Pennrose and Mercy Care have officially broken ground on McAuley Station Phase II, marking the next milestone in the mixed-income, mixed-use master plan taking shape in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood.
The new phase will connect residents to the Mercy Care campus while also providing easy access to transit and local community services. The project follows the mission of the partners to combine quality housing with convenient healthcare.
McAuley Station Phase II to Deliver Affordable Apartments
McAuley Station Phase II will add 97 high-quality, affordable apartments for residents 55 and older, located adjacent to the Mercy Care campus. 95 of them will be one-bedroom and two studio apartments. The development will offer seniors stable, accessible housing. Construction is scheduled for completion in April 2027.
Phase II builds on earlier investments, including Mercy Care’s clinic expansion and Phase I’s mixed-income apartments. The master plan started with the 36,000-square-foot clinic expansion of Mercy Care in 2022, which provided the organization with the capacity to help 3,000 more patients annually.
Phase I in 2024 presented 170 mixed-income apartments and large community facilities to families. Together, these projects create a connected campus linking housing with healthcare and support services.
“McAuley’s affordable, amenity-rich apartments, adjacent to vital healthcare resources, stand as a testament to what public-private partnerships can accomplish for the local community,” said Will Eckstein, regional vice president at Pennrose. “We’re proud to work alongside Mercy Care and the City of Atlanta in advancing a transformative development designed to help older adults remain connected, healthy, and independent.”
Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included:
- Will Eckstein, Regional Vice President, Pennrose, LLC
- Andre Dickens, Mayor, City of Atlanta
- Liliana Bakhtiara, Atlanta City Council Member, District 5, Atlanta City Council
- Denise Farrior, Interim Housing Finance and Development Division Director, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
- Chenee Joseph, President & CEO, Historic District Development Corporation
- Katie Kirkpatrick, President & CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber
- Katie Saez, Georgia Region President, Truist
- Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD, President & CEO, Invest Atlanta
- Jane Gerety, RSM, Chief Mission Officer, Saint Joseph’s Health System
Phase II project partners include Smith Dailia Architects, McShane Construction Company, Thompson Ehle Company, and Pennrose Management Company as the property manager.
Glimpse of the Project and How it Will Benefit the Community
McAuley Station Phase II addresses a critical need by providing older adults with stable, affordable housing. 86 units will be available at 60% of the Area Median Income, with 19 units further at 50% AMI, ensuring that seniors on fixed incomes have reliable options close to essential services.
In addition to residential housing, the wider McAuley Station campus is suited to facilitate long-term employment and career options. The development will create and preserve over 500 jobs while improving health outcomes and lowering care costs for vulnerable residents.
Phase II has a solid combination of state and local funding sources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, favorable loans, tax credit equity, and local grants, which indicates a well-established cross-sector interest in the creation of a healthier, more inclusive Atlanta.
Amenities and Location Benefits for the Elderly at McAuley Station
Residents will be just steps from Mercy Care, Atlanta’s only federally qualified health center serving individuals experiencing homelessness. The MARTA King Memorial Station and the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center are also nearby, offering the much-needed convenience to the residents.
Residents will have access to tailored supportive services and on-site amenities, including a rooftop deck, fitness center, activity rooms, community balconies, a secure package room, and laundry facilities.
“McAuley Station Phase II is more than a building – it’s a blueprint for compassionate community health,” said Kathryn Lawler, CEO at Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care. “At Mercy Care, we’ve learned that when housing and healthcare are integrated, lives change. This development reflects our belief that compassion is not just a moral imperative, it’s a strategy that works.”
Phase II marks a major step in expanding healthcare-integrated housing for older adults in Southeast Atlanta. The project reinforces a model of linking affordability to wellness and long-term stability of communities.
Pennrose is a 50-year-old national developer that focuses on the development of high-quality conventional, affordable, and mixed-income communities that are backed by a powerful management team and cooperative relationships.
Since 1985, Mercy Care Atlanta, a federally qualified health center, has served vulnerable populations. The organization continues to expand through clinics, mobile services, and street medicine teams. Last year, the organization provided over 79,000 appointments to almost 19,000 patients, which highlights the organization’s importance in the community’s health.
