Here’s proof that large-scale infill development with an emphasis on walking and biking isn’t relegated to places like Midtown and Old Fourth Ward.

Charlotte-based developer Grubb Properties is entering the home stretch of construction on a mixed-use venture called Link Apartments Lake Park that's claimed a former office building’s surface parking lot along U.S. Highway 41. 

Situated about a mile northwest of The Battery Atlanta and Truist Park, the 9.7-acre site might not seem like a pedestrian and bicyclist haven today. But according to developers, the project’s scope includes building the first section of a planned multi-use trail that will eventually wend down to The Battery. 

The 277-unit apartment building will also feature what’s called the Link Apartments Cycle Center, a storage, maintenance, and washing facility capable of housing up to 150 bikes “to encourage the use of alternative transportation,” per Grubb Properties. 

Main facades and retail arrangements at the Lake Park development in Smyrna. Grubb Properties

The 2400 Lake Park Drive parking lot, at right, as seen in November 2023 as construction kicked off. The Battery is ahead at left. Google Maps

The project is part of the developer’s new strategy of repurposing aging, suburban office parks near major employment centers into communities with multiple uses, while upgrading offices and injecting greenspace where vehicles used to park. 

The 2400 Lake Park site is situated across the multi-lane highway from Steve Rayman Chevrolet and Ed Voyles Kia. Four-story office complex 2400 Lake Park operates next door and now shares a new 410-space parking deck with the future apartments. 

Grubb Properties officials reported in June that deck had received a temporary certificate of occupancy, allowing for parking there while construction continues. 

Lake Park's ground-floor retail component will total about 16,200 square feet, broken down into spaces between 1,949 and 9,251 square feet, according to Crexi. “Designed for walkability, these [spaces] will serve residents, office tenants, and nearby visitors,” reads a retail marketing pitch. “[The project is] set within a vibrant streetscape.”

Construction progress on Lake Park in June, with U.S. Highway 41 shown at bottom right. Grubb Properties

Beyond the multi-use trail, bike storage, and future retail options, amenities at Lake Park call for two outdoor courtyards, coworking space, a fitness area and yoga room, a pool described as modern, and a dog-washing room, among other perks. 

The schedule calls for opening the first Lake Park apartments for leasing in the second quarter of 2026. 

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Grubb Properties built Link-branded apartments in Grant Park, just west of the Beltline. The company also operates Link Apartments Canvas (formerly The Leonard) along Memorial Drive.  

Lake Park's site location (at top left) in relation to The Battery Atlanta, Interstate 75, and other Cobb County landmarks. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Cobb County news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)