There’s so much that happens in the heart of the city that it almost becomes hard to keep up with the news. It feels like new restaurants are opening up every other day while new retail centers are being developed, and even new means of transportation are being introduced too. To help you stay up-to-date with all of the new changes underway in Atlanta, we’re rounding up some of the most important updates.
Leave of Absence (LOA) is one of Atlanta’s newest hotspots, with a Mediterranean resort-style pool, bar and restaurant on the rooftop of The Interlock on Howell Mill Road.
Fogon and Lions, a Spanish-inspired restaurant with delicious wood-fired dishes on their menu, is now open on Roswell Street in downtown Alpharetta.
Howdy ATL Biscuit Cafe recently took over the space of Grant Park Coffeehouse on Cherokee Avenue across from Zoo Atlanta.
Guac y Margys is now open at The Interlock on Howell Mill Road, bringing some of the best margaritas and guacamole you’ve ever tasted to town.
ParkGrounds Cafe and Coffee Shop will be you and your pet’s new favorite spot. Their beer garden has replaced the area’s off-leash dog park and is pet friendly.
Slabtown Public House is now open on the Eastside BeltLine trail, serving up everyone’s dinner favorites. P.S. it’s also backed by well-known chef Kevin Gillespie.
Breaker Breaker is coming to the grounds of Empire’s new development, Stein Steel, with outdoor seating and a menu inspired by the Gulf Coast.
Atlanta’s Upper West Side has just welcomed a new food hall spanning 22,000 square feet — Chattahoochee Food Works. There’s over 30 diverse eateries to choose from, an eclectic bar and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Westside Paper is a historic, 70-year-old property that’s been repurposed into an office and retail space. There’s even 21,400 square feet of entertainment, restaurant and retail space.
A new park is coming to Atlanta, over the downtown 1-75/I-85 connector known as “The Stitch.” While it’s not likely to break ground this year, it will add 14 acres of greenspace to the downtown area in the near future and bring neighborhoods divided by the highway back together.
Microsoft bought 90 acres of land to build a brand new campus for their employees in the Atlanta’s West End. Once complete, it’s expected to have a major impact on this gentrifying area.
New City’s Fourth Ward Project is one of the largest and most transformative mixed-use developments on the Atlanta BeltLine, and it’s expected to be completed in 2022. This nearly one-million-square-foot project includes office space and street-level retail.
There’s a new retail center coming to the heart of Summerhill and it’s anchored by a Publix store. Boasting approximately 50,012 square feet of product space, grocery shopping for residents living in the area is sure to become a breeze.
The Atlanta BeltLine is continuing to grow, with a new segment of its multi-use path being constructed on the city’s south side. This section of the trail will start at the existing break just south of Glenwood Avenue and will extend to Boulevard. Construction will begin in late 2022.
The construction around the interchange between I-285 and GA 400 is now in its final stages. The project, known as Transform 285/400, is projected to save commuters 12,500 hours of driving time per day with its interchange and bridge improvements, and the addition of collector-distributor roads. It will be completed near the end of 2022.
The city of Atlanta is expected to host a pilot program in the winter of 2022 which has the potential to make public transit faster, more convenient and more accessible — especially for those in underserved communities. The On-Demand Multimodal Transit System will allow users to call on-demand shuttles to pick them up in their neighborhoods and be brought to the nearest train or bus stop.
Next, discover what’s within 10 miles of these three new communities in Atlanta and our insider’s guide to Avalon in Alpharetta.
Images courtesy of: Atlanta Magazine (Leave of Absence, Howdy ATL Biscuit Cafe); Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Fogan & Lions); GymTakeout (Guac y Margys); On the Grid (Parkgrounds Cafe); Eater Atlanta (Slabtown Public House, Chattahoochee Food Works); The Business Journals (Breaker Breaker); Reporter Newspapers (Westside Paper, Summerhill Publix); 11Alive (The Stitch); Microsoft Office (Microsoft); New City Properties (Old Fourth Project); Associated Construction Publications (Transform 285/400); Saporta Report (MARTA Pilot Program).