ATLANTA — Atlanta continues to experience significant development and growth, with key projects like the Atlanta BeltLine and Centennial Yards transforming the metro Atlanta area.
However, with the latest round of tariffs from the Trump administration driving up building costs, some developments could slow down.
Mike Abebe, one of the largest private landowners in the city, is preparing to develop a 25-acre plot of land along the BeltLine.
He told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter that the tariffs shouldn’t impact him—at least not yet.
TRENDING STORIES:
- FBI arrests Lilburn man for making threats against President Trump, others in administration
- Victims, suspect identified in Walmart employee shootings that left 2 dead, 1 injured
- Delta passengers on 2 flights get to Atlanta 15 hours late after spending night stuck on tarmac
“Even if we started construction tomorrow, we’d be doing infrastructure work,” Abebe said.
The land developer explains that because his BeltLine project is still in the pre-concept stage, changes in material costs won’t affect him at this time.
“For those in the predevelopment stage or already under construction, they will be impacted immediately,” Abebe said.
With other developments underway across the state—including a massive housing project in Waynesboro—Abebe said he understands the financial pressure tariffs can place on a developer.
“For a lot of developers, the margins are so thin. So, any fluctuation in labor or material costs is going to have an impact,” he said. “They have to renegotiate with lenders and equity providers just to keep projects on track.”
When the impacts could be seen are unclear as experts say it will take some time for the price changes to trickle down into the system.
©2025 Cox Media Group
