South downtown Atlanta residential conversion to be housing for students, young professionals

July 13,2017

Work is plugging along on the conversion of a nearly century-old manufacturing building into 41 residences in south downtown.

Renovations on the M.C. Kiser Building, constructed in 1923 as a shoe factory, began in January and are already past the halfway point.

The project reportedly marks the first market-rate apartments to enter the neighborhood in a decade. Located two blocks from Garnett MARTA Station, just south of Five Points and Underground Atlanta, the building is nicely situated for transit access.

According to a report by Novogradac & Company, the development will provide market-rate housing catering to students at nearby Georgia State University, government employees, and young professionals. The building will include 36 one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units.

The rents may be classified as affordable—exact costs aren’t yet known, however—but the craftsmanship and amenities will match those of luxury buildings in the city, per the report.

Units will feature solid-surface countertops, large windows, and original wide-plank floors. Residents will also be able to enjoy a large rooftop terrace with sweeping views of downtown.

Original details, including ornate terracotta work and heavy wood beams, are also being saved to lend character to the finished project.

Gallman Development Group, the developer, hopes the project will be a catalyst for other investment in the neighborhood. If recent announcements—including the planned revitalization of several downtown blocks—are any indication, the wheels are already in motion.