History And HOPE VI Transformation
Capitol Gateway was established as a redevelopment of the historic Capitol Homes public housing project at 89 Memorial Drive Southeast. Capitol Homes began construction in March 1940, spanned 34. 2 acres in District 2, and contained hundreds of low-rent units. Following demolition in 2003 under the Atlanta Housing Authority's HOPE VI revitalization efforts, the property was transformed into Capitol Gateway. The resulting $120 million project was sponsored by Atlanta Housing alongside partners including Trammell Crow Residential, Integral Real Estate Group, and Urban Realty Partners. Across its development phases, the mixed-income community introduced nearly 1,000 rental housing units serving diverse income levels. This comprehensive initiative replaced distressed public housing with modern mixed-finance residential construction.
Building Design And Memorial Drive Streetscape
The urban framework for Capitol Gateway was designed by architecture firm PRAXIS3 based on the Memorial Drive Revitalization Study corridor plans. The neighborhood features four-story apartment buildings situated along Memorial Drive just east of downtown Atlanta. Designers created a pedestrian-friendly street edge that integrates 45,000 square feet of retail with live and work units at street level. Residential sections also extend to addresses at 89 Woodward Avenue Southeast and 90 Woodward Avenue Southeast. The site lies directly in the shadow of the Georgia State Capitol Building in southeast Atlanta. These physical structures combine commercial retail spaces directly below multi-story residential rental apartments.
Corridor Connectivity And Neighborhood Setting
Capitol Gateway is situated in southeast Atlanta along the Memorial Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor. This stretch just east of downtown Atlanta historically featured industrial warehouses, vacant lots, and commercial properties like auto-repair shops. Today, Capitol Gateway anchors this revitalized corridor with its mixed-income residential community and street-level commercial space. The development places roughly 1,000 residential rental units right near downtown governmental landmarks. Woodward Avenue Southeast provides direct access to key addresses within the Atlanta Housing sponsored community. The neighborhood's layout creates a pedestrian-friendly environment connecting residential units directly to the surrounding urban streetscape.