The City of Atlanta has announced the start of construction on Ashley II at Scholars Landing, an affordable multifamily rental development in Atlanta, Georgia, US.

Construction commencement was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony, which was celebrated by Atlanta Housing (AH) alongside its development partner Integral.

It follows after Integral appointed McShane Construction Company to work on this project on 21 September.

Ashley II at Scholars Landing is a 5.9-acre development that will be the largest and last rental phase of the Scholars Landing master plan.

AH and the City of Atlanta have secured a $30m Choice Neighbourhoods Implementation Grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Ashley II will feature 212 multifamily rental units, including one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans.

This mixed-income housing development will span five buildings.

The second phase is part of a larger redevelopment project that includes previous phases comprising Ashley Scholars Landing Phase IA/B, Ashley Scholars Landing Phase IC, Oasis at Scholars Landing, Veranda at Scholars Landing, and AH’s $12m renovation of the Roosevelt Hall as a community-serving facility.

In addition to delivering affordable housing, this project involves remedial site work and public upgrades.

According to AH, 20% of The Towns at Scholars Landing project will be affordable to individuals earning at or below 80% of the area median income.

AH president and CEO Eugene Jones Jr said: “Atlanta Housing is proud to collaborate with the City of Atlanta, HUD, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Integral to bring Ashley Scholars Landing Phase II to fruition.

“This milestone demonstrates our shared commitment to creating thriving, inclusive communities that offer residents access to safe, quality housing and a brighter future.”