The Westside Future Fund (WFF), in collaboration with officials from the city of Atlanta, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 12 in English Avenue for a mixed-use deveopment.
The vacant site at 839 Joseph E. Boone will be transformed into multifamily housing and commercial space.
The new development will include 33 units of rental housing and 1,200 square feet of space for retail. This development will be located next to Kathryn Johnston Park, one of several greenspaces WFF has partnered with community leadership to bring to the community.
“This project is a significant contribution to one of our city’s priority neighborhoods, and reflects WFF’s commitment to revitalizing our historic Westside to healthy, safe and thriving communities,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “Thank you to WFF and their Chair, Dr. Tatum, the Woodruff Foundation and Invest Atlanta for their partnership, and for believing in the future of Atlanta’s Westside by investing in our residents through sustainable, affordable housing.”
This project was made possible through a grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. Additional funding for the development was provided by Invest Atlanta and WFF’s Impact Fund. To ensure permanent affordability and retention of legacy residents, WFF relies on philanthropy to help fuel its efforts.
WFF’s signature program Home on the Westside prioritizes residents with “live, work and learn” connections to the community and includes rental housing, homeownership, and property tax assistance.
“This groundbreaking symbolizes a pivotal moment for our organization and the entire community,” WFF CEO John Ahmann said. “It’s not just about breaking ground on a project; it’s about breaking barriers and building bridges towards a more vibrant and inclusive future for Atlanta’s historic Westside. We have been diligent in our process of acquiring land, and thinking about the future ahead, to ensure we help build a community that will positively impact the lives of generations to come.”