MARTA development at Avondale station wins award

A transit-oriented development at Avondale Station will feature apartments, condos, affordable senior units, office and retail space and a grocery store. The development partners, Columbia Ventures and Decatur Downtown Development Authority, broke ground in December.

A transit-oriented development at Avondale Station will feature apartments, condos, affordable senior units, office and retail space and a grocery store. The development partners, Columbia Ventures and Decatur Downtown Development Authority, broke ground in December.

A construction project to build apartments and commercial space at the Avondale MARTA station just started, but it's already gaining recognition.

The DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce recently named the $120 million mixed-use development its 2017 Project of the Year.

Construction on the development, called E. Co in reference to its proximity to East College Avenue, began in December. The first phase of construction is scheduled for completion in 2018.

“At MARTA, we are always exploring innovative ways to enhance the overall transit experience by introducing new amenities, innovations and conveniences for our broad range of customers,” said MARTA CEO Keith Parker.

The project is one of several transit-oriented developments planned near MARTA stations.  The development at Lindbergh station was the first, and others are planned at Chamblee, Edgewood/Candler Park and other stations.

E. Co will feature 378 market-rate apartments and 92 affordable housing options for seniors. It also includes 22,000 square feet of commercial space available for entertainment, dining and retail.

It’s being built on 7.7 acres of underused parking spaces.

“The MARTA Avondale station TOD is crucial to connecting DeKalb County to the metro Atlanta region and preparing us to support future growth,” said Katerina Taylor, the president of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.