After I mingled with a lot of beautiful people (ok, good-looking, it wasn't like Halle Berry and George Clooney was there), I stepped out on to the patio of one of the sixth floor units, which offered a spectacular view of downtown Atlanta.

The development features 161 one- and two-bedroom condominiums atop 30,000 sq. ft. of street level retail space. Prices are not astronomical. One-bedroom homes begin in the high $100s, and two-bedroom homes start in the mid-$200s.
I also had the opportunity to visit one of the units and loved the walk-in closets. Each home also includes 9-foot ceilings, expansive windows, an open kitchen with gas cooking, a terrace or balcony, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

While the condos are a welcome addition to a still underdeveloped and somewhat economically depressed neighborhood, I wondered what would possess a developer to build in an economically struggling location.

“Our offices were right across the street,” offered Valerie Edwards, executive President of The Integral Group, LLC, an urban real estate development & investment management company in partnership with Big Bethel AME Church. “We concentrate on areas that are most in need of redevelopment or seeing an element of disinvestment. The Auburn Ave. corridor is under the radar. It’s three blocks east of the heart of downtown and it is underserved and underdeveloped.”

Edwards noted Integral Group developments in several cities across the country often serve as catalytic developments. She foresees the same happening for the Auburn Avenue corridor.

“This area is about to see a renaissance, which is why we called it Renaissance Walk,” Edwards said, pointing out that the building’s exterior honors the historic past of Auburn Ave. with features like classic brick and suspended Broadway awnings but takes the corridor into the future with a modern façade.

There are also several “community” amenities at Renaissance Walk, including a sleek modern-looking swimming pool, rooftop tennis court, sky deck, state-of-the-art fitness center and plasma TV-filled clubroom.

A rare commodity for homes in Downtown East, Renaissance Walk features outdoor areas and amenities including a sparkling swimming pool, rooftop tennis court, sky deck, state-of-the-art fitness center, luxury clubroom and breathtaking skyline views of Downtown Atlanta.

Renaissance Walk is located at 171 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. More information including sales is available by contacting 404-521-3008 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it