918 Dill Ave is currently a 7000+ sq. ft. commercial building in the Capitol View neighborhood, that we are converting to 21,000 sq. ft. of community-based retail and permanently affordable housing.
Built in 1930, it has housed restaurants, corner stores and houses of worship over the past near-century. Largely abandoned for the past several years, various attempts at giving the space new life have been unsuccessful.
In 2020, after going through a process of narrowing down properties that fit our mission, we spoke with a few residents of Capitol View who were trying to “buy back the block”. The fact that they had attempted to do so was encouraging, since working with communities that are already organized ensures that we aren’t helicoptering in solutions. Since then, we’ve partnered with residents, community-based organizations, small business owners and other key stakeholders to build out our model for community-ownership.
PLANS FOR THE SPACE
918 Dill will have a new life as three stories of space for living, working, creating and thriving. With the addition of 18 new rental units, the development will be completely owned and governed by its residents and those from Capitol View and surrounding SW Atlanta communities via a Community Stewardship Trust, or CST.
After considering community feedback for more fresh food options in the area, we are retrofitting the ground floor with a locally-sourced grocery and shared kitchen space for emerging Black and brown restauranteurs.
The newly-constructed 2 stories of housing will contain mixed floorplans of 1 and 2 bedroom units ranging from 450 to 750 sq. ft. Units will be between 60%-80% AMI, making this development a model for permanently affordable housing in an area at risk of rapid gentrification and sharply increasing rental prices.
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Project Partners
Urban Oasis Development
Urban Oasis is a Black-owned development firm that builds residential and commercial real estate with a focus on the west and south sides of Atlanta. Joel Dixon, founder of Urban Oasis, was a participant in our first TransFormative Development Cohort and our partnership grew from the relationship and knowledge sharing gained through that experience.
Ujamaa Construction
Ujamaa is a Black-owned General Contractor with a decade-long track record of mission-driven, socially responsible construction projects. We value their dedication to providing opportunities for local residents and minority and women-owned employees and subcontractors, as well as to environmentally sustainable, high-crafted construction.
