Town hall to discuss proposed Portman development on Ponce
Virginia-Highland residents will get a chance to provide feedback on a redevelopment vision for blocks of Ponce de Leon Avenue known for its character and nightlife.
Portman Holdings has under contract multiple properties near Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ponce de Leon Place, and will hold a town hall Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Virginia-Highland Church at 743 Virginia Avenue. It’s the first in-person meeting the developer will hold since announcing its Ponce & Ponce project.
The parcels currently house businesses including The Local, The Bookhouse Pub, MJQ Concourse, Friends on Ponce, a Chipotle and the recently shuttered 8ARM.
Preliminary site plans include 354 apartments, 470,000 square feet of office space and roughly 38,000 square feet of retail space spread across two parcels. Ponce de Leon Place bisects the site, which stretches from the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail and the gusto! restaurant at 782 Ponce de Leon Ave.
Rumblings of potential redevelopment sparked controversy over the summer since many longstanding businesses, bars and nightlife destinations would be affected.
The Virginia-Highland Civic Association will host the town hall. Portman representatives, the civic association’s planning committee and planning consultant Aaron Fortner will be available to discuss the proposed project.
The meeting is free to attend and does not require anyone to RSVP. The meeting will be recorded.
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
