Emory University plans to construct more than 50 rental apartments for its health care employees by adapting and reusing two properties across the street from Emory University Hospital Midtown.
The project will update and improve the building at 477 Peachtree Street, with plans calling for the restoration of the Peachtree Street façade. Emory purchased this property in 2018.
Emory will also remove part of the building at 489 Peachtree Street, which was purchased in 2019. The extent of the planned work on this building requires a special administrative permit from the City of Atlanta and Emory filed that application on July 7.
“This project will provide Emory Healthcare staff with competitively priced housing close to work to improve their employee experience and quality of life,” says Robin Morey, vice president of campus services and chief planning officer of Emory. “In addition to helping with the recruitment and retention of our workforce, our design will activate this area of the city with residential units and commercial uses.”
Emory plans to use federal and state tax credits to offset initial capital costs of the project and make the investment viable, Morey says.
As part of the conversion of 477 Peachtree Street to housing, an internal abatement and clean-up of the building was completed earlier this year. Additional planned updates include a new roof and window and door repair and replacement if needed along Courtland and Pine streets.
With 489 Peachtree, the building’s poor condition requires Emory to remove the rear half. This will allow daylight exposure to the north side of 477 Peachtree, permitting apartment units along that side to have windows.
When complete, the project will support competitively priced rental apartments reserved for Emory Healthcare staff, such as nurses and medical technicians within specific salary levels.
While the apartments are for Emory staff and not available to the public, Emory is exploring options for the 489 building to support the broader community. Tentative plans call for the site to house a preschool facility that would be open to the public.
These project sites are on the northern edge of the Stitch, an infrastructure project spearheaded by Central Atlanta Progress, and the housing for workforce supports its project goals.
Considering that both buildings are more than 100 years old, Emory has retained experts to assist with the project.
The project remains in the early stages and Emory will provide updates as additional details become available.