Best adaptation

And the winner is: Around the mile 10.25 marker on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail.

Why: It would be easy just to honor the whole Beltline, a historic 22-mile railroad corridor redevelopment project that’s pretty much the definition of a phoenix.

But this welcome portion of path over hectic North/ Ponce de Leon avenues gets singled out for what’s on either side of it: The hulking old circa-1926 Sears, Roebuck catalog distribution center (known as City Hall East more recently) has nearly completed its transformation into bustling live/work/play palace Ponce City Market. And the Kroger with the onetime unflattering nickname (“Murder Kroger”) is the dream neighbor now thanks to a colorful mural along its Beltline-facing side and the trail access point it recently built from its parking lot.

Get in the picture: Much of Ponce City Market’s 350,000 square feet of retail and restaurants will start rolling out toward the second half of this year. But the Dancing Goats Coffee Bar, with its fab covered deck, is already open. So is Binders art supplies store, where a full list of upcoming classes and events includes a March lecture on women artists throughout history. April 24-26, Flux Projects’ and artist Nick Cave’s dance/performance art event in the Food Hall offers an early look at that eagerly anticipated space. Meanwhile, the “Beltline Kroger” (as a sign inside reads) is a great place to hop on and off the trail, buy snacks and cold drinks and walk to shops and restaurants on Ponce and North.

Information: Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E, Atlanta. 404-900-7900, www.poncecitymarket.com. Kroger, 725 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-8752701, www.kroger.com. Atlanta Beltline, www.beltline.org.

FILE PHOTOS Atlanta’s Ponce City Market (above) is adjacent to the popular Eastside Trail, which includes paths for cyclists and pedestrians.