The Atlanta Beltline’s vision for its largest piece of property is beginning to take shape.
The organization filed paperwork last week outlining a $270 million plan to develop a 31-acre tract in the Bankhead neighborhood near Westside Park that will largely focus on housing, much of it at below-market-rate rents.
The Beltline acquired 425 Chappell Rd. three years ago for nearly $26 million. The Beltline envisions up to 1,100 residences on the site, with nearly a third reserved as affordable housing, alongside 5,000 square feet of commercial space.
The project, while still in its infancy, represents a new scale for Beltline-backed developments. In an underinvested part of Atlanta, the site also presents the opportunity to introduce new connectivity to the area between public green space, MARTA’s rail network and nearby government-owned land.
“(The Beltline) has worked closely with the city of Atlanta to develop a master plan for both (425 Chappell Rd.) as well as the city of Atlanta’s (30-plus) acres of land adjacent to the site,” Dennis Richards Jr., vice president of housing policy and development for the Beltline, said in an email. “We also worked to ensure plans for the site include connectivity with Maddox Park, the Bankhead MARTA station, the Atlanta Beltline and the Proctor Creek Greenway.”
The Beltline bought the land in 2021 from developer Brock Built Homes after its plan to build 450 apartments and 242 townhomes didn’t come to fruition. Beltline officials said their development vision would take inspiration from Brock Built Homes’ plan, but it probably would include more density and a focus on affordable housing.
Council member Byron Amos, who represents the area, said last year that the Chappell Road site “is a very important piece of dirt” given its size and development potential. It’s also just south of the 90-acre property owned by tech giant Microsoft, which halted plans last year to develop its land into a new campus, stalling what would have been the largest development project in Atlanta’s Westside.
The Beltline’s plan to develop 425 Chappell Rd. was detailed in a Development of Regional Impact filing, known as a DRI. It’s a state infrastructure report that evaluates projects that have a large enough scope to impact multiple jurisdictions.
Many details aren’t final, but Richards said they expect at least 30% of the project’s housing units will be set aside at below-market rent rates. He added that the Beltline’s plan includes a mix of for-sale and rental units across various housing types.
The Beltline conducted a study of neighborhoods near the Chappell Road site and found 98% of residents commute to work outside the area, while the median household income is less than $35,000 a year — about half the median household income of the city.
The affordable rental units will be targeted for people making between 50% and 80% of the area median income — $53,750 to $86,000 for a family of four, respectively. The affordable for-sale units will be reserved for people making 80% to 120% of the area median income — a cap of $129,000 for a family of four.
“We are also looking for ways to offer a set aside of rental units below 50% of AMI,” Richards said.
Credit: Atlanta Beltline, Inc.
Credit: Atlanta Beltline, Inc.
The Beltline has grown its land holdings since acquiring 425 Chappell Rd.
In July 2023, it purchased about 6 acres at 350 Chappell Rd. for $4 million, which Beltline officials said could further its affordable housing goals for the area. The 20-acre Murphy Crossing site, also owned by the Beltline, is moving forward with a plan to develop approximately 1,100 housing units and 180,000 square feet of commercial space.
This month, the Beltline announced it acquired the notorious Elleven45 Lounge nightclub to fill a critical gap in its trail’s expansion through Buckhead, also providing the multiuse trail a direct connection to the bustling Peachtree Road corridor.
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
The Beltline intends to issue a public call to select development partners by the middle of next year. The site has to be rezoned following the DRI review process, and the Beltline estimates the entire development could be finished by 2030.
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