Georgia State University plans a rapid $107 million remake of its downtown Atlanta campus before summer 2026, fueled by an $80 million gift.
The work would be fast-tracked to finish before World Cup soccer games begin on the west side of downtown Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in June 2026. The university will spend $27 million of its own money, with $80 million coming from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, a titan of Georgia philanthropy founded by a one-time Coca-Cola Co. CEO.
Georgia State plans to demolish one of its original buildings to create a quadrangle, close a block of a downtown street, rework downtown’s Woodruff Park, and renovate several buildings. The broader hope is that increased student activity will make downtown a more welcoming place. Atlanta’s downtown currently has high office vacancy rates with many preferring Atlanta’s glitzier Midtown district, and the pandemic exacerbated the struggles of many downtown retailers.
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