Mike Abebe’s grand vision for “New Urbanism meets farm country,” as he calls it, began on vacation.
Abebe, who founded Atlanta-based real estate acquisition and development firm Abebe Ventures more than 30 years ago, randomly met a resident of Waynesboro while vacationing who spoke highly of the east Georgia town’s people—and the growing need for housing there. Abebe had a look for himself at the so-called “Bird Dog Capital of the World” and was charmed by Waynesboro’s hospitality and sense of community. He was sold.
Fast forward a few years, to the middle of March, and Abebe Ventures officials were breaking ground alongside city dignitaries on St. George Crossing, a nature-connected, multi-phase development roughly the size of Piedmont Park that would grow the local housing stock exponentially if fully realized.
Abebe has closely followed the made-from-scratch evolution of Town at Trilith over the past decade, and he’s also drawn inspiration from Serenbe to help shape his 190-plus acre plans in Waynesboro. Like both of those New Urbanism success stories, St. George Crossing calls for new commerce and custom homes that sit close to streets, to promote a sense of walkability and connection, alongside natural aspects that include a communal farm, trails, ponds, meadows, and a pecan grove—eventually.
Should plans come to fruition, St. George Crossing will see an array of 1,600 residential units sprout up, ranging from multifamily buildings up to six stories tall, cottages, and townhomes to larger, custom single-family homes. No home will be more than a two-minute walk from an open greenspace, according to the approved masterplan. Included will be relatively affordable “missing middle” housing types and walkable commercial and retail spaces, per developers.
“I still pinch myself I got this kind of entitlement in a remote part of Georgia while we struggle here in the city,” Abebe recently wrote to Urbanize Atlanta via email.
The full St. George Crossing community's masterplan near downtown Waynesboro. Courtesy of Abebe Ventures/St. George Crossing
The project's townhomes are marketed as "ideal for young professionals, healthcare workers, teachers, first-time buyers, and downsizing residents."Courtesy of Abebe Ventures/St. George Crossing
Today, Waynesboro is a town of roughly 6,000 residents about 30 miles south of Augusta, and two and ½ hours east of Atlanta. St. George Crossing’s site is conceivably within walking and biking distance of Waynesboro’s charming old downtown square area, situated about a mile away.
But according to Abebe, Waynesboro could punch above its weight when it comes to potential.
The area’s growing workforce owes to its proximity to Plant Vogtle (now the largest nuclear power plant in the U.S.), nearby electric-vehicle manufacturing facilities, and U.S. Army base Fort Gordon.
“Many employees in these sectors are currently forced to seek housing outside the area due to limited local supply,” said Michael Obasi, Abebe Ventures chief of staff.
Waynesboro Mayor James Jones, in a February letter of support, called the St. George Crossing project a “thoughtful and much-needed investment in [the city] and Burke County” that will prove “a strong asset to our community” and “catalyst for continued growth and investment in the area.” Financing through the Rural Workforce Housing Initiative, along with other state and federal programs, will be key to its success, the mayor noted. (Abebe Ventures estimates the project will cost around $400 million total.)
Rough scope of St. George Crossing, where 1,600 residential units are eventually planned, in relation to the rest of Waynesboro. Google Maps
Planned look of single-family homes, designed to promote walkability, "neighborly interaction, front-porch culture, and a shared sense of place," per project leaders. Courtesy of Abebe Ventures/St. George Crossing
Abebe is listed on his firm’s website as “one of the largest private landowners in the City of Atlanta with a concentration of assets in West Atlanta.” His portfolio started with the purchase of a single convenience store on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and has swelled to more than 1,000 homes built in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Minneapolis, with nearly 70 percent of those qualified as affordable housing, per Abebe’s online profile.
In Atlanta, most notably, Abebe Ventures has partnered with the local offices of Perkins&Will architects to design a potentially billion-dollar, mixed-income project along Capitol View’s Sylvan Road in Southwest Atlanta. According to Abebe’s vision, that endeavor could eventually see more than 3,000 residential units and some 716,000 square feet of commercial and restaurant space on industrial-zoned, vacant land, though it’s recently encountered hurdles with city approvals.
Back in Waynesboro, St. George Crossing’s initial phase has nearly wrapped land-clearing work, with plans to install roads and utilities soon, according to Obasi.
Phase one calls for roughly 55 single-family homes and townhomes, each with two or three bedrooms, with pricing TBD. Other facets of the initial phase will see retail and commercial space, a dog park, amphitheater, events space, and a green trail.
St. George Crossing's ceremonial March groundbreaking, with developer Mike Abebe pictured fourth from right. Courtesy of Abebe Ventures/St. George Crossing
Site-clearing underway this month off West 6th Street in Waynesboro. Courtesy of Abebe Ventures/St. George Crossing
Big picture, Abebe and company say St. George Crossing could prove a test case for projects of similar scope and purpose around other cities and states.
“Waynesboro presents a unique opportunity to execute a development of this scale—something that would be significantly more challenging in a market like Atlanta,” said Obasi. “[Abebe] has also been encouraged by the strong support from city officials and residents, particularly their openness to embracing a New Urbanism design approach in a market where it's not typically seen.”
Find more context and images in the gallery above.
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