ATLANTA — Georgia State University’s ambitious Atlanta Campus transformation project — funded in part by the largest grant in university history — has been named a recipient of an Atlanta Business Chronicle Best in Atlanta Real Estate Award.
The “College Town Downtown” project, also known as the Building Pathways for Success Initiative, is a $107 million investment in downtown Atlanta aimed at creating a central campus hub, known as the Panther Quad, linking the Georgia State Greenway to Hurt Park. The project also entails renovating and activating space in the 100 Edgewood Ave. building on the north side of the park and enhancements to nearby Woodruff Park that cement its place as a vibrant, central gathering space and landmark for students and visitors.
The project is being supported by an $80 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, the largest in Georgia State’s history, with much of the work slated to be complete by summer 2026, when FIFA World Cup matches put Atlanta in the global spotlight.
“Creating and maintaining signature spaces where our students can learn, grow and thrive, and that members of our larger downtown community can look upon with pride and enjoy alongside them, is a key part of our strategic vision to enhance Georgia State’s identity, placemaking and belonging efforts,” Georgia State President M. Brian Blake said. “We are grateful for partners like the University System of Georgia and the City of Atlanta for joining us in this effort, and we’re especially grateful to the Woodruff Foundation for their help making it come true. We thank the Atlanta Business Chronicle for this tremendous honor and the recognition of the impact we know this initiative is going to have on our downtown community for generations to come.”
Georgia State received the Best in Atlanta Real Estate Award in the category of Best in Special Use. The awards were presented during an event hosted April 24 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
“These awards recognize the high-profile commercial real estate developments, new projects and deals of 2024, and the movers and shakers who made them happen,” the paper wrote in its call for nominations.
Georgia State Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer L. Jared Abramson accepted the award on behalf of the university.
Abramson said key initiatives of the project include expanding the campus Greenway by replacing Sparks Hall with a grassy expanse featuring amphitheater seating, closing a section of Gilmer Street to vehicular traffic to establish a pedestrian plaza and enhancing Woodruff Park to foster a more inviting community space.
“These efforts aim to define and improve Georgia State's downtown footprint, enhance student engagement and contribute to the revitalization of Atlanta’s urban core,” he said.
“By linking the Campus Greenway to Hurt Park and Woodruff Park, the new Panther Quad will serve as the social heart of campus, advancing President Blake’s vision of creating a true ‘College Town Downtown.’”