Atlanta: Summerhill Neighborhood Guide

Atlanta’s Summerhill is an intown neighborhood located just outside of downtown.  Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium, which was originally Olympic Stadium and then the home of the Atlanta Braves Baseball team, is a significant feature in Summerhill.  The neighborhood experienced substantial revitalization since the Atlanta Braves relocated to Cobb County in 2017. 

Today’s Summerhill consists of a mix of historic houses, Olympic-era homes from the 1990s, and brand-new townhouses.  The developer Carter, brought the retail district on Georgia Avenue back to life.  You will find a lively and eclectic collection of shops and restaurants here. 

History of Atlanta’s Summerhill

Summerhill’s Early History

Free blacks and Jewish immigrants founded the Summerhill neighborhood in 1865 following the Civil War.  The original Piedmont Hospital was located in Summerhill near the third base Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  The City of Atlanta built the stadium in 1964 to attract a Major League Baseball team.  The Beatles played here in 1965.

The neighborhood was in its heyday around the turn of the 20th Century.  Unfortunately, due to local politics and redlining, Summerhill began to decline.  At the end of the second world war, most well-to-do families had moved from Summerhill to Midtown or Virginia-Highland.  Interstates that sliced through the city fabric, cemented the neighborhood’s fate.

The 1996 Olympic Games and Beyond

In preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta selected the Summerhill neighborhood as a site for the Olympic Games.  The neighborhood’s prime location near downtown Atlanta made it an obvious choice.  Homebuilders added neo-traditional housing.  The city tore down dilapidated homes to make way for track and field venues.  Olympic Stadium (now known as Georgia State’s Centre Parc Stadium) sprang up adjacent to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  Both stadiums operated as venues during the Olympics. 

The city demolished the older stadium following the games.  Then the Atlanta Braves baseball team moved into the reconfigured Olympic Stadium, renamed Turner Field.  Most of the space around the stadium became Braves parking to the detriment of the Summerhill neighborhood.  Retail buildings on Georgia Avenue sat vacant for years.  

Summerhill Today

The Atlanta Braves Move to Cobb County

Summerhill languished among the parking lots that surrounded Turner Field when the Atlanta Braves called it home.  The Braves moved to Cobb County in 2017 in search of a stadium surrounded by mixed use development.  Ironically, the Braves move provided an economic incentive to redevelop the stretches of empty parking lots and the surrounding Summerhill neighborhood in a meaningful way.  Carter, the development group, took on the challenge.  They partnered with Georgia State University to transform the area around Turner Field into an 83-acre mixed use neighborhood.

Carter Redevelops Atlanta’s Summerhill Neighborhood

The Reimagined Summerhill boasts a vibrant Georgia Avenue with attractive retail and dining options.  This is the area that brings me to the neighborhood frequently.  The charming streetscape is a mix of revitalized commercial buildings and new construction.  Beyond Georgia Avenue, Carter brought in a Publix grocery store, additional retail and student apartments on Hank Aaron Ave. 

The specialty builder Hedgewood Homes built out a section of the redeveloped Summerhill neighborhood.  They populated several blocks with their signature architectural styles.  The new homes create a dense urban fabric of two- and three-story buildings.  Empire Homes added new townhouses to complete the urban fabric. 

Georgia State University reworked the Braves Stadium to host their football team.  In addition, Georgia State built a basketball arena and Convocation Center. Future plans call for GSU Baseball and Softball Park in roughly the same location as the original Fulton County Stadium plus additional mixed-use construction. 

Atlanta’s Summerhill Restaurants and Retail

Georgia Avenue

This is the main thoroughfare through the Summerhill neighborhood.  The revitalized Georgia Avenue is teeming with life.  This is the place to be if you are visiting Summerhill.  There are good places to eat, fun places to shop, and most importantly places to hang out with your friends. 

Street parking can be tight, but you should be able to find plenty of parking available in the Summerhill parking lot at the corner of Georgia Ave and Fraser Street.

Here is a list of my favorite restaurants:

• Little Tart Bakeshop – authentic French croissants and more available for breakfast and lunch!
• Hero Doughnuts & Buns – more than doughnuts – casual breakfast spot and burgers for lunch
• Wood’s Chapel BBQ – this is my family’s favorite Georgia Ave restaurant
• Maepole – healthy menu that is easy to take to go
• Little Bear – date night restaurant recognized as a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide
• Halfway Crooks Beer – makes for a fun date night
  • HC Biergarten – extra fun to get together with friends outdoors open Thursday – Sunday
• Big Softie – soft-serve ice cream – there is frequently a line on summer evenings

Scattered Retail

There is more to Summerhill that Georgia Avenue.  Explore the neighborhood’s more residential areas to discover the charming side streets.  Talat Market and Poach Social are off the beaten path but they are destinations all on their own!

• Talat Market – Thai date night restaurant recommended by the Michelin Guide
• JD’s Summerhill Variety Deli – take out – famous for their wings
• Poach Social – trendy brunch spot that takes reservations

Greenspaces in Atlanta’s Summerhill

Phoenix III Park

This park is an open green space that features a small amphitheater and sculptural art.  It is the perfect location for a picnic or relaxation.  Will Ferrell’s Anchorman 2 filmed a scene in this park.

Cheney Stadium

This space includes a track and Javelin runway with spectacular views of the downtown skyline.  Atlanta Public Schools owns this park, but the Atlanta Track Club manages this space. 

Phoenix II Park

In preparation for the Olympics, the City of Atlanta built this park as a warm up space for track and field events.  Today the park features basketball courts, a baseball field, tennis courts, a small playground, and covered picnic pavilions. 

Heritage Park

This pocket park was built and dedicated to the Summerhill neighborhood.  Historical markers celebrate local history.

Arts & Culture in Atlanta’s Summerhill

Street Art in Summerhill

In 2013 the Living Walls Conference came to a blighted Georgia Avenue to bring new life to the neighborhood through murals.  Local and international artists contributed vibrant murals that enrich the experience in Summerhill.  Google Arts & Culture has an excellent Summerhill Online Exhibit.

Landis Sculpture Studio

David Landis set up shop in Summerhill many years ago.  I always enjoy walking by the sculptor’s shop to see the outdoor pieces that he has in the works.  Be sure to take a peek at Landis Sculpture Studio when you are in the neighborhood!

Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium & Convocation Center

Catch a Georgia State football game or basketball game at one of these Summerhill venues.  Keep an eye out for concerts or other special events that take place in these locations.

Site of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games

You can see the Olympic Rings and the 1996 Olympic Torch Cauldron in Summerhill across the street from the GSU Convocation Center.  Get out of your car and walk down to the Olympic Memorial behind the Cauldron. The memorial lists the 1996 Summer Olympic Events and their winners including the country they represented.

The Olympic Flame in the historic cauldron was relit in 2020 when Atlanta hosted the Olympic Marathon Trials.

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium & Hank Aaron’s Record-Breaking Home Run

Hank Aaron hit his Record-Breaking 715th Home Run in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on April 18. 1974.  Although the stadium no longer exists, the City of Atlanta memorialized the location of the field, the bases, and the wall where Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s Home Run record. 

As part of Summerhill’s redevelopment, Georgia State plans to build a new 1,000-seat baseball stadium in the footprint of the original Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  In the meantime, you can run the bases in the parking lot and visit the original section of the wall.

Signature Summerhill Events

Atlanta Streets Alive on Georgia Ave

Several times a year, the city of Atlanta hosts Atlanta Streets Alive on Georgia Avenue.  The car-free event extends from West End to Grant Park.  It goes right through the heart of the Summerhill neighborhood!

Summerhill Block Party

Look for a Summerhill Community Block Party in June.

How to Get to Atlanta’s Summerhill

Driving

Summerhill is easily accessible from the Downtown Connector (I-75/I-85) and I-20.  Street parking can be tight, but you should be able to find plenty of parking available in the Summerhill parking lot at the corner of Georgia Ave and Fraser Street.

Ride Share: Uber or Lyft

Give your driver a specific address in Atlanta’s Summerhill.  Taking a ride share means that you don’t have to worry about parking!

Public Transportation: MARTA

• MARTA Rapid A Line is under construction and is expected to open for service in 2026.  This bus rapid transit will provide Summerhill with direct access to Five Points, South Downtown, and City Hall
• MARTA Bus Route 832 Grant Park – this bus line runs down Georgia Avenue in Summerhill between West End Station and the Grant Park neighborhood

Visiting?  Places to Stay in Atlanta’s Summerhill

Summerhill is home to a couple of hotels and vacation rentals.  This neighborhood makes an excellent home base if you visit Atlanta.  The hotels are located between the Georgia State’s Centre Park Stadium and I-75/I-85.  They are not central to the neighborhood.

• Guide to Vacation Rentals in Atlanta’s Summerhill
• Comfort Inn Atlanta Downtown South
• Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Atlanta Downtown

Hanging out in Atlanta’s Summerhill

Summerhill is a hip neighborhood to hang out in.  I recommend that you come for a meal and spend some time exploring the neighborhood’s street art and Olympic legacy on foot. 

Have you spent time in Summerhill or are you planning to visit?  Let me know your favorite neighborhood spots in the comments!

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