Downtown Atlanta Neighborhood Investment

It’s hard to ignore the swell of renewed interest in the City’s historic core of South Downtown. As the original “terminus” of Atlanta, South Downtown evokes the City’s beginnings and now its future. Fueled by several large-scale projects, South Downtown is poised to undergo an enormous transformation in the coming years. From catalytic projects like CIM’s Centennial Yards, SoDo Atlanta’s 6-block redevelopment, or a reimagined Underground Atlanta, the South Downtown development pipeline alone represents over $1.4 billion in potential investment once fully complete. Plans for the next five years include almost 1,900 housing units and 749,000 sq. ft. in office and commercial space. This significant, private investment is coupled with planned, public investment in MARTA’s Five Points Station, a bus rapid transit line to Summerhill, and other surrounding rights-of-way to deliver a more connected, walkable, and vibrant historic district.

At the center of Downtown, Fairlie-Poplar combines historic architecture, a compact street grid, and a highly walkable environment that continues to support new residential growth. The district includes Atlanta’s largest concentrated collection of late-19th- and early-20th-century commercial and office buildings, and today it remains a key setting for reinvestment. More than 1,400 housing units are in the pipeline across the Fairlie-Poplar and Peachtree Core area. Along Peachtree, direct transit access and a concentration of Class A commercial buildings continue to anchor activity and attract redevelopment. A major example is the planned transformation of the iconic Georgia-Pacific building, including conversion of the upper floors into approximately 400 apartments, 125,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment space, renovation of 600,000 square feet of office space, and a new central plaza. Woodruff Park also continues to evolve through phased public improvements. Phase one of the Peachtree Accessibility Project is complete, adding an ADA-accessible path through the park, a designated stage pad performance area, and improved vehicle access. The next phase is underway and includes a dog park, improvements to the ATL Playground, additional seating, and artistic fencing.

SoNo continues to attract both large-scale and incremental investment, supported by strong regional access and a location between two major universities. The neighborhood offers direct transit service via two MARTA stations, convenient interstate access to the Downtown Connector, and proximity to both Georgia Tech and Georgia State University. That connectivity supports a mix of uses, from multifamily housing and medical offices to commercial space, retail, and cultural destinations. The result is a neighborhood positioned for continued growth across sectors. The iconic Bank of America Plaza, with more than 1.35 million square feet of Class A office space, is in the midst of a $75 million capital improvements program. Completed work in 2025 includes a renovated lobby and 100,000 square feet of flexible office suites. A future phase will add an on-site restaurant. Southwest of Bank of America Plaza, Motto by Hilton and TownePlace Suites are planned, adding approximately 380 hotel rooms to Downtown’s hospitality inventory. Major opportunity sites also remain in focus, including the Atlanta Civic Center, where a public-private partnership with Atlanta Housing is advancing the first phase of redevelopment with senior housing at 123 Pine. The neighborhood also sits near one of Downtown’s most significant planned infrastructure projects: The Stitch, a transformational investment designed to create approximately 14 acres of new urban greenspace atop a three-quarter-mile platform over the I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector between the Civic Center MARTA Station area, West Peachtree Street, and Piedmont Avenue.