A large-scale multifamily rehab recently kicked off that project leaders say will preserve more than 120 affordable housing options in the shadow of downtown Atlanta, near MARTA and other amenities. 

Officials with Atlanta-based mixed-income developer Columbia Residential and partners Atlanta Housing and Invest Atlanta closed last week on $28.4 million in financing for the renovation of Columbia Senior at MLK Village, a complex nearing 20 years old in the Capitol Gateway neighborhood off Memorial Drive. 

The funding will revitalize and ensure the long-term affordability of the 121-unit senior housing community at 125 Logan St. SE that project leaders describe as “beloved.” It’s reserved for residents age 62 and older. 

The complex, situated just west of Grant Park and north of Interstate 20, would be steps from the Memorial Drive Greenway, should that greenspace initiative come to fruition.

Overview of Columbia Senior Residences at MLK Village in relation to downtown Atlanta, Memorial Drive, and Grant Park. Google Maps

Facade of the Logan Street facility in Capitol Gateway in March. Google Maps

Other perks of the location include the MARTA’s King Memorial station less than a mile away, plus access to Grady Memorial Hospital, the Summerhill Publix, the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and Aquatic Center, among other destinations, per Columbia Residential reps. 

Columbia Senior at MLK Village was built in partnership with Ebenezer Building Foundation in 2007. Its onsite amenities today include a library, community gardens, fitness center, arts and crafts studio, and a theater. 

Using federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, local funding, and rental assistance mechanisms, the $28.4-million preservation effort will aim to modernize all apartments, lock affordability in place, and upgrade amenities. 

Specifically that calls for upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, new energy-efficient HVAC and electrical systems, new roofing and windows, and updated fire and elevator safety systems, along with other upgrades. 

Atlanta Housing is providing 121 HomeFlex vouchers for 20 years as a means to ensure “deep affordability” for all MLK Village residents in the long-term, according to project officials. 

“This investment allows longtime residents to age in place affordably while benefiting from modern, energy-efficient homes and enhanced quality of life,” Terri M. Lee, Atlanta Housing president and CEO, said in a project announcement. 

Construction kicked off in August and is scheduled to be finished by December next year.

Looking south, the 121-unit complex and neighboring Columbia Tower in relation to Interstate 20, just east of the Georgia State Capitol. Google Maps

According to Columbia Residential reps, an onsite relocation plan—with affordability and anti-displacement protections in place—will ensure seniors can return home. 

The Capitol Gateway project’s construction and design team also includes JHP Architecture and Urban Design, Atlas (civil engineer), Trinity Construction Services (general contractor), and SK Collaborative (green building consultants). 

The $28.4-million redevelopment is being funded through a combination of federal and state LIHTC equity, Invest Atlanta tax-exempt bond financing, HUD 223F and 241a loans, Invest Atlanta Housing Opportunity Bonds, and City of Atlanta HOME funding.

For Columbia Residential, the project adds to more than 9,000 apartments developed and 10,000 units currently under management across the Southeast, per company leaders. 

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