New life could be bound for a historic section of Atlanta with no shortage of vacant structures. 

A few blocks west of downtown, Vine City acreage along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at the doorstep of Historically Black Colleges and Universities is set to be transformed from “deteriorated [and] vacant” to “reimagined and revitalized,” according to Invest Atlanta. 

The Invest Atlanta Board has selected Prestwick Development—an active intown developer with experience in workforce and affordable housing—to redevelop the former Morris Brown Student Center (also known as the Hickman Student Center) and other buildings near the Atlanta University Center cluster of five HBCUs. 

The site in question, where Sunset Avenue and Griffin Street meet Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, is directly across the street from Clark Atlanta University’s CAU Panther Stadium. 

A "Morris Brown Building" rendering released last week shows how a mix of uses could transform the former Morris Brown Student Center and adjacent land. Invest Atlanta/Prestwick Companies

As seen in January, the former Hickman Student Center in the 700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, looking east toward downtown. Google Maps

Also across the street is the long-abandoned Herndon Stadium, while the historic but “endangered” ruins of Gaines Hall and other landmarks are less than a block away. 

According to Invest Atlanta, the Vine City redevelopment site was purchased by the agency in 2014 and includes two empty buildings, along with the Morris Brown U.S. Postal Service facility, which “has fallen into disrepair due to long-term vacancy and previous fire damage,” per an announcement last week. 

Invest Atlanta previously issued a Request for Proposals seeking the right developer to remake the site in a way that’s compatible with the neighborhood.  

Prestwick’s vision calls for an unspecified amount of new housing, plus a hotel and parking infrastructure. Other components will include a conference center and classroom building for Morris Brown College, according to Invest Atlanta. 

Site proximity to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, and other area attractions. Google Maps

A former redevelopment concept from 2018 illustrates the scope of the Vine City site along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Invest Atlanta/2018

According to Invest Atlanta documents pertaining to the site from 2018, the assemblage of properties totals just shy of 8 acres. An earlier proposal with a different development team called for a “University Commons” concept. 

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Prestwick’s recent projects have included the 160-unit The Steede and a 156-unit venture called 55 Milton. Both of those apartment developments are in Chosewood Park. 

Another 141-apartment Prestwick venture in the Monroe Heights neighborhood, due west of Blandtown near Interstate 285, came to light last year. 

Prestwick is also a joint venture partner with Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership on a Capitol View project with 58 rentals, mostly reserved as affordable housing, at 1055 Arden Ave. That neighbors a Prestwick senior housing project, 162-unit Gateway Capitol View, that opened in 2018.

Find more site context and images for the Vine City project in the gallery above. 

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