A legend in the Atlanta real estate industry has died. Channel 2 Action News has confirmed that Tom Cousins has passed away. The real estate tycoon, philanthropist, and political influencer was 93.
Cousins started his real estate career selling $11,000 houses with his father in the 1960s. But over the course of his career, which spanned more than 40 years, Cousins brought NBA and NFL franchises to the city, donated the plot for the Georgia World Congress Center, and dramatically changed the metro area skyline.
He developed the double-crowned 191 Peachtree building in Downtown and the Bank of America building in Midtown.
Cousins was the developer behind the iconic CNN Center and the Omni hotel, and revived Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood, restoring the East Lake Golf Club and luring the Tour Championship to Atlanta.
Cousins was chief executive officer of Cousins Properties until 2002, when Tom Bell took over, and chairman until December 2006.
Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement on Wednesday honoring Cousins’ legacy: “My prayers are with the family and friends of Tom Cousins, whose vision helped shape our skyline, his generosity helped rebuild communities, and values helped define modern Atlanta. A man of deep faith who loved his family, his legacy will live on as a guidepost for what leadership can and should be in Atlanta.”
Drew Charter School at East Lake, which was also spearheaded by Cousins, released a lengthy statement, which is partially quoted below.
“Mr. Cousins will forever be remembered here as one of the co-architects of the East Lake transformation and the impetus behind the creation of Drew Charter School. He labored side by side with renowned East Lake community advocate and neighborhood leader Ms. Eva Davis, and Atlanta Housing Authority leader Renee Glover, to create the East Lake we know today. His philanthropic journey led to the establishment of the East Lake Foundation in 1995.”
Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC owner Arthur M. Blank released the statement below on social media:
Cousins was also a former owner of Rough Draft Atlanta publication Atlanta Intown.
Former Intown publisher Wendy Binns said in a statement: “It felt like an honor to be in Tom Cousins’ presence and to be working for something he believed in — a community-building publication. His intentions were focused on a better community. He really cared.”
We send our condolences to Mr. Cousins’ family, friends, and colleagues.
