ATLANTA — City officials have broken ground on a major redevelopment of the Atlanta Civic Center site; a multi-phase project that will bring new housing, commercial space and cultural opportunities to the area.

Atlanta Housing has been planning the 19-acre development since 2017. The first phase includes 148 affordable housing units for seniors, with construction expected to take 18 to 24 months.

Atlanta Housing President and CEO Terri Lee says the project will help address a lack of affordability in the surrounding corridor.

She states, “It’s an anchor in my opinion not just for the cultural opportunity for the city, not just for economic and commercial opportunities, but quite honestly it’s really to bring affordability to a corridor that does not have a lot of affordable housing present.”

Lee says the full build-out will be much larger, ultimately bringing 1,500 new housing units with 38% affordability, along with retail, commercial space and a reimagined performing arts center.

She states, “We will have commercial space, retail space, reimagining what the performing arts center can be. A cultural space as well as many amenities, it will be not just transformative but trailblazing for the city.”

Plans call for work on the second phase to begin in 2027.

WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.