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The Future of Ponce Rumors of redevelopment shake storied Ponce de Leon Avenue
A rendering of the Chick-fil-a coming to Ponce de Leon Avenue at Boulevard. (Courtesy Chick-fil-a)
By Collin Kelley A storied stretch of the Ponce de Leon Avenue corridor appears to be set for major redevelopment, threatening the future of beloved eateries and nightspots, including MJQ Concourse, Bookhouse Pub, Java Jive, and The Local. Redevelopment rumors gained traction after 8ARM restaurant announced in June that it would be closing in October after its Atlanta BeltLine-adjacent property was sold to Cartel Properties. The developer also purchased the burned-out shell of the former Paris on Ponce market. Then, VESTA Fitboxing posted on Instagram that it was moving to a new location after the entire block of Ponce from its location to the 8ARM and former Paris on Ponce building had also been
8ARM and the old Paris on Ponce building have been purchased for redevelopment by Cartel Properties. (Google Maps)
gobbled up, presumably by Cartel. A map circulating on Reddit and Twitter showed the entire north side of Ponce from the BeltLine to the Honey Bubble tea shop property would be razed to make way for new development. The Atlanta JournalConstitution reported in July that at least some of these rumors are true. Charles Kerns, who owns the popular wings and karaoke joint The Local and an adjacent property, said he is finalizing an agreement with an unnamed developer to build a mixed-use development on the land.
The AJC also reached out to a number of other developers who own property along the stretch. Selig Development said it had no development plans on the block, but longtime developer Portman Holdings said, “We are not commenting on things related to projects at this time.” Virginia-Highland Civic Association
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President David Brandenberger, told Urbanize Atlanta that it was all “conjecture at this point,” while the website noted that five parcels on the block are currently owned by five different individuals or corporations. Redevelopment concerns were ratcheted up another notch, when Chickfil-a has confirmed it will build two restaurants on Ponce de Leon Avenue less than a mile from each other. The Atlanta-based fast-food chain had already announced it would build a new location at the corner of Ponce and Boulevard, the site of a former Texaco gas station and convenience store. Chick-fil-a then confirmed to What Now Atlanta? that it will build a dine-inonly restaurant with 40 parking spaces on the site of Dugan’s bar on Ponce – a 10-minute walk from the other location. Dugan’s, a fixture at 777 Ponce for nearly 37 years, announced earlier this year it would be moving to Northlake Mall, but denied rumors that Chickfil-a was buying the property, which sits adjacent to Hotel Clermont. The inevitable redevelopment of the corridor was heralded in 2014 with the adaptive reuse of the former Sears, Roebuck & Co. building into the successful Ponce City Market, which is currently expanding with two new apartment buildings and an office building.
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