The area is dominated by massive buildings, formerly factories, now used by storage companies, and by the Atlantic Center Mall (opened in 1996, with tenants including P.C.

Richard & Son and Modell's), Atlantic Terminal Mall (opened in 2004, with tenants including Target) and Barclays Center.

When railway sections west of Jamaica station were put underground in the early 1940s, that portion of Atlantic Avenue became continuous again.

The one-block section between the Van Wyck Expressway and 95th Avenue opened in July 2020 as part of the $17 million Gateway Park project.

Short roadways still named Atlantic Avenue exist further east adjacent to the LIRR Main Line within Nassau County.