Renovation of the historic Atlanta Constitution building in Downtown into a mixed-use development is underway.
Invest Atlanta and development partner Gorman & Company held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project at 143 Alabama Street on June 5. Built in 1947 as the headquarters of the Atlanta Constitution newspaper, the Art Moderne-style building has sat derelict for decades, but will now be transformed into Folio House.
The first phase will stabilize and restore the building’s exterior and 5,575 square feet of ground floor commercial space in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
An adjacent outdoor area called “The Pitch” will be used for cultural and World Cup-related events. Phase one will also include converting the upper floors into 50 affordable housing units available at 30 to 80 percent of the area median income.
Phase one was approved for a $3.5 million Westside TAD Ascension Fund grant to ensure long-term affordability and equitable access to housing and commercial opportunities.
Phase two will add a new 151-unit affordable housing building on the surrounding property, further addressing the city’s housing needs. Once complete, the site is expected to include more than 190 affordable housing units, according to a press release from Invest Atlanta.
“The transformation of 143 Alabama is part of a broader vision of an equitable downtown revitalization that already includes 2 Peachtree and properties on Trinity and Forsyth,” Mayor Andre Dickens said at the groundbreaking event. “These investments are testaments to the strength of public-private partnerships – how they can turn vacant and underutilized buildings into thriving community-serving spaces.”
Invest Atlanta CEO Eloisa Klementich described the project as transit-oriented development thanks to its easy access to the under-refurbishment Five Points MARTA Station.
“Once completed, this redevelopment will make a major impact with over $107 million in leveraged investment and $130 million in total economic output projected,” Klementich said.
