As the largest urban brownfield redevelopment in the United States, the Atlantic Station® community is energy efficient, pedestrian-friendly and serves as a national model for new urbanism and smart growth. Transforming this former steel mill site into a livable, 138-acre mixed-use development required significant environmental reclamation.

After two years of reclamation, 9,000 dump truck loads (approximately 165,000 tons) of contaminated materials were removed from the site, 2,800 new trees have been planted on the property and in surrounding neighborhoods, an interception system to collect groundwater was installed on site and a monitoring program (in conjunction with the EPA) was put in place to ensure Atlantic Station is designed and built with elements that encourage alternatives to single occupancy vehicle trips.

An environmentally-friendly central cooling system on site will save building owners more than $35 million in construction costs, while operating more than 25 percent more efficiently than traditional building HVAC systems resulting in lower energy bills for tenants. During the property's reclamation, concrete building foundations were uncovered, which were broken into smaller pieces and reused as backfill.
To demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, the 171 17th Street building pursued LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) -- a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. In order to achieve LEED certification, a building must meet requirements for sustainable design, construction and operation. In 2005, the 171 17th Street building was awarded certification, making it one of the first buildings in the Southeast built to LEED specifications.

There are not any schools located within the Atlantic Station community, but Atlantic Station falls within the Atlanta City Public School system. Residents of Atlantic Station will attend Centennial Elementary School, Inman Middle School, The Intown Academy Charter School and Grady High School. Atlantic Station also borders the campus of Georgia Tech.

Midtown Bridge, an accepting and modern Chistian church made up of Atlanta residents of every color, culture, and class, meets every Sunday morning at Regal Cinemas. Additionally, there are nearly 150 places of worship of all denominations within a 5-mile radius of Atlantic Station.