Downtown Athens (Georgia)

Downtown Athens is the oldest of the main commercial and residential centers in Athens, Georgia, United States. Downtown is generally considered to be the area bounded by Dougherty Street on the north, Broad Street and the University of Georgia campus on the south, Pulaski Street on the west, and Foundry Street by the east.

A Downtown Athens Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by Austin Kinsey in 1978.

The commercial and governmental heart of the city has traditionally been toward the eastern end of Downtown Athens, between Lumpkin and Thomas Streets. Recent developments, particularly between Lumpkin and Pulaski Streets, have expanded the boundaries of the "central" part of the neighborhood. The term "Downtown Athens" can also mean this smaller, more commercial area, particularly when used in the context of the city's nightlife and restaurants.

Some definitions of "Downtown" include the area west of Pulaski Street, which is a much more residential area characterized by historic homes, new infill construction, and some public housing. This part of Downtown Athens has the highest concentration of hotels ^{[citation needed]} particularly along Broad Street. The Prince Avenue commercial corridor is an important center of business, particularly for those living in the Boulevard and Normaltown neighborhoods.

The area has several hotels and apartment buildings, and more high-rise condos are either under construction or planned for the area. Some of these high-rises as well as the construction of the new Multi-Modal Transportation Center have the potential to redefine the area encompassing downtown Athens to stretch east to the banks of the Oconee River.