Atlanta BeltLine chooses developer for Murphy Crossing project

Atlanta BeltLine Inc. has officially selected a finalist to redevelop the 20-acre Murphy Crossing site in southwest Atlanta.

The finalist is real estate development company Culdesac, Inc., who will partner with Urban Oasis Development, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects, LDG Consulting and T. Dallas Smith and Co. to realize the new mixed-used development at 1050 Murphy Ave. in the Oakland City neighborhood.

The plan has prioritized high density, transit-oriented development focused on preserving land for pedestrians and bicyclists in outdoor spaces protected from cars. The site is adjacent to the BeltLine’s Westside Trail and in close proximity to the Oakland City and West End MARTA stations.

The open layout will also include residential and commercial affordability in a mix of new and existing buildings to create connectivity with the surrounding neighborhood. Additional components will include a grocery store, retail and dining options, co-working spaces, arts and culture programming and a farmers’ market.

The investment at Murphy Crossing is part of an estimated $800 million of private investment underway within a mile of the site, including projects newly-constructed, in progress or in the pipeline. The site sits at the heart of the existing and expanding commercial nodes of Pittsburgh Yards, the MET, Lee + White, and West End Mall.

“The revitalization of Murphy Crossing has long been a part of the vision of Atlanta BeltLine and represents many of the aspirations we have for sustainable, equitable redevelopment along our 22-mile corridor,” said Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., in a press release. “We believe the Culdesac team, which includes members of one of the very neighborhoods this project will impact, will be great stewards of the community’s desires and great partners to our Atlanta BeltLine team.”

One of the key components of the project is its contribution to ABI’s affordable housing goal. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the residential units will be designated permanently affordable with an additional five percent (5%) deemed affordable for at least the next 30 years. The target AMI is between 60 and 80 percent. Additionally, Culdesac intends to offer 30% of all retail and light industrial spaces at an affordable rate to small businesses in the area.

The site, once home to the Georgia State Farmers Market, was first included in ABI’s foundational Atlanta BeltLine Redevelopment Plan in 2005 as one of its key redevelopment centers.

A public meeting to discuss the Murphy Crossing project is set for Monday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually on Zoom and broadcast to www.facebook.com/atlantabeltline. Details for joining this meeting online, as well as all past presentations and Facebook Live recordings, can be accessed at www.beltline.org/meetings. To join this meeting by phone, dial 929-205-6099 and enter webinar ID: 894 7766 2279.