Beltline has acquired 80 acres of land to add housing — a proposed 5,600 affordable units by 2030 — and commercial space for retail, restaurants, and more.
Dickens said the affordable housing and commercial space would show how “all Atlantans can benefit from the transformative power of the Beltline.”
Once completed, the entire Northwest Trail will run from Blandtown to the Lindbergh neighborhoods. So far the Beltline has completed 12.6 miles of the 22-mile loop and is on track for 2030 completion. Officials expect 18 miles to be ready in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Atlanta Beltline CEO Clyde Higgs pointed to the essential location of the new land, which is walking distance from Piedmont Hospital and a handful of other job centers.
“This acquisition lets us create a mixed-use development that serves the healthcare workers, employees, residents and small business owners who make this area thrive,” Higgs said. “We’re creating complete communities, where people can live near the services they need, such as doctors’ offices and grocery stores, and have options to live car-free.”
The move comes in the wake of recent Beltline draft plans to add light rail to the paved corridor, where officials said access to Piedmont Hospital would be a transit priority. The hefty $3.5 billion plan drew skepticism from some, who said it’s unlikely the draft will come to fruition — especially when Beltline CEO Higgs walked back his support of rail on the Eastside Trail in a recent interview.
But the Beltline won’t take any major steps on the new land without “intensive planning and community engagement.” In the coming weeks and months, the organization will reach out to community members and leaders to gauge what type of development is needed. In the meantime, it will tear down the empty buildings and kick off early planning efforts.
