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Signs for Underground Atlanta are the first thing subway riders see when they emerge from the east exit of the Five Points subway station onto a downtown Atlanta street.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The four-block area has a storied history. Originally a Reconstruction-era railroad hub, the area morphed into a commercial district in the 1920s when city leaders built viaducts over the train tracks and shops opened on the second level of the commercial buildings above the rail traffic. In the 1960s, the lower level became a nightlife destination, and in the 1980s, a shopping mall. It served as a hub for the 1996 Olympic Games, then struggled to attract patrons for many years. Purchased by local real estate developer Shaneel Lalani in 2020, the historic district is in the midst of yet another transformation into an arts and entertainment hub.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As Atlanta prepares to welcome visitors to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0less than a mile away, Lalani and city leaders are making improvements designed to welcome and guide millions of international visitors through downtown, laying the foundation for a civic infrastructure they hope will serve Atlanta long after the soccer fans have returned home.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe city administration has been very focused on making preparations for a lot more international travelers and an influx of guests and visitors, people who aren\u2019t familiar with downtown Atlanta,\u201d said Anne Michael Sustman, director of commercial mixed use and adaptive reuse for Page, an architecture and engineering firm that Stantec acquired this year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Underground Atlanta commissioned Page to prepare for that influx by studying how to improve the space\u2019s appeal as a walkable destination with universal wayfinding interventions and a reimagined streetscape, Sustman said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere has been a big push by the city to really improve the pedestrian experience throughout downtown Atlanta,\u201d Sustman said. The Underground Atlanta owners believe \u201clong-term sustainability relies on a constant presence of patrons for the businesses there,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Underground Atlanta\u2019s retail spaces were mostly vacant when Lalani bought it, Sustman said. The developer found art galleries and music venues to fill the spaces under the street. \u201cNow they have this incredibly vibrant nightlife, with over 700 shows a year, but they realized that they needed more activation at the street level,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Page\u2019s design features streetscape and lighting improvements, as well as greenery, to make the area feel safer and more accessible to people during the day. Pedestrian pathways are wide enough for food trucks and emergency vehicles but are designed to prevent vehicles from driving into a crowd of pedestrians at a high speed, Sustman said. The city has made two blocks of the main thoroughfare, Upper Alabama Street, pedestrian-only and plans to do so for a portion of Pryor Street, which intersects it, as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Several buildings are being retrofitted to maintain the area\u2019s authenticity and \u201ckeep it gritty,\u201d said Phuong Nguyen, Page\u2019s experiential graphic design director. \u201cWe want small-business owners to be able to afford these spaces, so we\u2019re starting with a light touch that reuses spaces \u2014 the most sustainable type of building.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n At the intersection of Pryor and Upper Alabama, the Antebellum-era Macon & Western Railway building \u2014 most recently a Foot Locker and a gallery space \u2014 is being adapted for reuse as a 7,000-square-foot \u201cmicro\u201d food hall that will house local restaurant startups offering affordable lunch options, Sustman said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Beyond welcoming tourists, Sustman said, the project\u2019s core goal is to support the city\u2019s push to bring more housing and residents downtown. Many Atlantans haven\u2019t visited the downtown area since Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympic Games, she said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just the World Cup that is creating that momentum and that catalyst \u2014 although it\u2019s a really good excuse for the city to come in and help out in some ways,\u201d she said. \u201cThe city has an awareness that we\u2019re not just on display for visitors, but we\u2019re on display for people who could really be the catalyst for total change and transformation and revitalization of our downtown.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nCatalyst for revitalization<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n