MORRIS HABIF

Morris Habif - January 14, 1927 to March 3, 2022.

 

Morris was born and raised in Atlanta, GA where he attended Commercial High School in the city’s downtown.  He was a member of the Georgia Bar until the time of his death when he was the fourth oldest member of the bar.

 

Morris started and ran a number of successful retail and service businesses in his early career.  After establishing a small chain of automotive service centers, Morris founded APD Transmission Parts in 1959 as a wholesale distributor of automatic transmission parts. After relocating his wholesale business to south downtown Atlanta, Morris noticed that many of the former garment district buildings surrounding his warehouse were vacated as tenants moved to more modern distribution facilities in the Fulton Industrial district. Morris began purchasing these vacant properties and renovating them for unique uses such as community theater and light manufacturing.

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Morris was an early promoter of the redevelopment of Atlanta’s in-town business districts and a pioneer in converting vacant warehouse space into reasonably priced lofts for artists and small businesses. One of the first loft projects in Atlanta was created when Morris and his partners purchased the former Southern Cross Mattress Factory in downtown Atlanta. Morris oversaw the conversion of the former factory buildings into individual studio spaces.  The Mattress Factory Lofts helped pave the way for a new generation of developers who continue to unlock the potential of some of downtown Atlanta’s oldest buildings.

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Morris rehabilitated, managed and leased commercial properties for more than sixty years. He was respected in Atlanta’s real estate community as a visionary leader with a keen sense of where the city’s next hot growth area could be found. When not pursing his passion for real estate, Morris enjoyed spending time with his five children, 15 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, most of whom live in Atlanta.