On March 4, 2026, FCS, alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Councilman Jason Winston, Dr. Eloisa Klementich, community leaders, partners, and longtime neighbors, celebrated the groundbreaking of Brownsville Pointe, a transformative mixed-use development at the corner of Jonesboro Road and McDonough Boulevard. This moment marks a new “front door” for Historic South Atlanta, turning a long-vacant site into a hub of housing, commerce, and community life.
Honoring the Past, Building for the Future
As Marvin Nesbitt Jr., President of FCS, shared, “Our theme for today is a historic corner, a new beginning. To understand the new beginning, we must first honor the historic corner.” For generations, this corner was home to Johnson’s Service Station, a landmark that served the neighborhood well. However, as time passed, this gateway of Historic South Atlanta sat vacant for decades and no longer reflected the vibrant spirit of the community.
“Today, we are officially turning the page on Brownsville Pointe,” Marvin continued. “It is our group project to restore a healthy, whole, and connected neighborhood. We are not just breaking ground on a building; we are building a new front door to the Historic South Atlanta neighborhood.” The development includes:
- 18 high-quality apartments, 12 of which are affordable at 60% AMI.
- A 1,790 sq. ft. commercial space designed to house a sit-down restaurant requested by residents.
- Economic opportunity that provides empowering jobs to those living in the neighborhood.
“This new beginning is only possible because of the hands that held this circle together,” Marvin emphasized, acknowledging partners at the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, LiiF, the EPA, the Atlanta Beltline, Purpose Built Communities, and, most importantly, the residents themselves.
Community Voices Shape the Vision
Josh Barber, President of the South Atlanta Civic League, spoke about the neighborhood’s history and legacy. Using the metaphor of a book, he said, “The value of a book lies more in its pages than in its cover. For many decades, dedicated citizens of the neighborhood have poured into the history and pages of South Atlanta. While the value of the book is most important, we are very appreciative to FCS for finally giving us a book cover that allows others to enter into this space and see value.”
Josh honored decades of community advocacy, highlighted leaders who stood up during critical moments in South Atlanta’s history, and celebrated Brownsville Pointe, a name chosen by neighbors to honor the community’s original identity, as a new point of pride.
Councilman Jason Winston added, “For decades, this intersection and entrance to this historic community was defined by an abandoned gas station and a vacant lot that sent a message to everyone who passed by that disinvestment lives here. Today, that message is being replaced: South Atlanta is worthy of investment that honors the people who are already here, not someday, but right now.”
He acknowledged that this project may seem small on paper, but it can have a big impact on the neighborhood and community. “Transforming a place like this takes patience, expertise, and real partnership,” said Councilman Winston. “Cleaning up environmental contamination and putting land back into productive use is not flashy, but it is exactly how problems are turned into community assets. That is how healthier neighborhoods are built, literally from the ground up.”
He also praised FCS for growth without displacement, a model that adds housing and amenities while preserving the neighborhood’s history and identity. “This does not happen by accident,” he said. “It happens because organizations like FCS do the hard work of listening first, designing with the neighbors, and staying present long after the ribbon-cutting.”
City Leadership and Strategic Investment
Mayor Andre Dickens framed the project within his Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, which aims to make every Atlanta neighborhood safer, thriving, healthy, and whole. “Every single Atlanta neighborhood will be addressed,” he exclaimed, “and there will no longer be a tale of two cities where people can feel and see the difference between the north and the south.”
Brownsville Pointe embodies that vision. “This project pairs housing, transit, environmental cleanup, and economic opportunity on a site that was written off for decades,” the Mayor explained. “It’s a connected network of keeping dollars circulating in this community, keeping jobs in this community, and creating lasting opportunity for residents.”
Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President & CEO of Invest Atlanta, highlighted the broader impact of strategic investment: within a half-mile radius, Invest Atlanta has invested over $183 million, created or supported 150 jobs, and financed over 500 affordable housing units. She celebrated the project as an example of how thoughtful, community-centered development can reshape neighborhoods and drive inclusive prosperity.
“Economic impact goes beyond the dollars and beyond the cents,” she noted. “It creates pathways for our families to live in safe, quality housing and pathways for our entrepreneurs who are serving our growing neighborhoods. So, I look forward to sitting in the restaurant one day and seeing all that we achieved together.”
Supporting Equitable Development
The Low-Income Investment Fund (LiiF), represented by Natasha Dowell, provided early-stage capital totaling $2.5 million, reinforcing their belief that “everyone in the United States should benefit from living in a community of opportunity, equity, and well-being.” She emphasized that FCS’s model exemplifies Purpose Built Communities’ approach, aligning housing, health, education, and economic opportunity for lasting neighborhood-level impact.
“While the Low-Income Investment Fund invests in buildings,” she pointed out, “they know their work is ultimately about the people who live in those buildings and the surrounding community members. FCS and its partners brought in community voice and pushed the Low-Income Investment Fund to stretch and think about how they invest in that community voice.”
A New Chapter for Historic South Atlanta
Brownsville Pointe transforms a remediated Brownfield site into a vibrant space for residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors. Its proximity to the Beltline Southside Trail and the upcoming Summerhill BRT terminal ensures connectivity, while the project’s design reflects the community’s voice and priorities.
“Breaking ground on Brownsville Point is special, as it begins a new chapter of opportunity for all in Atlanta,” shared Mayor Dickens. “This corner will become the front door for Historic South Atlanta—a front door that says the people who live here matter, they belong here, and the future being built is a future together.”
Many longtime residents attended the groundbreaking, including Ms. Brenda Walker, who has lived in the neighborhood for over 50 years and long dreamed of seeing something meaningful built on this corner. Neighbors like Miss Maggie and others who have called South Atlanta home joined community leaders and partners in celebrating a vision finally realized—and a hopeful future for the next generation growing up here.
“As we put these shovels into the dirt today, said Marvin Nesbitt, “let it be the sign that Historic South Atlanta is a place of dignity, a place of investment, and a place where you can raise a family and grow old with pride.”
