Columbia Residential is set to celebrate the official opening of Columbia Senior Residences at East Decatur, a new construction, mixed-income senior community located in the forthcoming mixed-use transit oriented development adjacent to the Avondale MARTA station. The community is now accepting applicants.
 
Columbia Residential has partnered with the DeKalb County Community Development Department, the Housing Authority of DeKalb County, and the Development Authority of Decatur to transform a former parking lot adjacent to the Avondale MARTA station and bring new, affordable senior housing options to Decatur. The 5-story elevator-served building with enclosed corridors provides 92 high quality apartments, dedicated for seniors 62 and older. Amenities include a dining and dancing room, business center, movie theater, state-of-the-art fitness center and onsite laundry facilities. The building is a certified green building by EarthCraft and the units feature brand new Energy Star appliances.

Additionally, a courtyard provides seniors with a private outdoor experience with lush landscaping and gazebo. The site’s main pedestrian walk is immediately adjacent to the facility, providing safe and easy access to the Avondale MARTA bus and transit station just steps away.
 
“East Decatur will provide much-needed quality mixed-income housing for Atlanta’s senior residents, and we’re thrilled to celebrate its opening,” said Noel Khalil, founder and principal of Columbia Residential. “In this community, modern amenities and unmatched accessibility to nearby transit options come together to create a safe, vibrant place that promises to keep residents and visitors connected to everything the city has to offer. We look forward to providing an affordable option that encourages seniors to remain in the area.”
 
East Decatur is part of MARTA’s latest transit-oriented development at Avondale Station. In addition to 92 affordable senior housing units, the Development Authority of Decatur, Columbia Ventures and Courtland Partners will deliver 377 market-rate apartments, 34 condos and more than 40,000 square feet of retail space. Upon completion, each facet of the mixed-use project will be connected by a central plaza.
 
“East Decatur represents Columbia Residential’s second senior independent living community in the Decatur area, and one of the first affordable senior communities in the region offering such close proximity to a MARTA station,” said Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne. “Providing affordable housing opportunities near mass transit is of critical importance in Atlanta, and we’re pleased to work with Columbia Residential and its partners to achieve this vision.”
 
MARTA’s renewed focus on constructing transit-oriented developments across Atlanta has resulted in a spike in mixed-use developments planned in close proximity to several major transit hubs. Underutilized parking lots near transit stations are being transformed into vibrant mixed-use communities, boosting Atlanta’s public transit user base and bringing new residential, retail and office properties to neighborhoods all over the city.
 
This trend towards transit-oriented developments comes at a time when Atlanta’s rent growth is among the nation’s highest. Even with options becoming more abundant around MARTA transit stations, rent prices are increasing. As a growing population and job growth puts pressure on housing, the city is facing an affordable housing crisis. East Decatur aims to address this need, offering one of Atlanta’s only affordable senior housing communities located adjacent to a MARTA station.