East Point is gearing up to turn dirt this Friday on The Fifty-Five, a transit-focused mixed-use project that city leaders are banking on to give downtown a lift. The four-story development at 2855 East Point St. is set to bring 60 apartments and a slice of street-level retail to a site roughly one block west of the East Point MARTA station. Developer Gorman & Company says the property will lean into shared community spaces and on-site services.
As reported by Urbanize Atlanta, Gorman & Company has scheduled a Friday morning groundbreaking for the 77,000-square-foot project, which will replace part of the block between Dorsey and Thompson streets. Plans call for ground-floor retail and a compact parking setup, with Gorman handling design, development, construction and long-term management.
Site and subsidy
According to a Georgia Department of Community Affairs market document, The Fifty-Five is listed as an LIHTC-subsidized development at 2855 East Point St., putting it in the state’s pipeline for income-restricted rental housing. That designation underscores the project’s goal of delivering affordable units in a transit-adjacent location.
Developer track record
Gorman & Company has been steadily expanding its Atlanta footprint, opening its first local project in Westview and pursuing additional mixed-income and adaptive-reuse work in the region, according to Gorman & Company. The firm says it will carry The Fifty-Five from design through construction and into day-to-day property management.
Units and community spaces
The building’s apartments are expected to range from one to three bedrooms, reserved for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of Area Median Income. Planned amenities include an outdoor gathering area, a fitness center and a computer center, as reported by Urbanize Atlanta. Joel Reed, Gorman’s Southeast market president, said the project will “help ensure East Point residents can remain in the community they call home.”
Where the project fits
The Fifty-Five is arriving as East Point pushes a broader downtown reinvestment effort. A Georgia Department of Community Affairs market report notes the city announced roughly a $150 million Commons redevelopment in late 2023, with plans to add retail, health services and housing. Planners say transit-adjacent, mixed-income projects like The Fifty-Five are intended to boost foot traffic and neighborhood services while trying to keep long-term affordability in the mix.
Gorman & Company and city officials are expected to share more details, including specific rent levels and a construction timeline, after Friday’s ceremony. For now, The Fifty-Five stands as a highly visible signal that East Point’s downtown is being reshaped around transit access and mixed-income housing.
