With a goal of 20,000 new affordable housing units in Atlanta by 2030, the city is getting creative.
Atlanta Public Schools is transforming unused properties into housing people can actually afford.
The district has a few unused properties, but it’s starting with the old Lakewood Heights Elementary School in Southeast Atlanta, which was slated for demolition until neighbors said not so fast.
“You can see it coming together, right?” asked Channel 2’s Wendy Corona.
“Yes, absolutely,” said Daniel Drake, Senior Executive Director of Facility Services for Atlanta Public Schools.
Channel 2 Action News was granted exclusive access inside the former Lakewood Heights Elementary.
“Look, classroom 108,” said Corona.
The school was built in 1932.
Two additions expanded its footprint in 1952 and 1993 on the two acre campus.
It closed its doors for good in 2003.
“How about this walkway? Said Corona.
“You can see some of the old woodwork that you don’t see in our schools anymore,” said Drake.
Despite decades of disrepair, life springs eternal at Lakewood Heights Elementary School.
“This is so cool. You can see the before shot, just imagine coming in here three years from now when this is all fully preserved,” said Drake.
In 2023, Atlanta Public Schools had this and more than a dozen other properties marked as surplus – slated for demolition.
“The community wanted to have a meeting about, like, why are you doing this?” said Drake.
For now, it’s surrounded by chain link and all boarded up.
But through a partnership with Atlanta Urban Development Corporation (AUD), it will be transformed into a mixed-use development with up to 60 affordable home units.
“I’d like to see it be like it was when I was a kid,” said Rufus McClendon.
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He has lived across from the school since 1963, and it pained him to watch its decline.
“They were tearing it up. They were breaking in, stealing, stealing, stealing, so they had to do something,” said McClendon.
Years of neglect created skylights where there were none.
But it’s original splendor, showcased in woodworking and brickwork, remained.
There is an important space in the center too.
In talking with neighbors throughout the process, Atlanta Public Schools learned that they really held a lot of importance in keeping the auditorium for community gatherings.
“There’s value in owning land, certainly in a city like ours,” said Adam Danser, the Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Atlanta Public Schools.
Maintaining ownership will continue to bring value to APS who tasked AUD with identifying a developer to enter into a 50 year lease with the district, bringing families back to reenergize a community that’s waited too long for something good to happen here.
“It makes me feel good to see something else that’s coming into the neighborhood,” said neighbor LaFratella Alexander.
AUD has until September of 2027 to deliver a 50-year ground lease.
But all involved fully expect that will happen sooner.
With this being the first APS property to transform, all eyes are on how this gets done to replicate its success.
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