Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. has acquired 13.7 acres along the BeltLine’s Southside Trail.
The $13.3 million purchase at 356 University Avenue is situated adjacent to Pittsburgh Yards, an adaptive-reuse development fueling economic equity and job growth for communities in southwest Atlanta, according to a press release.
The land is next to the Nia Building, a 61,000-square-foot former trucking terminal fitted with workspaces, conference spaces, an amphitheater, apartment units, and a shared kitchen and market.
The acquisition is part of the BeltLine’s mission to purchase land along the corridor to make way for the development of new affordable housing, affordable commercial opportunities and job creation.
The BeltLine has tripled its land holdings around the 22-mile loop over the past three years.
“This is a catalytic opportunity to continue guiding equitable, inclusive and sustainable development in southwest Atlanta, which has many historically disinvested neighborhoods,” Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. President and CEO Clyde Higgs said in the press release. “Purchasing this parcel is another step that the Atlanta BeltLine is taking in our focus on righting historic wrongs that have left residents and communities behind in the face of city-wide growth.”
Tomi Hiers, president of AECF Atlanta Realty LLC, said selling the land to the Atlanta BeltLine will bring resources and expertise to develop the parcel on the west side of Pittsburgh Yards more quickly and accelerate amenities that are important to residents.
With development planning underway for nearby Murphy Crossing, a BeltLine-owned site, momentum continues to build south of I-20 and is part of an intentional transformation and investment in long-overlooked communities, according to the press release. Currently, there are approximately 20 development projects within approximately a mile of Murphy Crossing.
In south and west Atlanta, the BeltLine is actively building major multi-use trail segments with more going into construction in the next several months. By the end of 2024, 80 percent of the trail loop will be complete or under construction, providing alternative transportation options connecting into this site.
According to the press release, the BeltLine will conduct an extensive community engagement process to determine best uses for the site. The Casey Foundation will be a part of a stakeholder advisory committee along with residents of adjacent communities.
