Impressed by Atlanta’s West End

I’ve seen and heard Atlanta described as a city with pockets; neighborhoods and areas with their own unique attractions and vibes that make up the biggest metropolitan in the Southeast.  

As a resident of Decatur for more than a decade now, I’ll admit that I don’t venture out to other areas of metro-Atlanta as often as I should. But recently, I met up with some friends in the West End, specifically at what was once known as “warehouse row,” and couldn’t believe that area’s transformation. 

The last time I’d driven around “warehouse row,” it was aptly named with many gigantic buildings sitting dormant. The ongoing Lee + White redevelopment project has breathed new life into these buildings, with breweries, restaurants, retailers and pop-up shops dotting the area. A food hall serving up some of my favorites from my neck of the woods (such as Vietvana, which got its start in Avondale Estates) offered every kind of culinary option imaginable.  

While the redevelopment indoors was impressive, I was even more drawn to the big outdoor green spaces alongside it, where people were enjoying picnics, kids played tag and pedestrians popped on and off the nearby Beltline.  

Speaking of the Beltline (described on the project’s website as an old 22-mile railroad loop turned into multi-use trails, parks, and transit connecting 45 neighborhoods in and around Atlanta), I loved the way the West End section of the paved trail kept many trees intact for shade on hot summer days. Walking along this section of the Beltline was a pleasant experience, even during a typical scorching Georgia July afternoon. 

I love when urban redevelopment makes use of what is already available – warehouses that become local businesses; patches of green preserved to kick back and relax on; and trails that offer transportation and exercise without completely disrupting nature.  

Exploring the West End showed me that there is still plenty of sightseeing to do within a stone’s throw of my own neighborhood.