Atlanta Housing Introduces Ariel Place at Bowen, Bringing Fuller Bowen Family Legacy Forward
Wednesday, November 4th, 2026
Atlanta Housing today introduced Ariel Place at Bowen as the name of the new mixed-income community rising on the former Bowen Homes site, bringing a fuller Bowen family legacy into the redevelopment’s next chapter.
The announcement came during the Phase II groundbreaking and brought forward the story of Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen, an accomplished educator, musician, writer and civic leader whose legacy has received far less public recognition than that of her husband, Dr. John Wesley Edward Bowen Sr., and stepson, John Wesley Edward Bowen Jr.
Bowen Homes carried the legacy of the two John Bowens for generations. Ariel Place at Bowen brings Ariel into that story while keeping the Bowen name prominently connected to the community and the generations of residents who called it home.
"As we bring Bowen back, we have an opportunity to bring forward a fuller story of the family whose name has been connected to this community for generations," said Terri M. Lee, president and CEO of Atlanta Housing. "Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen was an extraordinary woman in her own right, and her legacy deserves to stand alongside her husband and son. Ariel Place at Bowen brings that family story together while carrying the history, memories and spirit of Bowen into its next chapter."
Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen taught history and English under Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee Institute before moving to Atlanta, where she later became a professor of music at Clark College, now Clark Atlanta University. Her leadership extended into civic and women’s organizations throughout Atlanta and Georgia.
“The entire Bowen family expresses its profound appreciation to Atlanta Housing and the City of Atlanta for honoring our great-grandmother, Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen, 163 years after her birth and 122 years after her passing,” said John W.E. Bowen IV, who attended the renaming ceremony alongside six other members of the Bowen family, including the great-granddaughter of Ariel who carries her name. “The Bowen name carries deep meaning for generations of families. By bringing Ariel’s story forward, Atlanta Housing is helping tell a fuller history of the family connected to this community and ensuring future generations know her contributions.”
Her story emerged during historical research conducted as part of a broader naming process involving Atlanta Housing, The Benoit Group, McCormack Baron Salazar and the City of Atlanta. Former residents and community stakeholders provided extensive input throughout the process. Cooper Carry served as the project architect.
“With this Phase II groundbreaking, we’ve reached $100 million in investment on this transformative masterplan development. As we move forward with future phases, Ariel Place at Bowen will stimulate new growth and will be an economic driver within this northwest corridor of Atlanta,” said Eddy Benoit Jr., president and CEO of The Benoit Group.
“Great communities should not be defined by who can afford to live there, but by the opportunities they create for everyone who calls them home. At Ariel Place at Bowen, we are creating more than housing—we are creating choice, stability and a place where families across a range of incomes can build their futures. That is what makes this redevelopment so important,” said Vincent R. Bennett, president and CEO, McCormack Baron.
“The brand identity for Ariel Place at Bowen was intentionally built through listening to the community, former residents, and the stories and experiences that have shaped the Bowen Homes legacy over generations. Our role was to bring those voices together and create a brand that honors what came before while expressing what is possible in this next chapter. Ariel Place at Bowen is more than a new name; it is an exciting new chapter in a story that belongs to generations of people who called Bowen home,” said Julie Argo Young, Director of Branding at Cooper Carry.
Throughout the process, the team was clear that Bowen needed to remain central to the identity of the future community. The name Ariel Place at Bowen reflects that commitment while expanding the historical story associated with the site.
Atlanta Housing also announced plans to launch a Bowen oral history initiative, inviting former residents and families to help preserve photographs, documents, memorabilia and firsthand stories of life at Bowen Homes.
“The history of Bowen lives in the people who built families, friendships and traditions here,” Lee said. “We want those voices to remain part of the record as this community moves forward. We are inviting former residents to help us tell the rest of the Bowen story.”
The redevelopment of the former Bowen Homes site will create approximately 2,000 rental and homeownership units as part of a broader mixed-income community that includes affordable housing, market-rate housing and new opportunities for residents and the surrounding neighborhood. Additional information about Ariel Place at Bowen, the Bowen family history, the redevelopment and opportunities to participate in the oral history initiative is available here.
