with early blueprints ready in mid-1968. Design and engineering began in 1973; existing properties were acquired, demolished and underwent site preparation in 1974–1975, and actual construction began in early 1976. The station was constructed using the cut-and-cover method. The Gold Line (then called North-South line) was built beneath Broad Street, and the Blue Line (then called East-West line) was constructed next to the railroad freight lines that run through Downtown Atlanta. Five Points opened on December 22, 1979 with only the original East-West platform open. The initial opening of the station was almost delayed because of construction on the lower level. The North-South platform did not open until December 4, 1981. Major renovations to both the east and west street-level plazas of the station began in April 2006. In 2016, a section of the station was converted into a small soccer field funded by MARTA and Atlanta United FC, the city's new Major League Soccer team. A tunnel to Underground Atlanta was located on the Peachtree Street side of the station, just outside of the faregates. It closed in 2017, in combination with the closure of Underground Atlanta for renovations, and is now inaccessible from both Five Points and Underground Atlanta. Attractions Station Soccer City Hall Fulton County Annex Richard B. Russell Federal Building Five Points (Atlanta) Bus routes The station is served by the following MARTA bus routes: Route 3 - Martin Luther King Jr. Drive / Auburn Avenue Route 21 - Memorial Drive Route 26 - Marietta Street / Perry Boulevard. Route 40 - Peachtree Street / Downtown Route 42 - Pryor Road. Route 49 - McDonough Boulevard Route 55 - Jonesboro Road Route 186 - Rainbow Drive / South DeKalb Route 813 - Atlanta Student Movement Blvd. Route 816 - North Highland Avenue Connection to other transit systems CobbLinc Ride Gwinnett Georgia Regional Transportation Authority References External links MARTA Station Page nycsubway.org Atlanta page Photo showing construction of the Five Points MARTA station - #1 Photo showing construction of the Five Points MARTA station - #2 Forsyth Street entrance from Google Maps Street View Peachtree Street entrance from Google Maps Street View 1979 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Blue Line (MARTA) Gold Line (MARTA) Green Line (MARTA) Red Line (MARTA) Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority stations Railway stations in the United States opened in 1979 Railway stations in Atlanta