The Invest Atlanta Board has approved $489,000 from the Eastside Tax Allocation District (TAD) Community Empower Fund to assist in the rehabilitation of a historic, distressed property in the Sweet Auburn District.

Located at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Old Wheat Street, the space will be owned and occupied by community-based nonprofit Remerge, which serves the Sweet Auburn community. This redevelopment will expand Remerge’s current operations at 340 Auburn Ave., where it has been operating since 2018.

The project site at 597 Auburn Ave. is 2,700 square feet and has been rezoned for commercial use. The building will be fully renovated to bring the structure up to code and will include updated finishes and the addition of a mezzanine floor.

Since gaining a long-term home in Sweet Auburn, Remerge has assisted more than 3,000 families and businesses. Its programs have evolved, and the team has grown, increasing the need for more dedicated workspace, community meeting space and programming. This expansion will allow Remerge to shift its Community Building Studio programs and staff office space to the new facility and designate 340 Auburn as an Arts Center and a base for continued neighborhood outreach activities.

The additional space at 597 Auburn will enable new programming within the Community Building Studio, including the Women’s Microentrepreneur Coaching Program, which supports economically vulnerable women around Atlanta who are ready to take their small businesses or side gigs from surviving to thriving. This new facility will offer these entrepreneurs space to incubate their businesses, including additional in-person educational workshops, appointments with technical experts, access to shared technology resources, as well as a flexible creative space that accommodates children.