City announces 11-acre development plans next to MARTA transit hub

City officials have launched the process of finding the right builder to transform Southwest Atlanta land that’s never been developed into a mix of needed housing with future transit access.

The City of Atlanta and its partners Atlanta Urban Development Corporation recently opened a Request for Qualifications submission process for redevelopment of 11 acres at 0 Barge Road, a greenfield site just beyond the Interstate 285 Perimeter off Campbellton Road, near Greenbriar Mall.

A key selling point of the location is that it’s within steps of the last planned station (Ben Hill) on the MARTA Campbellton Community Investment Corridor Bus Rapid Transit route. According to MARTA, that five-mile BRT project remains in engineering phases but is expected to open for passengers in 2030.

The residential project’s goal is to create amenitized, mixed-income, single-family housing that’s for sale, not for rent, on the city-owned land. Plans call for roughly 100 units total.

Draft housing plans included in the Barge Road RFQ. Courtesy of Atlanta Urban Development Corporation/City of Atlanta

Location of the 0 Barge Road site in relation to downtown, the airport, and nearby SW Atlanta landmarks. Google Maps

According to the RFQ, that means a mix of one to three-bedroom attached and standalone homes, including market-rate options, set among bike trails and “well-managed public infrastructure.” About 30 percent of the tree-filled property would be preserved as a park or greenspace with the canopy left in place.

The market-rate homes—roughly 70 percent of units—would likely range from around $270,000 to $375,000.

The options considered affordable would be capped for residents earning 80 percent of the Area Median Income, ranging from about $200,000 to $270,000, per the RFQ.

Courtesy of Atlanta Urban Development Corporation/City of Atlanta

The RFQ seeks developers capable of building through a public-private partnership model. The deadline to respond is Oct. 10. AUD officials will evaluate all submissions and move forward with the most qualified respondents, per the city.

John Majors, AUD’s CEO, said the “historic endeavor” is “a testament to our commitment to transforming public land into vibrant, amenity-rich communities with opportunity for homeownership” in an RFQ announcement.

The initiative is considered part of the city’s quest to build or preserve 20,000 affordable housing units by 2029. The RFQ marks “a significant step towards revitalizing southwest Atlanta and ensuring our communities have access to quality, affordable housing,” added Mayor Andre Dickens in a prepared statement. “We are dedicated to creating neighborhoods that are equitable, healthy, and thriving—and this project is a crucial part of that vision.”

Courtesy of Atlanta Urban Development Corporation/City of Atlanta