Morningside-Lenox Park: A Historically Charming Atlanta Neighborhood

Updated September 2020.

Morningside-Lenox Park is a lovely in-town tree-lined community in Atlanta, Georgia, filled with charm and character. Just a quick 15-minute drive puts you in the center of town, which is ideal if you happen to work in downtown Atlanta. The area’s name is derived from the proximity of the two neighborhoods, Morningside and Lenox Park. There are lots of local businesses in the area—both old and new—each offering something unique to its residents.

The neighborhood is also known for the Morningside Nature Preserve, which spreads on more than 30 acres of green space. This is a neighborhood of young professionals, historical homes, and amazing schools, which is why it is such a desirable part of town.

Where is Morningside-Lenox Park, Atlanta?

This neighborhood is just north of Virginia-Highlands, between Ansley Park and Druid Hills. The great part about living in this area—besides the great local restaurants and bars—is the lovely green space surrounding the neighborhood. The area’s close proximity to Piedmont Park makes it an appealing choice for the urban dwellers who enjoy spending time in the city’s premier park.

Many who live in this community are often involved in charitable road races that come through the community. Living here means that they don’t have to venture far from home to join in the race, as the starting and ending points are usually close to the Morningside/Lenox Park area.

History of Morningside-Lenox Park, Atlanta

Many of Atlanta’s first settlers came from Northeast Georgia, while others came from as far away as Virginia and the Carolinas. Some took up residence in Easton, which was a farming community back then and is now the current location of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive. Easton farmers used the Walker’s Mill to gin cotton and grind corn. The mill was located across the street from where Ansley Mall now sits.

In 1923, two local real estate agents built eight homes in the area, thus establishing what is now known as the Morningside-Lenox Park community. Morningside was unlike the other neighborhoods in Atlanta, as commuters who lived here could use streetcars and motor vehicles to get around. The neighborhood continued to prosper and in 1925 it was finally annexed by the city of Atlanta.

In 1925, a row of merchant shops was built on North Highland. 1929 saw the first school in the area, Morningside Elementary. The number of students continued to grow steadily, which led to another building being commissioned for the school in 1935, providing employment to those in the area during the Great Depression.

In the 1960s the area faced the threat of a highway running through it. However, the Morningside Lenox Park Association was formed to fight this plan. Despite the authorities’ determination to move forward with the project, pressure from the association and residents of the community resulted in the state forgoing the plan.

During the 1980s, certain parts of the community began to take a sudden turn. One of these regions was the Cheshire Bridge Road area, which became home to many adult businesses. In an effort to clean up the area, a ban on new adult businesses in Cheshire Bridge Road was issued in 2005, but existing ones were permitted to remain.

Getting to Morningside-Lenox Park, Atlanta

Traveling from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the Morningside-Lenox Park area will take approximately 26 minutes (14.2 miles). Travel I-85 N to Atlanta, exit North Highland Avenue Northeast to Cumberland Rd NE for 2.1 miles and it will take you into the neighborhood.

An alternate route traveling from I-85 N to Williams St NW in Atlanta will require you to take exit 250 to 10^th St NW and Piedmont Ave NE to Cumberland Rd. NE.

Lifestyle

This historical Atlanta community is a very walkable area that finds many residents enjoying the variety of outdoor options available to them, from spending time in the park to taking part in some of the many outdoor events. Morningside-Lenox Park is home to a variety of dining options, from Italian food at Nino’s Italian Restaurant or Latin-American food at Loca Luna, to the classic Southern-style restaurants such as The Colonnade. There is truly something that will appeal to everyone’s taste preferences.

Weekends often find residents outdoors during the spring and summer months, but during the colder months of the year, you’ll often find them working out at the area’s fitness studio, Pure Barre. Family plans for the weekend, especially for those with small children, include fun times at Catch Air, a kid’s party venue in the Morningside-Lenox Park community. If you don’t have children and you’re not really into working out, perhaps you would enjoy going on a hunt for antiques, which would likely lead you to the local shop Antiques & Beyond.

Schools & Employment

The oldest school in the area is Morningside Elementary, which opened its doors in 1929.  Additional elementary schools in the neighborhood are Garden Hills Elementary School and Hillside Conant School, the latter integrating high-tech tools for interactive learning. Hillside Conant School serves not only as an elementary school but also as a middle and high school. High school students can also attend North Atlanta or Grady High School.

A lot of the Morningside-Lenox Park workforce is made up of executives, managers, or some other type of professional. This is higher than most of the neighborhoods throughout the U.S. Emory University and the Emory University Hospital are less than 10 minutes away from the Morningside-Lenox Park area, which is likely why so many of its residents are employed here. The neighborhood also has an 18% lower unemployment rate than the national average.

Real Estate Snapshot

Even though the neighborhood is made up of primarily medium-sized houses, there are also a wide variety of new apartment complexes and high rises. The average rent in Atlanta is $1,471 and the average rent in the Morningside-Lenox Park area is approximately $1,586, higher than the average rent in Atlanta. It is 36% more expensive than the U.S. average, with a median home value of $463,688—151% higher than the average for most U.S. homes.

Life in this community is fairly laid-back and relaxing. It is what you make of it since it offers everything that a resident could want or need. If you’re in the market to rent a new place in the Atlanta area which is close to downtown without actually being in the heart of the hustle, Morningside-Lenox Park might just be for you. You may find that it offers far more than you expected of it.

Go ahead and review our listings on RentCafe to find the best apartment for you.