Though the cheerful throngs of 2026 FIFA World Cup have gone home, project leaders behind South Downtown’s revival have recently been adamant that work is hardly at a standstill. 

What’s that mean exactly? Here’s a quick rundown of happenings across Atlanta Venture’s historic district of 58 buildings and 16 acres.

According to April Stammel, South Downtown’s marketing and community engagement lead, 14 retail suites are currently available around the district, and several of those have reached the Letters Of Intent stage with potential tenants. (Those would join recent additions including Delilah’s Everyday Soul restaurant and leather goods retailer KMM & Co, plus several other restaurants.)

Meanwhile, breakfast and lunch diner concept Ida’s Kitchen Counter is aiming to wrap buildout and open as soon as possible at 185 Mitchell St., an architectural highlight for South Downtown. 

The restaurant concept from Todd Ginsberg (The General Muir, Fred’s Meat and Bread) and Josh Kim will operate under offices and two apartments. (The restored building dates to at least the 1870s and is considered one of downtown's oldest, officials have told Urbanize Atlanta.) 

Next door to Ida’s Kitchen Counter, just to the north, Filipino restaurant Estrellita is planning to open at 115 Broad St. later this year, according to Stammel. 

As seen last month, the forthcoming Ida’s Kitchen Counter space (left) and future home of Estrellita (center). Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery announced in June it was leaving its Grant Park location of six years to set up shop in South Downtown. It’ll share patio space with Ida’s Kitchen Counter and Glide Pizza’s outpost that opened in June. 

Around the corner, the large-scale 222 Mitchell building is expected to see retail life soon, too.  

Brown Toy Box, an Atlanta-based children’s toy company, is currently moving in its wares with plans to open in late August. It’ll occupy street-level space at 211 Mitchell St., across the street from businesses along Hotel Row. 

KMM & Co., a new leather goods store at 87 Peachtree St., just south of Five Points. The former HL Green building is at far left. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Beyond that, on the adaptive-reuse construction front, tours will begin soon at the former HL Green building downtown for retail and office tenants, as the first residents are moving into the restored 85 Peachtree building, now loft apartments near Five Points, per development officials. 

South Downtown officials also recently shared that pocket park Founders Green—a hit with World Cup fanatics for weeks—has nearly finished its calendar of programming for the autumn. Plans include viewing parties for sports, live music, movie nights, and other activities such as yoga. 

A repurposed car-parking sign (with a revised meaning) at Founders Green today. Courtesy of South Downtown


...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)