Our team’s entry for the 2016 ULI competition envisions the Blossom District as a dynamic space designed to foster innovation, growth, and collaboration. Much like Georgia’s iconic peach trees, which need pollination and optimal conditions to bear fruit, the Blossom District thrives on the cross-pollination of ideas and interactions that fuel entrepreneurship. Here, social and economic exchanges come together to create fertile ground for businesses to launch, grow, and prosper.

What might seem like an overlooked set of blocks nestled between Interstate 85 and Peachtree Street is, in fact, a district on the verge of transformation. With convenient subway access and the upcoming crosstown trolley, this area is rich with untapped potential. It is surrounded by key assets, including Georgia Tech and Technology Square, the newly acquired Bank of America building (soon to be repurposed), health services, the iconic Fox Theatre, and the Varsity. The creation of a vibrant district center at MARTA will connect these existing landmarks and usher in mixed-income housing and workplaces, while energizing the area with versatile public spaces that encourage interaction.

The Blossom District will become a hub where people, ideas, and capital converge. With amenities like local food vendors, district-specific services, and information hubs, it will be a place where universities, businesses, residents, and visitors seamlessly interact. Enhanced bike routes to Georgia Tech and the recreational opportunities of the Atlanta Beltline to the west, along with convenient access to the MARTA airport line—the busiest in the nation—ensure that the district remains accessible. Easy walkability and the attraction of investors, residents, and a skilled workforce will position the Blossom District as a thriving center for innovation and success.