Constellations, a collaborative working space focused on community building in Sweet Auburn, is thriving thanks in part to funding the project received through the Eastside Tax Allocation District (TAD).  

Located on Auburn Avenue in the Sweet Auburn Historic District near Downtown, the building was originally designed by the famous Atlanta architect Neel Reid as a school book repository. 

Gene Kansas renovated this historically significant building into a culturally-inspiring workspace that helps to celebrate the Sweet Auburn neighborhood’s long-time role as a center for African-American-owned businesses. 

“As our name suggests, Constellations is a place where stars come together and shine,” said Kansas. 

Some of these “stars” include Giving Point, a social enterprise focused on education through service, local artist Fahamu Pecou, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation. All tenants agree to a minimum one a one-year lease to allow them to establish deeper roots in the community. 

Invest Atlanta supported the project with a $200,000 Eastside TAD Resurgens Grant. 

“Invest Atlanta’s contribution through the Resurgens Grant allowed us to provide 25% of our space for free to community-oriented non-profits and individuals,” said Kansas. 

The workspace is approximately 9,500 square feet and features offices, studies, the North Star Library, dedicated desks, a board-quality conference room, the Milky Way Coffee Bar, communal areas, team rooms, and a podcast studio.