Atlanta zoning review board approves high-rise Old Fourth Ward luxury condos

The Atlanta Zoning Review Board on Nov. 5 gave the green light to plans for a towering Old Fourth Ward residential development, despite opposition from residents who say the 225-foot-high luxury condo could be detrimental to the environment and aesthetic of the neighborhood. In the meeting, the board approved the ordinance, Z-26-52, to rezone the two-parcel property at 687 Angier Ave. and 707 Angier Ave. NE in a 4-1 vote. The rezoning would change both parcels from Mixed Residential Commercial Conditional/Beltline Overlay and Light Industrial/Beltline Overlay to Mixed Residential Commercial/Beltline Overlay, according to a ZRB staff report. Residents, online and during the hearing, expressed various concerns about the environmental, safety and neighborhood character impact of the project. Neighborhood Planning Unit M , one of 25 citizen advisory groups formally created by the City of Atlanta, voted 41-8 to deny the rezoning in an October meeting. City officials and developers say that despite their dislike of the vertical construction of the condominiums, the project aligns with the city’s 2025 Community Development Plan. The existing two-parcel development currently includes a 22-unit affordable multifamily residential building, Hillside Villas, and a duplex. The developers plan to build an 18-story, 140,000-square-foot luxury condominium building with 52 units, with a projected completion date of 2031. Cody Pierce, who lives about five feet away from the development, told the board the sky-high condominiums are “really not what’s needed” in Old Fourth Ward. Most of the buildings that surround the planned condos stand about six to nine stories. “You could have the same amount of density in a much shorter building,” Pierce said. “According to the CDP, yes, this is on the map, but it doesn’t have to be the most intense [option].” The building’s height and its impact on affordable housing concerned Pierce, since there’s a projected loss of 24 affordable units with the demolition of the current buildings to make room for the luxury condos. Satish Lathi, one of the developers, noted that the city did not include an “inclusionary” requirement for the condos, which will sell for millions, according to a city housing impact statement. Those conditions could change if some units are rental properties, Lathi said. “There is no perceived negative effect on the existing use or usability of adjacent or nearby properties,” read the statement. Melinda Fox, an Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association member and an environmental scientist, said she begs to differ. She asked the board to conduct a meaningful and independent “solstice-to-solstice” shadow study to properly assess how the 18-story building at the edge of Old Fourth Ward Park will impact native plants, mature trees, landscaping, and the popular playground at the park. “It’s a major family destination along one of Atlanta’s busiest beltline corridors, serving families, children and visitors throughout the year,” Fox said during the zoning board hearing. “An 18-story residential building, directly overhead, completely vertical, creates a very real fishbowl effect with hundreds of windows and balconies overlooking children at play.” The zoning committee will review the plans at the Nov. 16 full council meeting, which takes place at the Atlanta City Hall, located at 55 Trinity Ave. SW. The meeting can also be viewed on the city’s ATL26 YouTube page .