East Lake

Eastlake became identifiable as a residential neighborhood in the 1890s. The 1893 opening of Seward School and the 1907 addition to it of Rogers Playfield (soon to become a part of the Olmsted’s' 1910 parks plan) made Eastlake attractive as a place to raise a family. The streetcar line that opened in 1893 along Eastlake Avenue from downtown (and another line that came down from Capitol Hill onto Harvard Avenue) created further demand for housing. Motor vehicle travel to and through Eastlake was facilitated by the 1919 construction of the University Bridge. As the name plate on the southwest corner of the bridge still indicates, it was christened the Eastlake Avenue Bridge in April of that year. Three months later, the City adopted the present name.

Eastlake's excellent streetcar service encouraged the building of apartment houses, all lacking much on-site parking, as most of their tenants did not own a car. The apartments dating from 1900 to 1930 are generally of high quality inside and out, proportioned and landscaped not to overwhelm the neighboring homes or the streetscape. When the City's first zoning code was adopted in 1923, it recognized Eastlake's large number of apartments by allowing them on all of the neighborhood's residential land. Over the years, many smaller houses have been replaced by apartments, and many larger houses have been remodeled to include additional living units.

New homes commingle with older bungalows and Tudor cottages in this most Eastern of Atlanta's neighborhoods. Bounded by Oakwood and Kirkwood communities, this small neighborhood is known for its history and excellent location.
For those who feel themselves priced out of the established Intown neighborhoods, we have two words of advice: “East Lake!”