A longtime tire recycling yard tucked along the Atlanta Beltline in West Midtown could be on the verge of a serious glow-up: a 247-unit apartment complex, if a key tax break survives its final vote.
Developer Wood Partners is behind the plan for Alta West Midtown, a roughly $75 million project that would turn 1593 Huber Street NW into new housing, with about 15% of units reserved at below-market rents. The Development Authority of Fulton County (DAFC) signed off on preliminary inducement for the project at its June 23 meeting, putting the proposal one step closer to reality.
Project at a Glance
According to the Development Authority of Fulton County's preliminary agenda and fact sheet, WP South Acquisitions, an affiliate of Wood Partners, is seeking inducement for Alta West Midtown at 1593 Huber Street NW.
The authority's materials outline a $75,000,000 capital investment for 247 apartments, including 38 units, roughly 15%, reserved for households earning at or below 80% of area median income. The project is also slated to add new green space and stormwater upgrades to the site.
The fact sheet estimates that the development would boost the property's taxable value from about $1.8 million to an estimated fair market value of $75 million. Before any incentives are applied, the authority projects the site would generate about $10.15 million in taxes over 10 years.
Tax Break and Cleanup Costs
There is a catch. Wood Partners has told the authority that the project hinges on roughly $3.9 million in property tax savings spread over a decade. The DAFC board granted preliminary approval for that inducement at its June 23 meeting, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
During the hearing, Blake Brady, Wood Partners' vice president of development, said the firm “would not be able to move forward” without the incentive, pointing to the project's affordability component as the key pressure point on the finances.
The developer also flagged environmental costs tied to the site's history as a tire recycling facility. About $300,000 in brownfield mitigation is expected, and Wood Partners plans to seek state or federal programs to help offset those cleanup expenses.
Beltline Context
The property sits inside the Atlanta Beltline planning area and is covered by the city's overlay rules that shape development close to the trail. On top of that, Beltline work is funded through tools such as a Tax Allocation District and a Special Service District, which directs extra apartment property taxes into trail construction and maintenance.
The Atlanta Beltline has emphasized affordable housing commitments and streetscape upgrades along the corridor, and developers regularly lean on proximity to the trail when making the financial case for new housing. For a deeper dive on how those funding tools function, see Atlanta Beltline.
Timeline and What’s Next
The DAFC fact sheet lists an estimated closing date in the fourth quarter of 2026. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 as well, with the applicant forecasting significant job creation during buildout.
If the incentive wins a second and final approval, Wood Partners says it will close on the land and move into construction quickly. The authority's preliminary materials indicate the project would create about 245 temporary and permanent jobs and would significantly increase the site's taxable value.
Public Debate and Stakes
The tax break has not sailed through without some side-eye. At the DAFC meeting, a board member questioned whether the inducement effectively asks taxpayers to subsidize the project's affordability requirement. One director voted against preliminary approval, a sign that some officials remain wary of public subsidies for infill housing, even near the Beltline.
The DAFC's preliminary vote is not the final word, although the board rarely reverses course after initial approval, according to reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Neighbors, city planners and Beltline advocates are expected to watch closely as the inducement moves toward a final vote, which will decide whether the tire yard is recycled into housing or continues its life as an industrial site.
