The combination of Atlanta BeltLine access, inimitable old warehouse spaces, and a nearby MARTA station in a historic neighborhood continues to prove alluring in what’s becoming West End’s version of the Krog District.

Adaptive-reuse development Lee + White has signed a nearly 16,000-square-foot lease with Texas-based Ogle School, a cosmetology and esthetics school with 10 locations across Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The West End outpost will mark the company’s first outside Texas.

The news follows recent signings that show how Lee + White’s redevelopment team is aiming to broaden its appeal and lease offices that, in turn, support food-and-beverage attractions, such as the breweries and other boozy offerings the district was initially known for. 

Atlanta Golf & Social announced plans in late July to open a 3,767-square-foot experiential sports venue in Lee + White’s food hall portion by the end of 2024, joining that company’s flagship location in downtown Chamblee.

Planned aesthetics at West End's Atlanta Golf & Social. Courtesy of Lee + White

Just one space totaling 3,990 square feet remains available in the 16-tenant food hall now, officials announced last month.

Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners, developers behind the 11-building Lee + White venture, say Ogle School will occupy a “prime” second-floor space at the front of the recently refurbished 929 Building, a former warehouse with high ceilings nearest to Lee Street and the neighboring MARTA line.

Cosmetology and esthetics classes that emphasize career development in salon settings are scheduled to begin in January next year. MDH Partners founder and CEO Jeff Small said Ogle School will offer a more cost-friendly alternative to traditional, four-year colleges. Cushman & Wakefield represented Lee + White in the leasing deal.

“Ogle School brings new opportunities for skills training and job growth for the West End community and beyond,” Small noted in a prepared statement. “We look forward to seeing students enjoying the many retailers and restaurants at Lee + White soon.”

Rendering of the 929 Building entry. Courtesy of MDH Partners/Ackerman & Co

Overview of the Lee + White property's 929 Building, from above the nearby MARTA line and Lee Street. Courtesy of Ackerman & Co./MDH Partners; designs, Smith Dalia Architects

Ogle School CEO John Blair said his company conducted an extensive search for where to open its first location outside Texas and picked “vibrant and dynamic” Atlanta for its “rich cultural heritage and thriving community,” and the West End project for its “unique blend of history and modernity.”

Other recent signings at 442,562-square-foot Lee + White (they despise the clever if outdated “Malt Disney” moniker these days, so we’ll refrain) include the new North American headquarters for Triumph Motorcycles, a Grady Health System neighborhood health center, and creative offices for KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools.

A lease expansion with renewable energy company JTEC Energy Inc. recently boosted that company’s footprint at Lee + White to about 28,500 square feet.

Planters and what's essentially an outdoor dining room near the Lee + White food hall, as seen in summer 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The district’s Great Lawn section debuted in 2023, and the food hall’s central bar Strangers in Paradise came online earlier this year.

For those keeping score at home, the Lee + White food hall’s lineup now includes (deep breath) Cielito Lindo, Costa Coffee, Crème de la Crepe, Dough Boy Pizza, GoodAzz Burgers, Gekko Hibachi & Sushi, gusto!, Honeysuckle Gelato, One Korean Bistro, The Original Hot Dog Factory, Pastaholics, Sakura Sake Bar & Bottles, Sweet Red Peach, Vietvana, West Side Deli, and World Chicken.

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