The City of Atlanta has been hard at work for the past five years, with the Atlanta City Council adopting the last of 10 master plans for the Atlanta beltline planning area. This effort has been supported by Livable Buckhead, a partner of Georgia Commute Options, which offers free support services and financial incentives to encourage car-sharing, teleworking, public transportation, biking and walking. The plans include retail development to serve the neighborhood, as well as a stormwater pond to supply the 30.4 acre site and neighboring plots in the Chosewood community. The next step is for the Atlanta City Council to vote on whether or not to approve funding for the project. Ahead of a private event to be held next month in Atlanta on “who's who” of the commercial real estate and construction industries, the municipal chapter Contractors Closers & Connections distributes a brochure detailing the development prospects of Centennial Yards in a compelling way for anyone who wants to see the Gulf relegated to history books. The MARTA Board of Directors has adopted the final list of projects and the implementation schedule for the early phases of transit along the Atlanta Beltline.
The Design Review Committee has also held its first meeting to review all development proposals within a half-mile radius of the Atlanta beltline. The Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID), the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) will begin major construction projects in the coming weeks and months, which are scheduled for major highways in the Buckhead Central Business District. ABI has also bought the 2.66-acre Garson Drive property in South Buckhead, preserving land for affordable housing and smart development. MARTA and the Federal Transit Administration, in partnership with ABI, have initiated the Level 1 Environmental Impact Statement so that the project can receive federal funding in the future. With the Atlanta BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee, ABI has developed and adopted an equitable development plan. The Atlanta BeltLine Redevelopment Plan and the BeltLine TAD have been approved by the Atlanta City Council, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, and the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education after a 6-month process of community participation. The urban farm shed has also been completed with state-of-the-art sustainability features, allowing for greater and better food production for residents of southwest Atlanta. ABI has held its first draw for 28 new affordable homes in The Lofts at Reynoldstown Crossing, a development in southeast Atlanta that was purchased out of bankruptcy and converted into affordable housing.
More than 2,500 units of affordable housing have been developed just a short distance from the Atlanta beltline.The timeline for completion of these development projects is still uncertain. City Council President Doug Shipman told 11Alive Wednesday that the mayor's office has not yet formally requested that payment be approved by the city council. It is unclear if there will be another vote on whether or not to approve funding for this project before August. The completed trail segments are already helping to revitalize neighborhoods and spur new developments, and this entire project is designed to provide equitable opportunities for all Atlantans. With so many projects underway, it is clear that there is much progress being made towards making Atlanta a better place to live.
