CCommunityommunity AgendaAgenda - 33.. CCharacterharacter AAreasreas

Character Areas - Neighborhood Center

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Map produced through the City of , Department of Planning and Community Development, Office of Planning GIS, Shawn G. Brown

City of Atlanta 0 1 2 Miles Character Areas Neighborhood Center

Map 3-8: Neighborhood Center

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Neighborhood centers are focal point of a neighborhood or group of neigh- borhoods. They have a concentra on of ac vi es including neighborhood ori- entated commercial business almost always including retail, personal services and restaurants and don’t have big box retail. Many of these shops are locally owned. Other uses o en include medium density housing, o ces, schools and other ins tu ons. The centers o en are not more than a few square blocks near the intersec on of well traveled local streets with a rela vely low travel speed. Also, they typically have historic or tradi onal building stock at a pedestrian scale of not more than three to four stories in height. The neigh- borhood centers are characteris cally highly walkable with abundant side- walks, street trees, street furniture, on-street parking, and nearby accessible public or green spaces such as plaza and parks. Over me, Neighborhood Centers have developed their own individual character and iden ty. Neigh- borhood fes vals and markets are o en held in Neighborhood Centers.

LOCATIONS

There are many neighborhood centers around the City. Moving clockwise star ng in Midtown, these include areas at the intersec on of 10th St. and Piedmont Ave., Monroe Dr. and 10th St., Morningside, Virginia-Highland, At- kins Park, Li le Five Points neighborhood, Village, Kirkwood, Village, Avenue, Lakewood and Jonesboro Road, Dill Avenue, , Westview, Capitol View and the Historic Westside Village (see Map 3-8).

PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PATTERN

Transporta on

The neighborhood centers o en are located at or near the intersec on of well traveled de ned local or collector streets. These streets are usually only two or three lanes wide with two-way ow and a rela vely low travel speed, on street parking and typically removed from major highways. With the ex- cep on of the Historic Westside village, these areas are not directly served by MARTA rail and instead are only served via local bus lines. Almost all of the neighborhood centers are sized that they can be traversed en rely within a pleasant walking distance in comfort with abundant sidewalks and shade trees. Nevertheless, many of these exis ng sidewalks are in need of at least minor repair. Neighborhood Centers should have streetscapes with wide sidewalks, street trees and street furniture. Good pedestrian connec vity be- tween the neighborhood centers and surrounding residen al areas is impor- tant to improve their walkability and patronage by nearby residents. Parking should be shared to the extent possible and should be located predominately to the side and rear of buildings.

Land Use

Neighborhood centers are a hub of ac vity and give a neighborhood a de n- ing character. There is a concentra on of uses including neighborhood orien- tated commercial business almost always including retail, personal services and restaurants. Other uses o en include medium density housing, o ces,

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schools and other ins tu onal uses. The loca ons of the school and ins tu- onal uses o en are home for community gathering spots. Also, the neigh- borhood centers typically have historic or tradi onal building stock at a pedes- trian scale of not more than three to four stories in height, however, usually surrounded by well established low density residen al neighborhoods. Al- though the neighbor centers do not typically have large green spaces, there are o en urbanized public gathering places such as plazas within them and are nearby other accessible larger public parks.

Economic Development

Although the City’s neighborhood centers o er a concentra on of neighbor- hood orientated uses and services, they s ll have a large number of either underu lized or vacant sites which o er the opportunity for in ll redevel- opment. Also, the charm of these neighborhood centers is at least in part due to the historic or tradi onal building stock. Therefore, it would be im- pera ve that the exis ng character and building be maintained as much as possible through renova on e orts and adap ve re-use. Furthermore, public safety should be paramount u lizing a variety of means and technologies. The majority of these iden ed centers are zoned within the City of Atlanta’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District such that redevelopment and new in ll construc on would occur in a similar scale and higher design standard as any other readily iden able historic neighborhood center and be rea- sonably protected from higher density and commercial externali es such as increased parking demands. Also, in some cases, certain neighborhood centers have had an overabundance of par cular uses such as restaurants or personal services or have been burdened by prohibi ve alcohol licensing requirements which does not allow for full diversity of neighborhood-orien- tated commercial uses as well as quality businesses to serve the surrounding residen al neighborhoods. Locally owned businesses should be encouraged in Neighborhood Centers. Primary Land Uses  Commercial  O ce  Residen al  Ins tu onal  Educa onal POLICIES Neighborhood Centers have policies intended to maintain and enhance their vitality including:  Maintain and improve upon public safety.  Preserve and restore exis ng, tradi onal and pedestrian scale and character of buildings in established neighborhoods.  Promote a balance of retail, service, o ce, dining and residen al uses serving the adjacent neighborhoods.

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 Place controls on the development of larger scale strip development which are intended to serve larger areas than a single neighborhood or a small group of neighborhoods.  Encourage integrated modes of transporta on including pedestrian, bicycle, auto and the use of public trans- porta on including MARTA by promo ng “complete streets”.  Require new in ll development to be compa ble with the scale, height and character of adjoining neighbor- hoods and discourage auto-orientated uses.  Provide a rac ve pedestrian oriented storefronts and ac vi es adjacent to sidewalks such as outdoor cafes/ markets.  Facilitate safe, a rac ve and convenient pedestrian circula on with wide tree lined sidewalks that is part of an integrated transporta on network.  Encourage the rehabilita on or development of neighborhood commercial areas to include propor onately signi cant residen al uses.  Protect exis ng commercial areas from uses and building forms which are incompa ble with the scale, char- acter and needs of the adjacent neighborhoods.  Minimize the use of adjacent neighborhood streets for commercial area parking by establishing adequate parking requirements and encouraging shared parking arrangements.  Encourage the adap ve re-use of exis ng building stock.  Encourage public/ins tu onal uses such as community centers and libraries that encourage community gath- ering.  Encourage mixed-use ver cal buildings providing residen al uses above retail uses.  Prevent the expansion of non-residen al uses into residen al areas.  Provide diverse and more a ordable housing opportuni es accessible for all ages. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES All neighborhood centers are in con nuous e orts to maintain and enhance for their respec ve neighborhood centers. These speci c ac vi es include:  Improve public safety with a variety of means and technologies.  Improve vehicular and pedestrian connec vity and ADA access.  Employ addi onal on-street parking and tra c calming measures.  Promote locally owned businesses.  Encourage more small scaled grocery stores and or fresh food op ons.  Provide for a wider variety of commercial uses that meets the needs of the neighborhoods.  Provide means to improve balance of retail, services, and restaurants.  Improve the pedestrian environment by having well maintained and wide sidewalks with street trees and street furniture such as trash receptacles and benches.  Enhance opportunity for access to public transporta on to minimize tra c.

 Allow shared parking opportuni es for one-stop parking to serve mul ple o -site uses.

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 Allow for unique character of individual neighborhood centers including signage and gateway features as much as possible.  Provide for stronger enforcement to maintain and improve dilapidated structures.  Adopt Neighborhood Commercial zoning in Neighborhood Centers. ADOPTED PLANS The City of Atlanta has undertaken many planning studies and redevelopment plans that include recommenda ons for zoning and land use changes to support the maintenance of neighborhood centers and foster the crea on of new centers which include:  BeltLine Subarea Plans (2011)  Campbellton/Cascade Corridors Redevelopment Plan (2006)  East Atlanta Village Study (1999)  Jonesboro Road Redevelopment Plan Update (2006)  Mechanicsville Community Redevelopment Plan (2004)  North Highland Avenue Study (1999)  Pi sburgh Community Redevelopment Plan (2001)  Vine City Redevelopment Plan (2004)  Westview Neighborhood Plan (2011)

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Character Areas - Town Center

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Map produced through the City of Atlanta, Department of Planning and Community Development, Office of Planning GIS, Shawn G. Brown

City of Atlanta 0 1 2 Miles Character Areas Town Center

Map 3-9: Town Center

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Town Centers are focal points of several neighborhoods that have a concen- tra on of ac vi es such as retail, big box retail, commercial, professional of- ce, higher density housing, and open space. Other uses o en include me- dium density housing, o ces, schools and other ins tu ons. They typically are accessible to pedestrians and are served by transit.

Atlanta’s town centers have a variety of development pa erns, however many are developed with large blocks, a limited street network and a suburban/ auto oriented development pa ern dominated by large parking lots fron ng the street and numerous curb cuts along sidewalks. The uses usually include commercial strip shopping centers or specialized large uses such as malls and hospitals. Some lack su cient pedestrian accessibility and can o en be tra c congested. Also, in some cases, Town Centers may have an overabundance of par cular uses such as restaurants or personal services which does not allow for a full diversity of quality community orientated commercial uses to serve the surrounding residen al neighborhoods.

LOCATIONS

Atlanta contains several exis ng and emerging Town Centers throughout the City which include: Lindbergh City Center, Village, and Northside Parkway at I-75, Greenbriar Mall, the Edgewood retail district and other areas including near Piedmont Hospital, the former City Hall East and Turner Field area (see Map 3-9).

PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PATTERN

Transporta on:

Town Centers should serve all transporta on modes including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users. The street design should be consistent with the Connect Atlanta Plan Street Design for Commercial Boulevards. The Plan recommends the redesign of exis ng corridors in order to create a more livable streetscape with complete streets and tra c calming while s ll pro- viding mobility. There should also be improved signage and way nding signs along corridors to facilitate travel.

Town Centers should be accessible by transit, bicycle routes, highways and other major roads. Transit op ons should be increased as opportunity arises. Su cient parking should be provided in an -unobtrusive manner including new on-street parking. All streets having bus routes should include bus shel- ters.

Sidewalks should be ADA accessible, wide and in good repair with street trees to serve as bu ers between travel lanes and pedestrians in addi on to providing shaded areas for convenient walking. Intersec ons at wide streets should include medians to make street crossings safer. Streetscapes with street furniture including pedestrian ligh ng, benches and trash receptacles improve the pedestrian accessibility of the center. Streetscape improvements should be implemented along key sec ons of Town Centers. Good pedestrian connec vity between the neighborhood centers and surrounding residen al areas is important to improve their walkability and patronage by nearby resi-

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dents. Bike facili es should be provided par cularly along roads designated as a Core Bicycle Connec on and a Second- ary Bicycle Connec on in the Connect Atlanta Plan.

As large parcels redevelop the new development should include new streets to create smaller more walkable blocks. The new streets should provide connec ons to the exis ng street network. Driveway curb cuts should be minimized in number and size and access to parcels should be provided from side streets whenever possible. Tra c calming mea- sured such as on street parking, round abouts, medians should be implemen ng to slow down vehicular and improve the pedestrian environment.

Land Use:

Town Centers should provide services and facili es that serve area. Building placement, mass and orienta on should create a pedestrian-oriented urban form. The front building façade should be built to the back edge of the sidewalk and the main building entrance should open to the sidewalk to frame the streetscape and encourage pedestrian ac vity. Surface parking lots should be located to the side and/or rear of buildings, and when adjacent to the sidewalk should be screened with vegeta on. Buildings should wrap mul -story parking decks. Public parking should be encouraged to be developed as a rac ve structures to support retail and prevent encroachment of parking in adjacent residen al areas. Buildings should be sustainable and constructed of quality materials and design.

Mul -story buildings, high density and mixed use buildings/developments are appropriate in Town Centers. However, exis ng historic and poten ally historic structures should be preserved. At the same me, there should be appropriate transi ons and bu ers to adjacent character areas, par cularly in areas without an intervening street and surrounded by low-density residen al neighborhoods. Greater residen al housing density should be encouraged to provide a range of housing types and prices accessible for all ages, par cularly senior housing. Sustainable design should also be encouraged. Although Town Centers do not typically have large greenspaces, there are o en more urbanized public gathering places such as plazas within them.

Economic Development

While Town Centers o er a concentra on of uses and services, they s ll have a large number of either underu lized or vacant sites as well as vacant and underu lized big box retail which o er the opportunity for in ll redevelopment. Town Centers should provide jobs and economic opportuni es for the City residents surrounding them. Primary Land Uses:  Ver cal Mixed Use  Commercial

 O ce  Mul -Family Residen al  Ins tu onal  Cultural POLICIES Town Center policies are intended to maintain and enhance their vitality including:  In Town Centers, the highest densi es should be at the center and transi on to lower densi es at the edges to protect and bu er surrounding neighborhoods. Surrounding neighborhoods should be bu ered from noise and lights.  Maintain and improve upon public safety.

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 Preserve and restore the exis ng, tradi onal and pedestrian scale and character of buildings.  Promote a balance of retail, service, o ce, dining and residen al uses serving the adjacent neighborhoods.  Place controls on the development of larger scale strip development which are intended to serve larger areas than a single neighborhood or a small group of neighborhoods.  Encourage complete streets and integrated modes of transporta on including pedestrian, bicycle, auto and the use of public transporta on including MARTA.  Provide a rac ve pedestrian oriented storefronts and ac vi es adjacent to sidewalks such as outdoor cafes/ markets and minimize surface parking lots.  Facilitate safe, a rac ve and convenient pedestrian circula on with wide tree lined sidewalks, safe pedestrian crossings, on-street parking and minimize con icts between pedestrians and vehicles.  Minimize the use of adjacent neighborhood streets for commercial area parking by establishing adequate parking requirements and encouraging shared parking arrangements. Encourage well designed public parking to support retail.  Promote a variety and diversity of uses and good quality businesses.  Provide diverse and more a ordable housing opportuni es accessible for all ages.  Promote the redevelopment of vacant sites, surface parking and underu lized big box retail and deteriora ng buildings. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES  Improve public safety with a variety of means and technologies;  Improve vehicular and pedestrian connec vity with ADA access;  Employ addi onal on-street parking and tra c calming measures;  Promote locally owned businesses;  Encourage more grocery stores and or fresh food op ons;  Provide for a wider variety of commercial uses;  Encourage mixed-use ver cal buildings providing residen al uses above retail uses;  Provide means to improve balance of retail, services, and restaurants;  Improve sidewalk condi ons including well maintained and wider sidewalks with street trees and street fur- niture such as trash receptacles and benches; Improve sidewalk connec vity from surrounding areas to Town Centers.  Enhance opportuni es for access to public transporta on to minimize tra c;  Improve parking opportuni es to allow one-stop parking to serve mul ple o -site uses;  Allow for unique character of individual neighborhood centers including signage and gateway features as much as possible;  Encourage the adap ve re-use of exis ng building stock;  Provide for stronger enforcement to maintain and improve dilapidated structures;  Increase amount of accessible park space;

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ADOPTED PLANS  Beltline Subarea Plans  Buckhead Pedestrian Connec vity Study (2011)  Buckhead Greenspace Ac on Plan (2011)  Buckhead Ac on Plan Livable Centers Ini a ve (LCI) Report (2002)  Connect Atlanta Plan (2008)  District 2 Rail Corridor Study (2001)  Greenbriar Town Center Livable Communi es Ini a ve (LCI) Study and Concept Plan (2001)  Edgewood Redevelopment Plan (2009)  Lindbergh Transporta on Area Development Study (2001)  Master Plan (2007)  Piedmont Road Corridor Study (2008)  Ponce De Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridors Study (2005)  Stadium Neighborhoods Tax Alloca on District – Redevelopment Plan (2006)  Summerhill/ Redevelopment Plan Update (2006)

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Character Areas - Regional Center

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Map produced through the City of Atlanta, Department of Planning and Community Development, Office of Planning GIS, Shawn G. Brown

0 1 2 City of Atlanta Miles Character Areas Regional Activity Center

Map 3-10: Regional Center

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Regional Centers have a concentra on of regionally marketed commercial and retail centers, o ce and employment areas, high density housing, en- tertainment and a rac ons, cultural and ins tu onal uses which may also include higher educa on facili es. These centers have a high degree of ac- cess by vehicular tra c and public transporta on. They include proper es with higher densi es on large tracks of land developed as part of a campus or uni ed development plan.

The City of Atlanta has two primary Regional Centers in Midtown and Buck- head which are readily accessible from major highways- I-75/85 for Midtown and GA-400 for Buckhead. Fort McPherson, currently opera ng as a military base un l its September 2011 closure, will be redeveloped as a Regional Cen- ter Character Area with access also from I-75/85 and arterial streets – Lee St. and Campbellton Road.

In some instances, the highways and streets for these Regional Centers serve a physical barrier limi ng auto access and severely limi ng pedestrian access. These Regional Centers are also accessible by mass transit including metro At- lanta’s commuter rail system- MARTA- which provides three sta ons in Mid- town, two sta ons in Buckhead and two accessible from Fort McPherson. In addi on, these areas are well served by MARTA bus and connec ng local and regional commuter bus systems. Major streets in the regional areas typically run north-south and are at four to six lanes wide and classi ed as either state routes (such as Peachtree Rd. in Buckhead) or city arterial streets (such as 10th Street in Midtown and Lee Street adjacent to Fort McPherson). Secondary streets typically run east-west and are usually at least three to four drive lanes wide. In Midtown, some of these streets such as Spring St., West Peachtree St. are one-way and serve in tandem to access the adjacent highways. As a whole, Midtown is characterized by a standard street grid system with small block sizes and on-street parking op ons, but Buckhead and Fort McPherson has predominately large superblocks with limited connec vity and on-street parking op ons in comparison. This leads to congested streets, in par cular during peak rush hour tra c and during special holiday seasons especially in Buckhead. The Regional Centers do not o er consistent dedicated bicycle lanes or routes. Pedestrian tree-lined sidewalks are provided on virtually all public streets in Midtown and along Peachtree Road and Piedmont Road in Buckhead, however, they are found less consistently overall throughout Buck- head and are virtually non-existent in Fort McPherson. Moreover, the side- walks are also broken by numerous driveway curb-cuts which make walking on the sidewalks less than desirable.

Land uses for Atlanta’s Regional Centers are medium to high density mixed uses including a blend of o ce, retail, ins tu onal, hotel, residen al, cultur- al, recrea onal, educa onal and research orientated. These uses are encour- aged in ver cal mixed-use structures. Industrial uses, adult businesses and in- dependent surface parking lots are either discouraged or directly prohibited. These land uses allow these Regional Centers to provide a very high number of jobs in comparison to available housing. The greatest density of these uses is found along the Peachtree spine and along the adjacent highways; although there are s ll sca ered areas of low density residen al development on or adjacent to this spine. In general, development densi es gradually decline

483 CCommunityommunity AgendaAgenda - 33.. CCharacterharacter AAreasreas toward adjacent single-family neighborhoods which surround the respec ve Regional Centers. Buckhead parcels are developed as larger tracks of land with uses being less residen al and having more orienta on toward nancial and commercial uses due to the large regional malls of Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. In comparison, Midtown is devel- oped with smaller parcels with land uses more focused with ins tu onal, cultural and entertainment uses including the visual and performing arts. This is characterized by the loca on of notable regional art o erings such as the Fox Theatre, the Woodru Arts Center which includes the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alli- ance Theatre and the Center for Puppetry Arts. However, it should also be noted that Atlan c Sta on, a large mixed- use master planned redevelopment project located on the west side of Midtown regional center has quickly become a signi cant retail center. The proposed redevelopment of Ft. McPherson will allow land uses would include high density mixed-use, o ce-ins tu onal, bio-tech research facili es, single-family and medium-density residen al, as well as open space. The Regional Centers are well served by high rise o ce buildings serving as headquarters for major inter- na onal companies. Atlanta’s most iconic park – Piedmont Park - is adjacent to the Midtown regional center, although Buckhead’s regional center has no large natural green spaces, ironically, the parking lots of Lenox Mall serve as regional public gathering spots to celebrate holidays such as the 4th of July. The historic Parade Ground and a planned 30-acre Event Space would serve as public greenspaces in Fort McPherson.

LOCATIONS:

Regional Centers in the City of Atlanta are located in the core por ons of the larger areas known as Midtown, Buck- head and Fort McPherson. These Regional Centers are easily accessible and adjacent from the local highways or roads. Midtown’s regional center boundary roughly follows I-75/85 to the west and south, I- 85/ to the north and one to two blocks east of Peachtree St. to the east. Buckhead’s regional center is focused upon major regional malls- Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza; and follows the major thoroughfares Peachtree Rd. which runs from southwest to northeast and Piedmont Rd. to the northwest from its intersec on at Peachtree Rd. Fort McPherson is Fort McPher- son nearly 500 acres centrally located between Downtown and the Harts eld-Jackson Atlanta Interna onal Airport ad- jacent to Lee Street to the east and Campbellton Road to the north. The Regional Center at Fort McPherson is located in the southeastern por on of the site with primary access from Lee Street. A Main Street concept is integrated within this district that begins at the southern edge of the site at the Lakewood/Fort McPherson MARTA sta on and runs east/west along the future McPherson Parkway. All of the Regional Centers are served by heavy rail (see Map 3-10).

PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS:

Transporta on:

Regional Centers o en serve the City and/or neighborhood within a reasonable driving distance or a 5-10 minute walk. Regional Centers should serve the needs of motorists, transit users, bicyclists and pedestrians. The street design should be consistent with the Connect Atlanta Plan Street Design for Commercial . The Connect Atlanta Plan recommends the redesign of exis ng corridors in order to create a more livable streetscape and provide mobility for motorists, bicycles and pedestrians. There should be improved signage and way nding signs along corridors to facili- tate travel. Transporta on Management Associa ons should be integral element is promo ng all modes of transporta- on and reducing conges on.

Regional Centers should be accessible by transit, highways, and arterial roads with transit op ons to be increased as much as possible. Bus stops should provide shelters, route informa on and trash receptacles. Su cient parking should be provided, however, in an unobtrusive manner.

Sidewalks should be wide, free of obstruc ons and in good repair, and should be lined with street trees to serve as buf- fers between travel lanes and pedestrians in addi on to providing shaded areas to walk. Intersec ons should be ADA accessible, clearly marked with crosswalks and for larger streets, medians to make street crossings safer. Streetscapes with pedestrian ligh ng, street furniture, trash receptacles and wide sidewalks improve the pedestrian accessibility of Regional Centers. Streetscape improvements should be implemented along key sec ons, and in concentrated ac vity areas (nodes), of Regional Centers. Bicycle facili es should be provided par cularly along roads designated as a Core Bicycle Connec on and a Secondary Bicycle Connec on iden ed in the Connect Atlanta Plan.

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As large parcels redevelop, new development should include smaller walkable blocks with frequent intersec ons. The network of streets should connect to the exis ng street network. Curb cuts should be minimized in size and number and access to parcels should be provided from side streets wherever possible. Overall, Regional Centers should entail a planned rela onship between the development and public infrastructure, including the pedestrian-oriented environ- ment and transporta on network systems.

In Fort McPherson, Research Boulevard will be designed as a right-of-way with poten al for rail transit, bike lanes, and a median that could act as the future travel lane for the Peachtree Street Car. In the mean me, it presents opportuni- es for the incorpora on of green space and bioswales.

Land Use

Regional Centers should provide services and facili es that serve the greater area. Building placement, mass and orienta on should create a pedestrian-friendly urban form. The front building façade should be built to the back edge of the sidewalk, and the main building entrance should open to the sidewalk to frame the streetscape and encourage pedestrian ac vity. Surface parking lots should be discouraged. If present, they should be located to the side and/or rear of buildings, and when adjacent to the sidewalk should be screened with vegeta on. Parking decks should be screened with liner buildings. Buildings should constructed of quality materials and design.

Mul -story buildings, high density and mixed use buildings/developments are appropriate in Regional Centers. At the same me, there should be appropriate transi ons in building scale and bu ers to adjacent character areas, par- cularly in areas without an intervening street and surrounded by low-density residen al neighborhoods. . Exis ng historic and poten ally historic structures should be preserved. Single-family neighborhoods which surround Regional Centers should also be protected. Greater residen al housing density should be encouraged and should include a range of housing types and prices to include workforce and a ordable housing accessible for all ages as well as senior housing. Sustainable living including greener buildings, roof-top gardens, greener streets and accessibility to public spaces should also be strongly encouraged.

This Science and Technology Center at Fort McPherson will be an employment hub formed by a concentra on of re- search, o ce, and start-up o ce buildings as poten al incubator space. The development of a science and technology center is proposed to be a 127-acre district that will leverage Atlanta’s strengths in the areas of vaccines, infec ous disease and neuroscience. The concept, developed in collabora on with the University System of Georgia, the Gov- ernor’s O ce, the Georgia Research Alliance and others, is expected to create 3.5 million square feet of lab, o ce, medical and conference space. Economic Development  Provide jobs and economic opportuni es for the City residents surrounding the Regional Centers  Promote interna onal businesses and headquarters to locate in the Regional Centers Primary Land Uses  Ver cal Mixed-Use  Commercial  O ce  Residen al

 Ins tu onal (Government, Educa onal)  Cultural (Museums, Visual & Performing Arts)

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POLICIES:  Enhance Regional Centers, encouraging their redevelopment as intense mixed use areas that serve mul ple communi es as well as the en re City with suppor ng land uses that create opportuni es to live, work, shop and recreate;  Improve the pedestrian environment and minimize con ict between pedestrians and vehicles;  Improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular connec vity;  Facilitate safe and convenient bicycle access;  Provide appropriate pedestrian oriented uses and ac vi es adjacent to sidewalks;  Encourage the use of public transporta on including MARTA with high-density mixed-use Transit Oriented Development near MARTA sta ons;  Support shared parking and alterna ve modes of transporta on op ons,  Supply su cient parking in an unobtrusive manner;  Maintain and improve upon public safety;  Encourage opportuni es for economic development where there is a planned rela onship between the trans- porta on system and development;  Encourage a compa ble mixture of residen al, commercial, cultural and recrea onal uses;  Provide greater residen al housing density for improved jobs/housing balance;  O er a range of housing types, including senior housing, and prices to include a ordable and workforce hous- ing accessible for all ages to meet di erent housing needs;  Preserve, protect and enhance single-family neighborhoods which surround the Regional Centers;  Support sustainable living including greener buildings, public green spaces and tree lined streets;  Improve the aesthe cs of the built environment.  Preserve and protect the City’s historic buildings and sites thru rehabilita on and reuse.  Provide expanded cohesive urban outdoor street level retail uses along strategic streets.  Provide more publically accessible green spaces with shade trees. Buckhead Regional Center Policies • Preserve, protect and enhance the Buckhead Regional Center (aka Buckhead commercial district) as a local, regional and na onal premier des na on for business, living and visi ng • Preserve and protect all adjacent single-family residen al neighborhoods • Ensure the overall aesthe c of the built environment is urban in nature and extremely high in quality • Provide housing opportuni es that re ect a rich diversity of incomes and ages • Promote the Buckhead commercial district as a lifelong living community, providing residen al opportuni es for all stages of life • Preserve and con nue to facilitate the mixture and connec vity of commercial uses and residen al uses in the

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district • Signi cantly increase the amount of open space throughout the district • Promote future development that is sustainable and environmentally sensi ve • Encourage development pa erns that meet na onal green building standards and that incorporate alterna ve energy sources • Ensure the plan ng of trees on all streets and in all open spaces • Encourage the development of communal spaces through the use of public sidewalks, plazas, parks and public art • Promote the development of a dense street network throughout the en re Buckhead commercial district • Facilitate safe and convenient pedestrian circula on and minimize con ict between pedestrians and vehicles • Encourage the crea on of vibrant streets through the provision of ac ve street uses and engaging stree ront- ing building design • Accentuate Peachtree Road as a marquis and prominent boulevard; • Preserve and con nue the Buckhead commercial district as a transit oriented district through the facilita on of high densi es • Encourage the use of various transporta on alterna ves including bus, rail, walking and biking • Encourage the par cipa on in and support of the local Transporta on Management Associa on to further aid in the reduc on of single occupancy vehicle tra c conges on • Minimize parking requirements and encourage shared parking for compa ble uses IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: Midtown, Buckhead and Fort McPherson are in con nuous e orts to plan for their respec ve regional areas. This includes being within the ini al stages of upda ng their zoning regula ons to turn their vision into reality. Recommen- da ons include:  Revise and update SPI-16 zoning regula ons in Midtown that were adopted in 2001 based in part, upon Blue- print Midtown II  Improve streetscape elements on major Midtown streets iden ed in the Midtown Cityscape project  Expand and revise SPI-12 zoning regula ons in Buckhead that were adopted in 1996.  Implement the plans and policies in the 2011 completed ‘Pedestrian Connec vity Study’ and larger Buckhead area ‘Greenspace Ac on Plan’ for park and greenspace opportuni es and 2008 ‘Piedmont Area Transporta on Study’ for area transporta on improvements.  Adopt the 2010 Fort McPherson Master Plan, land use and SPI zoning regula ons PLANS: More speci c informa on is included with the plans listed below: For the Midtown Regional Center completed plans include:  Blueprint Midtown II (2004)

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 Midtown Retail Site Analysis (2006)  Midtown Mile Market Overview & Retail Leasing Plan (2008)  Midtown Mile Parking Assessment (2008)  Connect Atlanta Plan (2008)  Project Greenspace (2009)  Midtown Mile Market Research Study (2011)  I-75/85 Connector Transforma on Study (underway)  Midtown Cityscapes (ongoing) For the Buckhead regional center plans include:  Buckhead Livable Centers Ini a ve Report (Peachtree Corridor Project) (2002)  Piedmont Road Corridor Study (2008)  Buckhead Pedestrian Connec vity Study (2011)  Buckhead Greenspace Ac on Plan (2011)  SPI-12 Rezoning E ort (underway)  Buckhead Shu le Opera ons Evalua on (underway) For the Fort McPherson regional center plans include:  Fort McPherson Outreach and Land Use Plan (2007)  Fort McPherson Master Plan (2010)  SPI-2 Zoning Regula ons (underway)

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Map produced through the City of Atlanta, Department of Planning and Community Development, Office of Planning GIS, Shawn G. Brown

City of Atlanta 0 1 2 Miles Character Areas Downtown

Map 3-11: Downtown

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Downtown Atlanta serves as the symbolic center of the Atlanta region and the state of Georgia. It has a high concentra on of regionally marketed com- mercial, o ce and employment, entertainment and a rac ons, and also con- tains cultural and ins tu onal uses that include higher educa on facili es. It is also the government center of the southeast United States with federal, state, county and city government agencies located there.

Downtown is readily accessible from major highways- I-75/85 and I-20. In some instances however, the highways serve a physical barrier limi ng auto access and severely limi ng pedestrian access from other areas of the City. Downtown is also accessible by mass transit including metro Atlanta’s rail sys- tem, MARTA, which provides six transit sta ons. In addi on, Downtown is well served by MARTA bus, Greyhound and several regional commuter bus systems. The Atlanta Streetcar and the Mul -Modal Passenger Terminal will increase transit op ons in downtown as well as redevelopment opportuni- es.

As a whole, Downtown is characterized by a standard modi ed street grid system emana ng from Five Points and includes several primary corridors such as Peachtree Street, West Peachtree Street, Spring Street, Centennial Olympic Park Drive, Northside Drive, Courtland Street, Piedmont Avenue, Ivan Allen Boulevard, Baker Street, Interna onal Boulevard, Auburn Avenue/ Luckie Street, Marie a Street/Decatur Street, Mitchell Street, Trinity Avenue, and Memorial Drive. These primary corridors are typically four to six lanes wide. Secondary streets are usually two to four lanes wide. Some streets such as Spring St., West Peachtree St., Ave., Piedmont Ave, and Courtland St. are one-way and serve in tandem to access the adjacent highways or intended to lter tra c quickly through Downtown. In general, tra c ows smoothly, however is congested during peak rush hours and dur- ing special entertainment or spor ng events on certain streets located adja- cent to the interstate access ramps and those events.

Pedestrian sidewalks are provided on virtually all public streets, however, in some loca ons sidewalks are in disrepair. Downtown does not o er consis- tent dedicated bicycle lanes or routes. On-street parking is available primarily on secondary streets in the government center, Fairlie-Poplar, Terminus and Centennial Hill areas of Downtown.

Land uses for Downtown are predominately medium to high density mixed uses including a blend of o ce, retail, ins tu onal, hotel, residen al, educa- onal, cultural, and recrea onal. These uses are found and encouraged in ver- cal mixed-use structures. Industrial uses, adult businesses and independent surface parking lots are either discouraged or directly prohibited. These land uses allow Downtown to provide a very high number of jobs in comparison to available housing in the immediate area. The greatest density of these uses is found along the Peachtree spine, in Fairlie-Poplar and adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park; although there are s ll sca ered areas of surface parking lots throughout Downtown.

Residen al uses are also sca ered and include converted former o ce build- ings to lo s, new mid and high-rise mixed use predominately residen al de-

490 CCommunityommunity AAgendagenda - 33.. CCharacterharacter AAreasreas velopment adjacent to Centennial Park and the Civic Center MARTA sta on and mid-density residen al directly north of Centennial Park. New student housing is concentrated in the east side of Downtown around Georgia State University. Ground- oor accessory retail uses primarily serve nearby o ce workers and o en close a er 6 pm and most are not open on the weekends. Retail serving residents and students is lacking.

Cultural and entertainment uses including the visual and performing arts such as the Rialto Performing Arts Center, Balzer Theatre, and the and Phipps Arena are concentrated in Fairlie-Poplar and around Centennial Olympic Park. Nearby and in the southwest por on of Downtown is the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center which serving local to interna onal visitors. Educa onal facili es are concentrated east of Five Points, and government agencies are generally located south of Five Points in the Terminus area. Peachtree Street, formerly Atlanta main retail shop- ping street and theatre district has given way to ground oor o ce uses and nancial ins tu ons, although in recent years new restaurants have opened along the corridor.

Downtown Atlanta also contains several urban parks such as Woodru Park, Hurt Park, Ivy Hard Park, and Centennial Olympic Park. Throughout the year several musical events and fes vals are held in Woodru Park and Centennial Olympic Park.

LOCATION

Downtown Atlanta is located in the central part of the city and contains the central business district which is generally bounded by North Avenue on the north, Piedmont and I-75/85 on the east, I-20 on the South, exis ng rail lines and Mar n Luther King Dr. on the southwest and Northside Drive on the northwest (see Map 3-11).

PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT PATTERN

Transporta on

Downtown is predominately comprised of small block sizes and an extensive street grid system connec ng to other parts of the City. Downtown should not only serve the needs of motorists, but should also serve transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The street design should be consistent with the Connect Atlanta Plan, which recommends the redesign of exis ng corridors in order to create a more livable streetscape and provide mobility for mo- torists, bicycles and pedestrians. This includes: streetscape repairs and en- hancements, upgrading crosswalk facili es, the conversion of one-streets to two-way tra c ow, increasing the amount of on-street parking, opening Up- per Alabama Street to tra c, and increasing way nding signage along major corridors to facilitate all modes of travel.

Streetscape improvements should include ADA accessible and wider pedes- trian clear zones (sidewalks), new pedestrian street ligh ng, and street furni- ture such as trash receptacles, to improve pedestrian accessibility and conve- nience. Street trees should also be planted to serve as bu ers between travel lanes and pedestrians in addi on to providing shaded areas for pleasant walk-

491 CCommunityommunity AgendaAgenda - 33.. CCharacterharacter AAreasreas ing. As parcels redevelop, driveway curb cuts should be minimized in size and number to minimize pedestrian con icts and improve safety and tra c ow.

Bicycle facili es should be provided par cularly along roads designated as a Core Bicycle Connec on and a Secondary Bicycle Connec on iden ed in the Connect Atlanta Plan. The Mul -Modal Passenger Terminal will be a major trans- porta on hub and will be catalyst for redevelopment.

Land Use:

Downtown Atlanta should be a vibrant urban environment where people can live, work, meet shop and play serving not only the immediate area but also the Atlanta region. The future vision of Downtown should include: building new walkable, high density mixed-use developments on and around the MARTA transit sta ons, Centennial Hill, Terminus and South of North Avenue (SoNo) neighborhoods, bridging gaps in Downtown created by the Interstate, re-a rming Peachtree as the premier street of the Southeast, connec ng the region through a mul -modal transporta on hub, and suppor ng the Centennial Olympic Park district as a world-class des na on with outstanding cultural and enter- tainment venues.

Building placement, mass and orienta on should create a pedestrian-friendly urban form and engage the street. The front building façade should be built to the back edge of the sidewalk, and the main building entrance should open to the sidewalk to frame the streetscape and encourage pedestrian ac vity. Surface parking lots are discouraged. If present, they should be located to the side and/or rear of buildings, and when adjacent to the sidewalk should be screened with vegeta on. Parking decks should be screened with liner buildings. Buildings should be constructed of quality materials and design. Ac ve ground- oor uses and outdoor cafes/markets should be provided wherever pos- sible adjacent to sidewalks to enliven the street.

Mul -story buildings, high density and ver cal mixed-use developments are appropriate in Downtown. However, exist- ing historic and poten ally historic structures should be preserved and rehabilitated. Also, there should be appropriate transi ons in building scale and bu ers to adjacent character areas, par cularly in areas without an intervening street and surrounded by low-density residen al neighborhoods. Greater residen al housing density should be encouraged and should include a range of housing types and prices accessible for all ages. Special emphasis should be made to promote student housing. A greater opportunity to access grocery as well as neighborhood serving retail and enter- tainment uses (to include a movie theatre) should be provided. These should be open later in the day and on the weekends to serve students, residents and hotel guests. Sustainable living including greener buildings, green roo ops, streets and accessibility to public spaces should also be strongly encouraged. Por ons of downtown, mainly south of Five Points and par cularly around the Garne Street MARTA sta on have su ered from neglect and disinvestment. Rehabilita on of exis ng buildings and development of the numerous surface parking lots should be a priority. Economic Development  Provide jobs and economic opportuni es for the Atlanta region and City residents.  Promote interna onal businesses and headquarters to locate Downtown.  Promote more cultural and entertainment facili es to locate Downtown.  Promote more high-rise predominately residen al development.  Encourage accessible grocery and retail uses. Primary Land Uses  Ver cal Mixed-Use  Commercial

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 O ce  Mul -family Residen al  Ins tu onal (Government, Hospital, Educa onal)  Cultural (Museums, Visual & Performing arts)  Large Special Entertainment (Sports and Events in Arenas) POLICIES:  Preserve, protect and enhance Downtown’s role as the civic and economic center of the Atlanta region.  Create a 24-hour urban environment where people can live, work, meet, shop and play.  Encourage the development of major commercial uses and high density housing.  Encourage a compa ble mixture of residen al, commercial, entertainment, cultural and recrea onal uses.  Encourage a range of housing types and prices accessible for all ages to meet di erent housing needs. Encour- age student housing.  Improve the aesthe cs of street and built environments.  Promote pedestrian ac vity and safety by ensuring and revitalizing pedestrian-oriented buildings and street fron ng areas which create a sense of ac vity and liveliness along their sidewalk-level façades.  Facilitate safe, pleasant, and convenient sidewalk-level pedestrian circula on that minimizes impediments by vehicles.  Encourage the use of public transporta on with high-density mixed-use development near MARTA sta ons and other transit facili es.  Enhance the e cient u liza on of accessible and su cient parking facili es in an unobtrusive manner includ- ing encouraging shared parking and alterna ve modes of transporta on while discouraging surface parking lots.  Provide safe and accessible parks and plazas for ac ve and passive use including protec ng Centennial Olym- pic Park as an Olympic legacy and a local and regional civic resource.  Preserve and protect Downtown’s historic buildings and sites through adap ve rehabilita on and re-use.  Support sustainable development including greener buildings, roof top gardens, public green spaces and tree- lined streets.  Recognize the special character of Fairlie-Poplar and Terminus through the administra on of speci c standards and criteria consistent with the historic built environment as recognized by the inclusion of several blocks and buildings on the Na onal Register of Historic Places. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: Recommenda ons for Downtown’s con nued growth and redevelopment include:  Implement the transporta on projects outlined in The Connect Atlanta Plan and Imagine Downtown Plan such as the conversion of one-way streets to two-way tra c ow, installa on of bicycle facili es, and streetscape improvements.  Promote the installa on of temporary and permanent public art displays throughout the urban plazas and parks.

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 Increase the amount of on-street parking throughout all streets.  Revise the sign regula ons in the Downtown SPI-1 district to iden fy entertainment areas and primary cor- ridors to allow more vibrant signage opportuni es.  Develop urban design solu ons to bridge the gaps over the I-75/85 connector to beau fy and connect areas of Downtown to each other and Midtown.  Create improved partnership with ins tu ons such as universi es to foster greater coordina on and coopera- ve improvements. ADOPTED PLANS Several plans combining the ndings, vision, and goals for Downtown’s redevelopment have been introduced by the City, Central Atlanta Progress, and the Atlanta Development Authority in partnership with community stakeholders. These plans provide guidance for future private and public investment to create a more vibrant and vital Downtown. These include:  Urban Redevelopment Plan (2010)  Imagine Downtown and Imagine Encore (2004 and 2009, respec vely)  Connect Atlanta Plan (2008)  Project Greenspace (2009)  Northside Drive Corridor Study (2005)  JSA-McGill Corridor LCI (2003)  City Center LCI Plan (2001)  Green Line Plan  Central Area Ac on Plan (CA2P, 2000) The City of Atlanta has adopted several tax alloca on districts (TADs) to provide nancial assistance to eligible public and private redevelopment e orts within an o cially designated TAD area. Increases in property tax revenues, which are generated primarily from new investment in each TAD district, are allocated to pay infrastructure costs or certain private development costs within each TAD. This is primarily done through the issuance of tax alloca on district bonds. Approval to establish a TAD must be obtained from all governments with tax authority within the district (City, County, and school) in order to use all por ons of property tax revenues. Adopted TADs in por ons of Downtown include:

 Westside (1992, and expanded in 1998)  Eastside (2003)

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