Permit applications were filed this week to demolish 300 units in the Chosewood Park neighborhood to make way for Empire Communities’ 1,180-unit mixed-use project near the Atlanta BeltLine Southside Trail.
The developer presented its plans to the BeltLine Design Review Committee in September, calling for 782 multifamily rental units and 398 for-sale condos and townhomes across a patch of 34 acres less than one mile south of the Southside Trail. The project would reserve 15 percent of units at 80 percent of area median income, meeting that inclusionary housing requirement of the city.
The swath of land to be developed by Empire Communities is bordered by Englewood Avenue to the north, Boulevard to the east, Casanova Street to the south, and it stretches nearly as far west as Chosewood Park itself. It includes 48 buildings to be demolished, including the more than 100-unit Gladstone Apartments, whose tenants have been abruptly forced to relocate, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Empire Communities didn’t immediately respond to request for comment on this week’s demolition permit filings. The scope of the filings, which list a cost of construction of $850,000, is limited to demolition and does not include land disturbance work, records show.
Filed in September, a special administration permit application for the project lists plans for 506 one-bedrooms, 491 two-bedrooms, and 170 three-bedrooms, along with 1,088 parking spaces. The multifamily structures will range from three to six stories, according to the application. Plans submitted with the state also call for 20,000 square feet of retail on site.
The owner of the project site is Grand Park Homes Ltd., a company registered to developer Metzger & Co., Fulton County records show.
At the BeltLine DRC’s September meeting, Empire Communities Vice President of Land Acquisitions & Development Kevin Norton said the company planned to begin construction in March and finish by the end of 2027, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported last year.
2 Responses
In it’s current state, this project didn’t receive any public input or feedback. Unfortunately that is often the case in the City of Atlanta. Atlanta is often called “The City in a Forest” but too often lets developers get whatever that want and there is very little pushback to their plans. I hope we can preserve existing trees and not just sign up on developers first plans, especially when they involve clear cutting our beloved tree canopy.
Jeebus this is a big development. I also hope they will save some of the big mature hardwoods but looking at the rendering I have little hope of that.