Photos: Where historic South Downtown rebirth stands as World Cup nears

After nearly four years of planning and breathless hype, the first 2026 FIFA World Cup match in Atlanta is just 80 days away. In preparation, a significant portion of historic downtown has changed. 

From Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s doorstep to streets around the Gold Dome, much of downtown south of Underground Atlanta could be unrecognizable for soccer fans who haven’t visited in a while. Nowhere is that truer than South Downtown’s Broad Street area and the former Gulch—where more than a dozen high-profile openings from new MARTA transit to fresh barbecue options and a futuristic, immersive entertainment venue are scheduled to debut between April and early June. 

Coupled with the food-centric remake of CNN Center (set to reopen as The Center in May), it marks the largest widespread injection of downtown investment in 30 years, since the last time the world came to town.  

Jon Birdsong, a partner with Atlanta Ventures (the company with 58 historic structures and 16 acres of South Downtown in its portfolio), says all of the retail and food-and-beverage concepts his team has announced are currently on pace to open by May 15.  

No specific dates have been confirmed, but Bottle Rocket—a former Castleberry Hill staple known for burgers and sushi—and one other restaurant could open before the mid-May target, according to Birdsong.  

Below is a quick visual update of key changes in South Downtown, as an army of construction workers continues to restore historic buildings, erect new ones, and install infrastructure that includes MARTA’s first new transit line in decades and a multi-block Broad Street overhaul:  

^^ Status of building restoration and parking-lot construction at 171 Mitchel St., where popular taqueria El Tesoro will operate, as seen Sunday. 

...

^^ Future main entry to El Tesoro on Mitchell Street. 

...

^^ Next to El Tesoro, where a greenspace is being added that will connect to South Downtown's "Town Green" component, as illustrated here:

...

^^ An architectural highlight for South Downtown is 185 Mitchell St., where a breakfast and lunch diner concept from Todd Ginsberg (The General Muir, Fred’s Meat and Bread) and Josh Kim will operate under offices and two apartments. 

This building dates to at least the 1870s and is considered one of downtown's oldest, per the South Downtown team. 

...

^^ Meticulous building renovations and city-led infrastructure upgrades along South Broad Street. The Historic Broad Streetscape project, as its called, will reimagine three city blocks, stretching for about 3,000 linear feet between two MARTA hubs. 

...

^^ Facade work at 115 and 111 Broad St. 

...

^^ Looking north, toward Underground Atlanta, Broad Street BBQ will soon occupy the spaces at right. 

...

^^ Ahead on the far left, Brewhouse Pub (second location for the Little Five Points soccer bar) and restaurant Mule Train have been signed for restored Broad Street spaces. 

...

^^ Mitchell Street frontage where the diner concept is coming, with a courtyard next door to the left. 

...

^^ Continuing west on Mitchell Street, Decatur's Glide Pizza is on tap for this narrow but deep building (191 Mitchell St.). Plans call for sharing a 40-seat courtyard (at right) with the diner concept next door. 

...

^^ A new transit stop—in Atlanta?! 

Indeed, this Mitchell Street unicorn marks the westernmost stop on MARTA's forthcoming Rapid A-Line, which will be launching with dedicated bus lanes in two phases this year. The first official day of service for the five-mile BRT loop will be Saturday, April 18, per MARTA officials. 

Several new restaurants (as shown at left, above) will face the BRT route, which will mark MARTA's first new transit line in 25 years. 

...

^^ South Downtown's Hotel Row along Mitchell Street, prior to the addition of red MARTA BRT lanes this week, looking west toward Mercedes-Benz Stadium and new high-rise construction at Centennial Yards.

Forthcoming restaurants Delilah’s Everyday Soul and Bottle Rocket Sushi Tavern are set to take storefront spaces at right.  

...

^^ Lastly, looking north across billion-dollar megaproject Centennial Yards, new construction includes a topped-out boutique hotel (center) and immersive entertainment complex Cosm Atlanta. That three-level, 70,000-square-foot venue is scheduled to open June 10. Its main feature is an 87-foot diameter, 12K+ LED dome that’s said to bridge “the gap between the virtual and physical worlds through Shared Reality.” 

...

For context, below is a South Downtown leasing map. (Note: Mule Train restaurant at 87 Broad St. is missing from the image). 

...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)