As usual, it's been an eventful year for news on the Atlanta real estate development, construction, and architectural design fronts. But some projects, as always, were more noteworthy than others.
It's time to look back and spread some year-end love on big builds and smart, smaller bets that stood out across the year that was, for a variety of reasons.
Without further ado, these are our picks for the best of Atlanta development in 2025 …
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For overall compelling design:
The 22-story, 327-unit tower counts a growing roster of food and service offerings—and curves for miles.
Stella at Star Metals' western facade in early 2025, overlooking the Howell Mill Road corridor.
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For vintage, human-scale feel:
Westside Future Fund’s forthcoming housing and retail additions to English Avenue are endearingly throwback.
Photo courtesy of KUA
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For melding a new tower with the street in refreshing, appealing ways:
Rambler Midtown (formerly Rambler Atlanta)
A bland, lunkheaded podium this is not.
Rambler Atlanta's coffeeshop and building frontage at Peachtree and 4th streets today. LV Collective/Rambler Atlanta
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For (partially) wiping out a parking lot with housing:
It helps soothe the loss of Disco Kroger.
Wood Partners/The Beverly by Alta
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For thoughtful, inspiring design on a college campus:
Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts
Spelman College’s new “front porch” is functional architecture defined.
Courtesy of Goode Van Slyke Architecture; design architect, Studio Gang
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For unique incorporation of mixed uses:
The food-hub component of this new development near East Lake Golf Club is TBD, but plans certainly look promising.
How the public green is expected to meet Vela Park Food Works off 2nd Avenue. Velaparkatl.com
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For sheer skyline-redefining height:
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s an actual new Atlanta skyscraper!
The building's facade over West Peachtree, facing east. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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For artfully conforming a new building to its atypical lot:
More flatiron-style buildings around town, please.
The 274-unit building's unique stance along Bishop Street in Loring Heights.
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For a fresh take on Atlanta food halls
What happens when Krog Street Market meets the coolest little multi-building, adaptive-reuse shopping hub around? Pretty much this.
Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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For infill with non-drivers in mind:
Where free e-bikes equal bait for potential renters, a few blocks from the Beltline.
The Gracewood's Moreland Avenue frontage. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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For being a quintessentially ATL tourist attraction done right:
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Opened in November, the two-wing expansion added 28,000 square feet of new space, while more than 42,000 square feet of the original facility was modernized.
Completed exteriors at the expanded downtown museum. Courtesy of Juneau Construction Company
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For pushing back on stacks-of-glass banality:
The Juniper/The Reserve at Juniper
Proof that bronze cladding and Jenga-like balcony arrangements can add flair and intrigue on a grand scale.
South face of The Juniper tower, as seen from the property's main pool. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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For being the anti-humdrum subdivision:
One master-planned south metro Eden opened a cutting-edge entertainment zone with a pitstop for big-time touring acts in 2025. The other kept swelling with eclectic, top-flight housing and unique connectivity during its 20th anniversary year.
Construction fencing around a main, modern facade at the Trilith LIVE complex. via GTC Movies
Overlook's distinctive color and design scheme. The first phase is shown here. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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For best adaptive-reuse redo of a building’s backside in years:
Lewis Barbecue/Ansley Mall/Selig Enterprises
Hat-tip to an overnight new Beltline destination.
Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
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