Last Wednesday, Atlanta nonprofit Moving in the Spirit signed a 99-year ground lease with MARTA and Columbia Ventures to build a new facility at the Edgewood/Candler Park transit-oriented development (TOD), MARTA confirmed.

Founded in Atlanta in 1986, Moving in the Spirit is a creative youth developmental dance program for children and teens ages 3-18, according to a Moving in the Spirit press release.

Phase II of the Edgewood/Candler Park TOD will feature Moving in the Spirit’s new facility, which will double the organization’s capacity from 250 to 500 students.

Along with two fully-equipped studios, the facility will feature a 150-seat professional theater with one of the few wheelchair-accessible tech booths in the city. The new space will allow Moving in the Spirit to reach an additional 15,000 children and families through performances and workshops, according to the release.

“We identified a need to be located next to a rail line years ago when, during the economic recession, the MARTA bus stop in front of our former facility was eliminated, putting hardship on our families,” CEO and co-founder of Moving in the Spirit, Dana Lupton said. “We are thrilled to work with MARTA and Columbia Ventures on this innovative endeavor, exemplifying how the arts can unite communities, spur economic development, promote transit use, and empower youth.”

When selecting developers and partners for its TOD projects, MARTA seeks organizations that aim to strengthen communities, the press release said.

“MARTA is thrilled to have Moving in the Spirit included as part of our TOD project at the Edgewood/Candler Park Station,” Amanda Rhein, senior director of TOD and real estate for MARTA, said. “Their presence in this project helps us to achieve our goal to support local community development. By incorporating a rich mix of uses in our projects we create dynamic places where people and communities can thrive.”

Moving in the Spirit expects to break ground on the project in the third quarter of 2018.