Atlanta BeltLine Buys Over 31 Acres Near New Microsoft Campus

Atlanta BeltLine Inc. purchased 31 acres of land near the new Microsoft campus to create affordable housing and improve mobility. Currently there have been reports of landlords doubling and tripling rent so BeltLine officials purchased property to control prime development sites to preserve affordable housing.

BeltLine officials got approved by Invest Atlanta to purchase the land at 425 Chappell Road which once contained the affordable Chappell Forest apartments before they were demolished. The Chappell Road property is only a half-mile from the Bankhead MARTA station and nearby Grove Park where Microsoft plans to build out a 90-acre East Cobb hub. Microsoft’s future intown Atlanta home base is planned for Quarry Yards.

BeltLine officials hope to meet some of their key objectives such as creating more walkable neighborhoods near MARTA and better community engagement. Clyde Higgs, BeltLine CEO has said that buying land is a part of the BeltLine’s strategy so that it can support permanent affordability, jobs and workforce developments along the trail.