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Atlanta Underground. Photo by Haydn Blackey on

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Underground Atlanta

Underground Atlanta is a renowned shopping and entertainment district in the Five Points neighbourhood of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the United States. It is near the Five Points MARTA Station.

The shopping and entertainment district was first opened in 1969. It takes major advantage of the viaducts built over the city’s many railroad tracks to accommodate later automobile traffic.

There are several buildings comprising Underground Atlanta. They were constructed during the city’s post-Civil War Reconstruction Era boom. This took place between 1866 and 1871.

During this period, the city’s population had doubled from eleven thousand to twenty-two thousand residents. In 1869, the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot was completed making it the oldest building in downtown Atlanta. This building stands at the entrance of Underground Atlanta.

Steven H Fuller Junior and Jack R Patterson, two Georgia Tech graduates began to plan a private development to restore and reopen the area as a retail and entertainment district. The two purchased the corporation’s stock and began construction of Underground Atlanta.

However, they did not renovate the whole area as an amendment to the Georgia constitution named this area a state historic site. Ten million US dollars were spent to renovate the area into an entertainment district.

On 8th April 1969, Underground Atlanta officially opened with new restaurants, bars, nightclubs and music venues. Here are the Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Underground Atlanta:

1. Two Georgia Tech Graduates began a Plan on Developing the Area into an Entertainment District

Underground Atlanta was not a business area in the early 1900s. It was used as a railway station where more than one hundred trains were serviced.

However, two Georgia Tech graduates decided to come up with a private plan of renovating the area. Steven H Fuller Junior and Jack R Patterson began the private development plan to restore and reopen the city beneath the city as a retail and entertainment district.

Underground Atlanta Inc. Was incorporated and started leasing buildings under Central avenue, Pryor, Whitehall, Hunter, Alabama and Wall Street. The two graduates purchased all the stocks in October 1967 and construction began a year later.

2. Underground Atlanta was Renovated for $10 Million

Underground Atlanta Parking Deck, Atlanta, GA. Photo by Warren LeMay on

Major developments took place in the Underground Atlanta area after the takeover by Steven H Fuller Junior and Jack R Patterson. The entertainment district was taking shape but more funds were used to renovate the area.

The Underground Atlanta corporation spent around ten million dollars to redevelop the historic area into an entertainment district. Underground Atlanta officially opened on 8th April 1969. New restaurants, bars, nightclubs and music venues were opened at Underground Atlanta.

3. Part of Underground Atlanta was Named a State Historic Site

Previously, Underground Atlanta was not an entertainment district or shopping area. It was originally a railway station that was opened in the late 1800s.

Original storefronts were rediscovered and several architectural features from earlier centuries. Some of the features that survived were decorative brickwork, granite archways, ornate marble, cast-iron pilasters, hand-carved wooden posts and gas street lamps.

A corporation came up with the idea of renovating the area into an entertainment and business centre. However, a constitutional amendment in Georgia was passed and named the area as a state historic site. The original facades were mainly intact and concentrated on spaces along Alabama, Pryor and Kenny’s Alley were not renovated.

4. Underground Atlanta became a Centre of Nightlife

Best of Atlanta, Atlanta Underground. Photo by mliu92 on

After the major renovations, Underground Atlanta became a centre of nightlife. Fulton County was the only county in Georgia state with a permit for mixed alcoholic beverages served to adults meeting the required dressing code.

This made Underground Atlanta quickly become the centre of downtown Atlanta’s nightlife. Popular spots in Underground Atlanta included Dante’s Down the Hatch, Scarlett O’Hara, The Blarney Stine and many others.

5. The Area was Closed and Later on Reopened after a Decade

Underground Atlanta boomed with the business since it was opened. However, several misfortunes started haunting the area.

Underground Atlanta Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 24th July 1980. The same year, Underground Atlanta was closed with just twenty-six businesses remaining open.

The area was left abandoned for close to a decade due to the challenges that were faced. However, the new mayor came up with a plan of reopening Underground Atlanta.

6. Second Renovation of Underground Atlanta Cost $142 Million

Atlanta Underground. Photo by Haydn Blackey on

After the closure of Underground Atlanta due to several challenges, there was a plan put in place to reopen the area. Most businesses had been affected with the area remaining abandoned for the good part of the 1980s.

The new mayor forwarded the plan to the Georgia Supreme Court where the restructured $85 million bond issue was approved. Rouse Company announced it was ready to sign up tenants after reconstruction of Underground commenced.

The renovation cost summed up to $142 million. This money was collected from various sources.

The city of Atlanta contributed $123 million which the $85 million bond revenue was included. The remainder was from sales taxes and federal sources.

7. Renovation of Underground Atlanta received an Award for Excellence in Urban Design

The second renovation of Underground Atlanta was unique and took more funds to complete. Underground Atlanta had double the retail space with 225,000 square feet.

Kenny’s Alley was designated as the entertainment area at the modern street level. There were 100,000 Square feet of space available for dining and clubs.

Six blocks were redeveloped into a modern facility. Underground Atlanta redevelopment received an Award for Excellence in Urban Design from the American Institute of Architects.

8. Underground Atlanta became a Major Tourists Area

Merchants inside Underground Atlanta. Photo by Ildar Sagdejev on

After the renovations, Underground Atlanta became a modernised area with several businesses and other scenes to visit. In the first year after reopening, 13 million people visited the area.

Approximately 7.8 million visitors were from the Atlanta metropolitan area which was disappointing but encouraging. The World of Coca-Cola opened adjacent to Underground Atlanta which brought up an influx of visitors. Other beautiful scenes also attract many tourists who enjoyed visiting Underground Atlanta.

9. Underground Atlanta was Sold to the Mount Pleasant

The Underground Atlanta operated for several years after the second renovation. However, there were some threats of abandonment of the area due to some strict regulations.

On December 2014, Underground Atlanta was sold to the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Developer WRS, Inc. The new ownership had brilliant ideas for expanding Underground Atlanta.

Underground Atlanta was developed to have more new stores, restaurants, a grocery store and new living apartments. The other plan is to provide more homes to people living near the Underground.

10. New Owners of Underground Atlanta Recommended Mixed-use Renovations

Atlanta Underground (is now closed, I guess). Photo by mliu92 from San Mateo on

The ownership of Underground Atlanta has been changing over the years. On 28th November 2020, Underground Atlanta was sold to Shaneel Lalani. He is the CEO of Norcross-based Billionaires Funding Group, a private investment firm.

A team of experts was assembled to give suggestions on the new renovations of Underground Atlanta. The recommendations include making mixed-use development. Several leases have been announced for the year 2022.