One of the churches that sold its property to make way for the new Falcons stadium is partnering with a developer to not only build a new sanctuary, but an entirely new part of Downtown. According to a report from the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Friendship Baptist Church envisions turning the community around the new stadium into a revitalized “Downtown West.”
Friendship is partnering with national development firm McCormack Baron Salazar to revitalize at least 22 acres around the new stadium. The new development would include affordable and market-rate housing, retail, community amenities and a new home for Friendship Baptist Church.
Friendship sold its church property for more than $19 million and then partnered with the City of Atlanta to buy part of the historic Morris Brown College campus. Friendship already owns three acres on Mitchell Street across from its now-demolished sanctuary, along with more than 13 acres along Northside Drive and Mitchell Street and the five acres that it is buying from Morris Brown.