Arguably one of the most ambitious projects of its time, the Atlanta BeltLine is already radically changing the landscape of Atlanta, both literally and figuratively, connecting neighborhoods and parks across the city. One effect of this massive project: a surge in new developments along the BeltLine, and surge in popularity among the connected neighborhoods. First-time homebuyers, in particular, are beginning to flock to neighborhoods along completed and developing segments of the Atlanta BeltLine, taking advantage of the affordable properties before prices begin to rise in earnest.
What Is the Atlanta Beltline?
The Atlanta Beltline is a project to revitalize a 22-mile loop of historic railroad corridors into a network of walking/jogging/biking trails, eventually interconnecting dozens of Atlanta neighborhoods and thousands of acres of city park land. Originally the brainchild of a Georgia Tech student as part of his master’s thesis in 1999, the idea took hold at a grassroots level and eventually became an actionable part of the city’s vision.
With several segments of the Beltline already completed and more sections currently under development, the project is garnering great amounts of interest from residents, developers and prospective home buyers alike, resulting in a fresh wave of revitalizations as more and more connected neighborhoods are now seeing spikes in their walkability ratings.
How Is the Beltline Changing Atlanta?
For many years, Atlanta has been primarily a commuter’s city, but with the arrival of the Beltline, Atlanta is set to become a much more walkable city – further encouraging people to walk, jog or bike to their destinations. Not only does this increase property values, but it also improves the overall quality of life.
Neighborhoods Currently on the Beltline
Upon completion, the Beltline will connect more than 45 distinct Atlanta neighborhoods from Peachtree Hills to South Atlanta. Thus far, three segments have been completed, affording several miles of interim hiking trails. Here are just a few of the popular Atlanta neighborhoods along the operational sections of the Beltline:
Midtown
Considered the heart of Atlanta, Midtown offers plenty of shopping, dining, art and culture — and now easy access to the Beltline accessible through Piedmont Park.
View available listings in Midtown Atlanta.
Old Fourth Ward
Home of the Atlanta Streetcar and Ponce City Market, this eclectic neighborhood is now even more accessible from other parts of town with the Beltline connecting to Historic Fourth Ward Park.
View available listings in Old Fourth Ward.
Virginia-Highland
Atlanta’s “most walkable neighborhood” is now even more so. Residents already enjoy plenty of sidewalk cafés and one-of-a-kind boutiques, but this historic neighborhood now connects to the Beltline through the east side of Piedmont Park.
View available listings in Virginia-Highland.
Cabbagetown
This east Atlanta neighborhood used to be factory housing for a textile mill. Today, the old mill has been converted into the nation’s largest residential loft community, and the surrounding historic bungalows and “shotgun shacks” are a boon for first-time home buyers. Thanks to the Eastside Trail of the Beltline, Cabbagetown now connects with popular areas like Little Five Points and Piedmont Park.
View available listings in Cabbagetown.
Inman Park
Located next to Little Five Points, this historic neighborhood is already experiencing a spike in home prices, in part due to Beltline accessibility. With several access points located near Krog Street Market, residents of this neighborhood can now walk to Freedom Park, Ponce City Market and Piedmont Park, if desired.
View available listings in Inman Park.
Peachtree Hills
Located on the southern side of Buckhead, this coveted Atlanta neighborhood now enjoys access to the Northside Trail, accessible through Atlanta Memorial Park and Tanyard Creek Park.
View available listings in Peachtree Hills.
More neighborhoods to come
As the Atlanta Beltline project progresses, we can expect new neighborhoods to become hotspots for first-time Atlanta home buyers, including Mechanicsville, Pittsburgh, Adair Park, Capitol View, Grant Park, Ormewood Park, Piedmont Heights, Sherwood Forest, Bankhead, Berkeley Park and many others.
If you are interested in looking for a home in one of the Beltline neighborhoods, we would be pleased to show you around! Give Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty a call today at 404.948.4812.
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