“Sweet” Auburn Avenue officially is on its way to getting sweeter.
Big Bethel AME Church, the Benoit Group and Russell New Urban Development/H.J. Russell & Co. announced Tuesday they are joining forces to develop or renovate property owned by the church along the downtown corridor, once home to some of the city's most prominent black businesses.
The $120 million project will be done in four phases and includes gutting and renovating the 180-unit Bethel Towers, a massive parking deck, two residential towers and retail.
“We want to proclaim that ‘Sweet’ Auburn is alive and well,” said the Rev. John Foster, senior pastor of the historic church.
Eddy Benoit, lead developer, said he thinks the project will be a catalyst for downtown, serving both the community and creating a tax base for the city.
Mtamanika Youngblood, president and CEO of Sweet Auburn Works, a nonprofit revitalization organization, said she hopes the project "is one that will pay tribute to the legacy of Auburn Avenue."
She was pleased that Bethel Towers will remain affordable housing for seniors and others, and that the church and developers have committed to architecturally compatible new construction. She said she also hopes that the developers and Big Bethel will work with her organization to recruit minority businesses for the retail space, remain architecturally compatible, and take steps to make sure existing businesses remain.
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