Six months after vertical construction began, a mixed-use Oakland City development is quickly taking shape on 7 total acres of formerly industrial land a block from the Beltline’s Westside Trail, adjacent to the historic Murphy Crossing property. 

840 Woodrow, as the multifaceted Southwest Atlanta project is titled, has been described by its development team as “transformative” and a “milestone” for the area, which is witnessing a swift uptick in investment—with potentially much more to come.  

Plans by multifamily builders Woodfield Development and Vida Companies had been percolating for several years. They now call for a $77-million mix of housing, commercial space, and new jobs across multiple phases, all situated along a planned Beltline-to-MARTA spur trail scheduled to break ground in late 2026 or early 2027. 

How the BTR townhome section of 840 Woodrow is taking shape along Warner Street, next door to Culdesac's for-sale townhomes. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where 840 Woodrow's topped-out, main residential pieces stood as of late March along Woodrow Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Woodfield reps told Urbanize Atlanta in September the first component to rise at 840 Woodrow—25 build-to-rent townhomes—is scheduled to deliver this summer.  

The remaining components are expected to open over the year following that, per officials.  

Overall, 840 Woodrow calls for 326 new apartments and rental townhomes, with 20 percent of those (66 units total) designated as affordable/workforce housing—an amount that exceeds the City of Atlanta’s Inclusionary Zoning requirements, Woodfield officials have noted. 

Rent limits will be based on 80 percent of the Area Median Income, and 5 percent of units will also be set aside for tenants using vouchers. 

Another aspect of the project will see subsidized commercial spaces for local entrepreneurs.

That commercial component will include the adaptive-reuse of an existing building on site. Plans call for turning it into a headquarters and training facility for a local coffee roaster who’s committed to local hiring, along with repurposed shipping containers that will serve as storefronts in hopes of supporting area startups and local entrepreneurs, the development team has said. 

Public-art programming and sidewalk and streetscape upgrades are also in the pipeline.

Rough overview of the acreage in question at 840 Woodrow St. (in yellow), with the Beltline's Westside Trail and Adair Park at right, and the Murphy Crossing property at top. Google Maps

Where the section of the 840 Woodrow project nearest to the Beltline stood in late March. A new Beltline spur trail is planned on the opposite side of this block. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The formerly vacant site was most recently used for car and truck storage. The Beltline’s plans call for running the spur trail along the southern edge of the 840 Woodrow property, linking the Westside Trail/Southwest Trail to other major infill sites in the vicinity and MARTA’s Oakland City station.  

Woodfield is also partnering on 840 Woodrow with American South Capital Partners, a veteran of 25 projects across the Southeast region with the bulk of housing units considered affordable for families earning less than 80 percent AMI. 

840 Woodrow is expected to produce more than 500 construction jobs and 40-plus permanent jobs. An estimated $1.5 million in brownfield remediation work was required to ready the site for redevelopment, per officials. 

A revised rendering showing how the multifaceted project would front a proposed Beltline spur trail through the warehouse district.Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

The Oakland City project joins an influx of active construction and proposals that could bring thousands of new homes and a surge of commercial activity to the area.  

Down the street in Capitol View, plans that call for a 25-acre, potentially billion-dollar new district with more than 4,000 housing units overall continue to move forward, despite some hurdles involving approvals. An Empire Communities 124-townhome component of that project is under development now. 

Also nearby, the first phase of adaptive-reuse Oakland Exchange has recently broken ground, following years of delays, according to Invest Atlanta. 

Meanwhile, Culdesac has started delivering two pocket neighborhoods of for-sale townhomes in the area with prices starting in the high $100,000s. 

Planning efforts also continue at 20-acre Murphy Crossing, the area’s best-known redevelopment site, and one that overlooks the mainline Beltline loop trail. New visuals and a potential development timeline came to light for Murphy Crossing last month. Atlanta Beltline Inc., the site’s owner, has brought aboard frequent collaborators Perkins&Will architects to help see that project through. 

Head up to the gallery for more 840 Woodrow imagery and context. 

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