Atlanta’s pioneering neighborhood rings in 15 years with completion of property modernization, new brand identity
On Oct. 21, 2005, Atlanta celebrated the grand opening of Atlantic Station, a pioneering neighborhood encompassing 138-acres and bringing best-in-class retail, dining, entertainment, office and residential offerings to Atlanta’s core. The nationally recognized property honors its 15th anniversary with the completion of its massive property redevelopment and the launch of its new brand identity, “The Heart of Atlanta.”
“Atlantic Station has outperformed expectations,” said Cornell Holmes, general manager of Atlantic Station. “The neighborhood has become an integral part of the community, spurring economic growth in the heart of the city and prospering as one of Atlanta’s first successful examples of a live, work, play environment. Atlantic Station opened the door for new markets to thrive, including Atlanta’s West Midtown, and has become a leader for urban development across the country. The 15th anniversary is a celebration for all of Atlanta as we honor its past as an industrial steel mill and welcome the next phase of Atlantic Station.”
Situated on the site of the former Atlantic Steel Mill, Atlantic Station was the first of its kind and noted as the nation’s largest urban brownfield redevelopment. In 2015, Hines took over as asset and property manager of Atlantic Station and embarked on a major property and tenant transformation – the largest revitalization since its inception in 2005. Focused on the modernization of its main spaces, the Hines-led transformation brought first-to-market retailers and restaurants, expanded its park and delivered two Class-A office towers. Since the launch of the transformation, the Hines team has announced the following:
- Over the last 5 years, the team has added more than 96,000 square feet of new retail and restaurant tenants, including national and local concepts such as Gyu-Kaku, Salata, Bowlero, Poke Bar, Pho 24, envegan, Book Boutique, SriThai Kitchen & Sushi Bar, HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern, Azotea Cantina, atl kula, Nike, Tiny Doors ATL and Forever21. Hines also expanded its H&M flagship to reach approximately 40,000 square feet, adding modern exteriors and additional product lines.
- In 2019, Hines celebrated the opening of its 230,000-square-foot heavy-timber office tower T3 West Midtown, which attracted social media giant Facebook, and the groundbreaking of Atlantic Yards, a two-building 523,000-square-foot office development and future home of Microsoft Atlanta.
- In April of this year, the Hines team completed the overhaul of Atlantic Station’s central greenspace, Atlantic Green. The expanded park, now twice the size of the original, features programmable green space, a water feature, a stadium-like jumbotron and three new jewel boxes with HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern anchoring the north end of the park and Azotea Cantina located at the south end.
- Earlier this year, the team also launched an ongoing property art initiative, bringing curated public art pieces to the property for the community to enjoy and a new artist-in-residence, Tiny Doors ATL. As part of the ongoing initiative, Hines recently unveiled “With Love,” a 175-by-40-foot mural by local artist Thomas Turner on the property’s parking deck facade facing the high-volume I-75 and I-85 corridor. Another example of the district’s commitment to the arts is the upcoming Unity Art Exhibition, featuring murals by five local artists. Additional pieces will be unveiled this year, including an Atlantic Station Tiny Door, customized mural by Atlanta artist Caleb Morris and more.
“Since its inception 15 years ago, Atlantic Station has been a pillar of Atlanta, offering the city and its visitors a centralized third place to enjoy as a community,” said Kristie Ray, director of marketing at Hines. “As we celebrate the 15th anniversary, we are proud to reintroduce Atlantic Station to the market with a modernized look and a more engaging, connected visitor experience through an expanded Atlantic Green, new shopping, dining and entertainment options and a new brand identity that embodies the sense of community Atlantic Station has long provided. Atlantic Station is the essence of what it means to be the heart of Atlanta, and we look forward to continuing to serve as the city’s premier intown destination.”
As part of the transformation, a new brand identity for Atlantic Station launches on Oct. 19. Hines will unveil “The Heart of Atlanta” brand assets, including a new interactive website, onsite signage and digital ads, highlighting the properties stance as the heart of the city. The newly redesigned website will feature a streamlined, modern design, improved functionality and easy-to-access property information with an “Itineraries” tab to help guests plan their visit to the property.
In celebration of its 15th Anniversary, Atlantic Station invites the community to enjoy the Atlantic Station History Walking Tour, an audio-guided tour around the district sharing key moments in the neighborhood’s history. Set to be unveiled later this month, the 5,745-foot tour symbolizes the number of days in Atlantic Station’s life and is complimentary to all guests.
For more information on Atlantic Station, visit
atlanticstation.com and engage with Atlantic Station on Twitter, Instagram and Face
About Atlantic Station:
A national example for sustainable mixed-use communities, Atlantic Station transformed an abandoned industrial site into a thriving retail and entertainment district at the heart of Atlanta’s vibrant Midtown neighborhood. Opened in 2005, Atlantic Station is home to some of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants, retailers such as H&M, Forever 21 and Dillard’s and leading employers such as Wells Fargo, Facebook, Microsoft and Truist. Atlantic Station is nearing completion of a major repositioning including a revamped tenant mix, with new retail and restaurant offerings and the renovation of its main central greenspace, Atlantic Green, as well as the inclusion of new multifamily residential units, hospitality offerings and more than 700,000 square feet of Class-A office space.
About Hines:
Founded in 1957, Hines is a privately-owned global leader in real estate investment, development and management. With a presence in 201 cities and 24 countries, and in excess of $100 billion in assets under management, Hines has extensive experience across multiple property-types, a pioneering commitment to sustainability, and is one of the most respected real estate organizations in the world.
