SUMMER 2 012 WHAT’S UP DOWNTOWN News for Central Atlanta Progress members and Downtown property owners. Centennial Olympic Park’s Party in the Park Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week Learn more on page 4 2 Streetcar Economics 6 CAP/ADID Annual Meeting 8 Transportation Vote 12 Design Awards 16 Woodruff Park News 19 Streetscape Update Summer 2012 N E W S Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Atlanta Streetcar: Improvement District, in partnership with the City of Atlanta, aim to leverage the federal and municipal investment in the Atlanta Streetcar by encouraging redevelopment along the route of this new transit line in Economic Impact Downtown Atlanta. A deliberate plan and vision document is in development that will outline a strategy for the desired reinvestment along the corridor. The Atlanta Streetcar Development and Investment Strategy Guide will be a road map to both guide investment in the corridor and proactively The Atlanta Streetcar project encourage its realization. It will include the following elements: is about more than improving • The Streetcar: What it is, when it will be built, how it will operate, etc. • Downtown Context: Qualitative and quantitative information about transportation mobility and access. Downtown to make the case for investment in the Atlanta Streetcar corridor With more than 80 acres of land and many • Market Demand: A summary of the projected market demand by land use for Downtown and the Atlanta Streetcar corridor and evidence of the buildings and structures within two blocks of economic development impact of streetcar projects in other cities the route considered underutilized, there are Before After significant opportunities for transit-oriented development that will improve the quality of life for residents, employees, visitors, shoppers, and students throughout the corridor and provide economic opportunity for businesses large and small to prosper. A rendering of a potential building improvement to attract new tenants. • The Plan: A vision plan summary with corridor-long drawings and diagrams along with block-by-block conceptual site plans and accompanying renderings and text narratives for key available sites (see the two images above). • Implementation Tools: Information about incentives that are available to support the proposed development Work is underway now by a team of professional planners and designers to complete the guide. It is scheduled to be released during the summer of 2012, so that work can begin immediately to recruit new investment to the Atlanta Streetcar corridor. Special thanks to the Atlanta Regional Commission Livable Centers Initiative and the Urban Land Institute Urban Innovation fund for support of this effort. From left: Ceasar Mitchell, A.J. Robinson, Mayor Kasim Reed, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Keisha Bottoms, Kwanza Hall, Lamar Willis, Frederick L. Daniels, Dr. Beverly Scott 2 Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District WWW.atlaNtadOWNTOWN.COM 3 Summer 2012 N E W S Meet the New Neighbors Downtown Dining Boasting more than 300 restaurants, Downtown Atlanta is the hottest spot for connoisseurs and casual diners alike. With a diversity of options, Downtown New Downtown provides something for every budget, for every night and every one! Restaurants & Retailers Agatha’s “A Taste of Mystery” Dinner Theatre • Flowers at the Market, Sweet Auburn Curb Market, Alma Cocina opened February 2012 Atlanta Grill • American Roadhouse, Pencil Factory Lofts, BLT Steak Atlanta opened March 2012 Café Circa • Charlot’s Creole Café, Mitchell Street opened April 2012 CNN Center Food Court • Le French Quarter Café, Healey Building, opened May 2012 Der Biergarten • Arepa Mia, Sweet Auburn Curb Market opened May 2012 Durango Steak House • Fifth Third Bank, Georgia-Pacific building opened June 2012 Glenn’s Kitchen Legal Sea Foods • High Road Craft Ice Cream, Sweet Auburn Curb Market, opened July 2012 Lumen Mall at Peachtree Center Food • CVS, Peachtree Center, opened June 2012 Court • Naan Stop Express Indian Cuisine, Broad Street, Max Lager’s Wood-Fired Grill & opening July 2012 Brewery • Big Kahuna Restaurant, SunTrust Plaza, opening 2012 Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria • Ammazza! Neapolitan Pizza, Edgewood Avenue, opening 2012 McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant Meehan’s Public House Nikolai’s Roof Restaurant No Mas! Cantina Save the Date Park Bar Paschal’s Restaurant Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week Peasant Bistro July 21-29 Prime Meridian Many of Downtown Atlanta’s finest dining Ray’s In the City establishments take part in this fabulous food event. There are no passes to buy, coupons to ROOM at TWELVE carry or cards to punch. You simply attend the Ruth’s Chris Steak House restaurant of your choice during Downtown Sidebar Atlanta Restaurant Week and select from a STATS special three-course dinner menu, for $25 and $35 per person, plus tip, plus tax. Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View Sway Town Hall Meeting • July 26, White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails Sweet Auburn Curb Market Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint GeorgiaForward Forum September 12-13, The Classic Center, Athens, GA Ted’s Montana Grill Terrace on Peachtree The 2012 Forum will examine how Georgia should orient itself to succeed in today’s global economy and what statewide prosperity should Thrive look like and how to achieve it. Trader Vic’s Downtown Development Day • November 7 Truva Underground Atlanta 4 Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District WWW.atlaNtadOWNTOWN.COM | 5 Summer 2012 N E W S CENTRAL ATLANTA PROGRESS 2012 Annual Meeting resented by Lanier Parking Solutions, the 2012 Annual Meeting was extremely well-received, and attracted nearly 1,100 attendees to the GWCC’s Sidney Marcus Auditorium. CAP was honored to pay tribute to longtime Downtown champions Bradley Currey, Jr., and Marcia Bansley, this year’s recipients of the Dan Sweat Award and Turner Downtown Community Leadership Award, respectively. Additionally, CAP debuted its “Only In Downtown” video, which highlights some of the most notable attractions, assets and attributes that make Downtown unique. New 2012 CAP Board Members David Balos, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Marti Blackstock, Parkway Realty Services Egbert Perry, Chairman, CAP Claire Brimmer, Ray’s in the City Cynthia Day, Citizens Trust Bank Walter Dukes, Georgia Power Company Doug Franklin, Cox Media Group Lisa Harris, Turner Properties, Inc. John Haupert, Grady Health System Richard Jones, Portman Holdings Steve Lindsey, AGL Resources Inc. Kelly Loeffler, Atlanta Dream Eddie Meyers, PNC Financial Services Group Bill Moseley, Lawson & Moseley John O’Neill, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. A.J. Robinson, President CAP/ADID Jeff Portman, AMC Inc. Susan Roe, Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association Ken Smith, Jones Day Robert Sauban, Marcia Bansley, Michael Robison 2012 ADID Board Chair: Craig Jones, Cousins Properties Harry Anderson, The Coca-Cola Company Lisa Borders, The Grady Health Foundation Curley Dossman, Georgia-Pacific Corporation The Honorable Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council Lisa Harris, Turner Properties (new Board Member) Joe Hindsley, Atlanta Hyatt Regency John C. Portman IV, Portman Holdings (new Board Member) Carl Powell, The Integral Group Egbert Perry, Bradley Currey, Jr., Tally Sweat, A.J. Robinson, Ann Cramer 6 Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District WWW.atlaNtadOWNTOWN.COM | 7 Summer 2012 N E W S RTR Impact (Source: Atlanta Regional Commission) • Collectively, the Atlanta region will benefit from a $9.2 billion savings in fuel and personal time. Transportation Vote • Nearly 200,000 jobs will be supported or created by 2040, with two-thirds JU LY 31 of them being in high- or mid-paying sectors. The Regional Transportation Referendum for • The average metro commuter spends $924 each year due to traffic business and residents across the region on July 31. congestion. he Transportation Investment Act of 2010 • The 157 projects proposed by the RTR will result in an average decrease in traffic delays of 24 percent percent gives metro Atlanta residents the opportunity to vote on a 1 percent sales tax to fund DOn’T MISS JULY 31- VOTE EARLY! transportation projects throughout the Visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s webpage for an online voter registration Tmetro area – Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, application or an application for an absentee or early voting ballot. Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties. • July 9: Advanced (Absentee In-Person) Voting begins If approved by metro Atlanta voters, the additional penny [O.C.G.A. §21-2-385 (d)(1)] resulting from this Regional Transportation Referendum • July 21: Saturday Voting [§21-2-385 (d)(1)] (RTR) will raise $8.5 billion over a 10-year period. GettiNG THE WORD OUT Eighty-five percent of this amount, or $6.14 billion, will fund specific interstate highway improvements, state roadways, transit, sidewalks, bike facilities, as well Engage your colleagues, partner organizations, and personal networks in as other projects. The remaining 15 percent of the proceeds, $1.08 billion, will planning to vote on July 31st. With just weeks to go, here are a few easy steps be allocated to every city and county in the region for local projects identified you can take to maximize participation among your employees and others by these governments. All funds raised within the Atlanta region will stay in you interact with. the region and can only be used to implement transportation projects. Send an Outlook calendar invitation to everyone On July 31 the voters of metro Atlanta will decide whether this funding will in your office—Subject “Vote Today: Regional Transportation be approved for the list of metro Atlanta transportation projects. A number Referendum” for the morning of July 31. In the body of the calendar of significant projects have been proposed for the Downtown community invitation, you can use this link to provide them an overview of the and within the City of Atlanta. With weeks remaining, CAP/ADID encourages referendum and direct them to www. metro citizens to learn more about the choices presented and to decide transformmetroatlanta.com. Consider whether to approve a penny sales tax to support these projects.