Onward
Rendering of the project at the intersection of Moreland Ave and Glenwood Ave, looking west.
Greetings neighbors. Thank you for your continued support and patience with this project. We have been persistent on our end and are excited to report our progress with getting this project started. After receiving zoning approval from the community and City in May 2019, we closed on the property in July 2020 due to closing and Covid delays.
(Note: If you are not familiar with this project up until now, please check out the previous Updates for a timeline of the community visioning process that shaped the site design.)
After consolidating the 8 lots and ironing out the design details, we are now moving forward with obtaining the necessary variances to make the approved zoning plan a reality. This month we applied for a Special Administrative Permit (SAP) and submitted a Variance & Special Exception Application with the City of Atlanta.
Our development partner, Rea Ventures, has secured their funding from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to develop 42 units of affordable housing for those earning between 30%-80% of area median income, with a project average of 60%. This residential portion of the project will be known as the Abbington at Ormewood Park. The commercial portion of the project will be known as The Lodge, in honor of the historic Masonic Lodge building as the centerpiece of the development.
There have been some minor changes from the approved zoning plan in 2019 due to reconciling the grading, building codes, affordable housing funding requirements and Covid considerations. But for the most part, the original plan has remained intact and the total square footage decreased slightly. The latest application plans and designs are below. To compare these plans to the approved zoning plans, please visit Update #5 here.
Updated illustrative site plan of the mixed-use development. The Masonic Lodge (A) acts as the centerpiece of the development and is connected to a large public plaza for outdoor seating and gatherings. Another historic home (B) will be converted to commercial. The remaining new construction buildings help frame the plaza and hide the parking from public view.
Rendering of Building D, the new office building at the corner of Moreland and Glenwood. The building’s architecture refers to the Masonic Lodge’s materials while complementing the traditional style of historic buildings across the street and within the surrounding Ormewood Park/East Atlanta Village neighborhoods.
Current site plan, submitted with the SAP and variance application. Please click the image for a higher resolution file.
We have also done some preliminary cleanup and test area repairs of the historic Masonic Lodge building. While the building has long been neglected, it has great bones of masonry, steel and concrete and will clean up very well. The architectural details are irreplaceable and of another time, with a limestone masonry façade, marble staircase, and grand ballroom with 20 foot high ceilings.
Masonic Lodge - North façade in prior condition
Sample of cleaned-up limestone façade, above the mural
Masonic Lodge - East façade in prior condition
Sample of cleaned-up limestone façade
Masonic meeting hall, second floor; prior condition
Masonic meeting hall, after preliminary clean-up
Marble entry stair to second floor; prior condition
Entry stair after preliminary clean-up and minor repairs. The marble floor will be polished with the renovation
We will be attending the February SAND, EACA and NPU meetings for the variance application, with a Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) public hearing on March 11th. After obtaining these last remaining zoning approvals, we will immediately submit for a land disturbance permit, with the goal to break ground by this summer. The affordable housing financing requirements set a construction start date for the site work by May of this year, so both Rea Ventures and our Lodge team are aiming to start by that date.
The realignment of the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Moreland Avenue by the Georgia Department of Transportation and City of Atlanta Public Works is well underway. They did experience some Covid delays last year and told us they are projecting to be complete by the fall of this year.
We will be hosting an open house in the historic Masonic Lodge building on Saturday, February 6th, from 11 am to 2 pm. Pizza and refreshments will be provided. Please feel free to come say hello, check out the Lodge, and have any of your questions answered.
Leasing is currently underway for the Lodge and office building. For more information on the commercial space available for lease, please contact Perry King with King Properties here.
Thank you again for your continued support. At long last we are ready to make this vision a reality!
Sincerely,
The 525 Moreland Development Team