LOCATION: Oakland City, Atlanta, GA

SIZE: 5 Acres

STATUS:  In Progress

PARTNERS: Invest Atlanta, Atlanta BeltLine, Choate, Urban Realty Partners, Stream Realty Partners

SERVICES PROVIDED: Urban Design, Zoning and Policy Guidance, Architecture

KUA is partnering with Urban Realty Partners to lead the adaptive reuse and transformation of two historic Cut Rate Box warehouse buildings in Atlanta’s Oakland City neighborhood into Oakland Exchange, a dynamic, mixed-use, BeltLine-adjacent development that celebrates the site’s industrial heritage while creating new opportunities for living, working, and gathering in Southwest Atlanta.

Located along Murphy Avenue and just steps from the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail Spur, the project reimagines early 20th-century heavy-timber warehouse structures as a vibrant community hub complete with a new build offering a new restaurant space and repurposed shipping containers for local vendors/business. The design preserves and highlights original architectural elements—including exposed timber framing, brick facades, and expansive industrial windows—while introducing contemporary residential, office, and retail uses that activate both the buildings and surrounding public realm.

The residential program will include over 100 loft-style apartments, offering a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, with a significant affordable housing component to support long-term neighborhood stability and inclusive growth. The historic project will incorporate approximately 12,000sqft of creative office/retail tenant space and ~1,400sqfy of future restaurant space, while roughly 6,000sqft of new construction space will be dedicated to restaurant and local vendors, fostering a live-work-play environment that supports both residents and local businesses.

As a designated Opportunity Zone project, Oakland Exchange has leveraged innovative financing tools include TAD funding given the projects location inside the Beltline Tax Allocation District. These funding opportunities have been secured to catalyze reinvestment in the historically disinvested area, helping to attract new employers, entrepreneurs, and community-serving amenities. Historic Designation as well as Historic Rehabilitation Tax credits have also been secured, which have been key to financial success of the site’s rehabilitation. The Atlanta BeltLine Inc (ABI) has been a key partner for the securing and financing of the site.

Public-facing spaces, outdoor gathering areas, and BeltLine-oriented retail will strengthen neighborhood connections and enhance pedestrian activity, positioning Oakland Exchange as a new gateway to the Westside Trail and a cornerstone of Oakland City’s continued revitalization.

Once complete, Oakland Exchange will deliver not only much-needed housing and commercial space, but also a community-centered destination that promotes economic opportunity, honors the area’s history, and supports a more equitable and connected future for Southwest Atlanta.