In advance of its first football game, plans to develop the area surrounding Georgia State Stadium are already taking shape.
Over the last several months, constructed has unfolded as Georgia State University begins to convert the former Turner Field–home to MLB’s Atlanta Braves from 1997-2016–into a football stadium that will be used by the school starting this year. The conversion of the stadium, however, is just one part of a broader objective that includes redevelopment in the surrounding area.
The early phases of that part of the project are already taking shape, as permits have been filed to begin construction on some of these initiatives this fall, potentially allowing new tenants to arrive in spring or summer of next year. More from Curbed Atlanta:
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the development team, led by Carter, has filed permits to begin work along Georgia Avenue to transform the long-neglected corridor into a vibrant commercial strip.
The street, stretching from Summerhill to Grant Park, contains an assortment of low-rise early 20th century commercial buildings that will be given a new lease on life. The work is part of the larger vision to create a new residential and business hub in the city, south of downtown, in the parking lots of the former home of the Braves.
While the stretch of Georgia Avenue east of Fraser Street wasn’t always a part of the redevelopment plan, it was added when Carter, Oakwood Development, and Healy Weatherholtz purchased buildings along the street earlier this year for $3.2 million.
Work on the stadium has also been making progress. Last week, construction crews were reportedly removing the Turner Field letters from the facility’s exterior and Georgia State announced late last month that the stadium will feature a FieldTurf playing surface. The first game at Georgia State Stadium is scheduled for August 31.
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