Former Bowen Homes site breaks ground on second phase
EJP Consulting Group serves as a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant technical advisor to Atlanta Housing, supporting the redevelopment of the former Bowen Homes public housing site into a mixed-income community. The project will deliver approximately 2,000 homes alongside new community amenities, greenspace, and neighborhood services, helping reconnect the area with its history while creating new opportunities for current and future residents.
October 9, 2026
After more than 15 years of vacancy, the former Bowen Homes public housing site in northwest Atlanta is taking another step toward becoming a mixed-income neighborhood. On October 8, Atlanta Housing joined Mayor Andre Dickens, City Councilmember Dustin Hills, former residents, community leaders, and members of the Bowen family to break ground on the second phase of the redevelopment, now known as Ariel Place at Bowen.
The 74-acre redevelopment will bring approximately 2,000 homes to the site, along with community amenities, greenspace, and other neighborhood improvements. The new name honors Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen, an educator, musician, writer, and civic leader who taught at Tuskegee University under Booker T. Washington before becoming a music professor at Clark College.
Originally opened in 1964, Bowen Homes provided housing for nearly 4,000 Atlantans, including families displaced by urban renewal and the demolition of the Buttermilk Bottoms neighborhood. Over time, Bowen Homes became a close-knit community with schools, childcare centers, and a rich cultural history. The development was demolished in 2009 due to deteriorating conditions.
The second phase will add 112 homes, including 34 Atlanta Housing-assisted units, 35 affordable units, 10 workforce units, and 33 market-rate units. The homes will include a mix of one- through four-bedroom apartments to accommodate different household sizes. The approximately $50.2 million development will also feature a community room, co-working spaces, children's study areas, a fitness and wellness center, outdoor gathering spaces, and a playground. Construction is expected to be completed in January 2028.
The broader redevelopment is supported by a $40 million federal Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, $10 million in city funding, and more than $520 million in aligned public and private investment. Approximately 40% of the planned 2,000 homes are expected to be affordable. The first six phases are scheduled for completion through April 2031, with additional development planned across the property.
Long-term plans include homeownership opportunities, neighborhood-serving retail, workforce development spaces, expanded greenspace, and connections to nearby trails. The city is also planning a new elementary school as part of its broader investment in the neighborhood.
Atlanta Housing President and CEO Terri M. Lee emphasized that the redevelopment is about more than replacing housing. She credited longtime neighborhood advocate Ola W. Reynolds with helping ensure that the agency honored its commitments to former residents and worked with the community throughout the process. Lee described housing as a foundation for helping families achieve economic self-sufficiency.
The project also aims to preserve Bowen Homes' history. Atlanta Housing has launched an oral history initiative to collect photographs, documents, and memories from former residents. The new name recognizes Ariel Bowen's contributions while maintaining the connection to the Bowen family, after whom the original development was named.
For former residents who have waited years to see the neighborhood rebuilt, Ariel Place at Bowen marks another step toward restoring a historic Atlanta community while creating new housing and opportunities for future generations.
