It was only a matter of time before the remaining open parcels of land along the Atlanta BeltLine’s buzzy Eastside Trail began to fill in. Two big developments just steps from each other are set to see a massive expansion of StudioPlex with offices, apartments, retail, and restaurants.
Portman Holdings recently went back to the drawing board for a mixed-use development that will sit on a strip of property at the corner of Irwin Street, Auburn Avenue, and the Eastside Trail.
Mike Greene, Portman’s vice president of development, told Urbanize Atlanta that the $85-million, six-story, Class A office project will also have an “outdoor living room” space for the general public to enjoy.
The 1.3-acre property was originally envisioned as a hotel, but the pandemic squashed that idea, according to Greene.
The 130,00-sqare-foot development, which will technically sit at 667 Auburn Avenue, is part of the StudioPlex master development plan. Portman hinted at its future tenant base by stating it would design the office building with large, open floorplans favored by tech companies.
The large public porch space with multiple seating areas will also have 7,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, plus a detached kiosk for grabbing drinks. A restaurant, coffee shop, and two small retail spaces are planned with design work from Square Feet Studio.
Just a short stroll down the Eastside Trail, the strip of land between the shops and townhomes of SPX Alley and the Edgewood Avenue bridge will soon be home to an apartment complex with BeltLine facing retail.
Columbia Ventures is developing the $37 million project as another aspect of the StudioPlex buildout.
With an address of 678 Edgewood Ave, there are expected to be 114 apartments ranging in size from 400 to 1,200 square feet with 14 percent reserved for affordable housing. The ground floor will have a mix of shops and restaurants.
