When it comes to economic growth, Atlanta historically has been a divided city. As affluent neighborhoods were built up on Atlanta’s northern end, communities on the south side received little consideration from investors.
But now those southern areas of the city have something that is finally attracting developers’ attention, and it traces back to Atlanta’s history as a railroad town.
In neighborhoods like Pittsburgh and Mechanicsville, Michael Kahn, who is an editor for Curbed and regularly shares architecture commentary on “City Lights,” said there’s “a legacy of trades people and people working on the railroads.”
“The rail lines that are being used for the BeltLine pass through southwest Atlanta,” said Kahn. “So you have neighborhoods like Adair Park and West End that are going to see this rejuvenation like we saw on the Eastside.”
“And you’re beginning to already see that new interest in these neighborhoods,” Kahn said. “Houses in Adair Park and West End are being renovated and resold for values that we have never seen in those neighborhoods before.”
