Arcadia Decatur Opens

THREE STORY APARTMENT COMPLEX CONTINUES TREND IN TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Arcadia Decatur continues city efforts to densify in proximity to transit stations, expanding mobility options to incentivize reduced automotive traffic overall.

Occupying the southernmost portion of the former DeVry University property, the project features 101 market rate apartments — 70% one bedroom, 30% two bedroom — within an 8 minute walk of the Avondale MARTA station.

Situated between the MARTA station and Sycamore Drive, it creates a comfortable bridge in density between the intensity of a neighborhood center and the leafier areas to the north comprised primarily of single family homes.

BRINGING MULTIPLE GOALS TOGETHER

Though this project, like similar projects that have come online, is new construction with commensurate market-rate rents, it still plays an important role in Decatur’s long-term housing strategies. Steadily increasing demand for in-town living continues to exert pressure on communities like Decatur. By increasing supply for middle-income earners seeking market-rate rentals in prime Decatur locations, these new apartments help reduce market pressure on our more limited inventory of older, more affordable second-tier units which are preferably retained as workforce housing.

Building an active population of downtown and transit-adjacent residents has been a city priority since development of 1982’s community-driven Town Center Plan. In practice, such developments (both condo and for-rent) have been net-positive contributors to local tax revenue, paying notably more than they take out in city services and associated infrastructure, including schools. To wit, analysis by the City Schools of Decatur found that the number of enrolled students in each of the city’s large-format multifamily buildings fell below projections and, taken collectively, those building contribute in excess of $2.5 million in net school funding each year.

Residents drawn by a walkable, car-lite or car-free lifestyle further contribute to the health of our businesses, both independent and chain, providing for a wider variety of offerings and experiences for locals and visitors alike.