Central Atlanta Progress

Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

City of Atlanta

EastsideEastside // AuburnAuburn FocusFocus AreaArea EXECUTIVEEXECUTIVE SUMMARYSUMMARY

OctoberOctober 20042004

Prepared by: Eastside / Auburn Urban Collage, Inc. Prepared by: Urban Cooper Collage, Carry,Inc. in association URS Corp., with ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ OVERVIEW / ISSUES

Overview Sweet Auburn is the historical African-American heart of Atlanta, and Auburn Avenue is its Peachtree Street. In January through March of 2004, Sweet Auburn was studied as a part of the ‘Eastside / Auburn Avenue’ Focus Area, one of five such areas included in the “Imagine Downtown” planning and visioning process. An Eastside / Auburn Core Team of institutions, businesses, property owners and residents in the area was convened to review existing conditions, define issues for discussion, review plan products and prioritize implementation steps. In addition, one-on-one interviews were held with many of the stakeholders in the corridor and over 60 people participated in the Community Workshop held on December 9, 2003.

Focus Area Context The Eastside/ Auburn Avenue Focus Area is located just east of Atlanta’s Central Business District. The Auburn corridor is approximately one mile long, anchored by a high-density commercial area around Peachtree Street on the west and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (NHS) on the east. John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Edgewood Avenue form the northern and southern boundaries of the Focus Area, which is about six blocks at its widest point where in jogs along Gilmore Street to include a part of Grady Hospital. The aerial view on the next page illustrates the dominant institutional uses that flank the corridor. In addition to the King NHS and Grady, it includes a portion of Georgia State University, the southern part of Downtown’s Hotel District, and many small historic commercial establishments. The Downtown Connector bisects the corridor into two district subareas, creating a visual and psychological barrier. Sweet Auburn is inscribed in a larger neighborhood context unlike some of the other Imagine Focus Areas. While most of the recommendations in this report are focused on Auburn Avenue and its environs, the planning team took into consideration this larger context to understand the corridor within a greater framework to make the necessary linkages to other studies and plans. As an example, the proposed redevelopment of the Atlanta Housing Authority’s Grady Homes located just south of Focus Area directly affects any infrastructure and development recommendations made in this report. Likewise, the Old Fourth Ward, located just east of the study area, is a historic single-family neighborhood which includes the King birth home and the mixed-use lofts at Studioplex. The needs of the Old Fourth Ward were kept in mind throughout the process.

Stakeholders / Dominant Issues Over the course of several weeks, one-on-one interviews were conducted with members of the Core Team to flesh out the most pressing issues affecting the Eastside/ Auburn area. The issues were organized in a matrix broken into seven categories, revealing hot discussion topics and areas of heightened interest and concern. Of the seven categories, economic development and historic resources were foremost in the minds of Core Team members. It was clear that Auburn Avenue represented a major cultural tourism destination to the stakeholders, but requires coordination and resources for the various small attractions to succeed. The presence of the homeless and panhandling activity deter tourists from walking between Peachtree and the King visitor center as well. Many stakeholders felt that Sweet Auburn needs to be economically self-sufficient, where new development and retail will not displace existing small businesses. Historic preservation was stressed over and over, with the intent that a balance must be struck between preservation and economic development. Overall, the stakeholders and Core Team saw the potential in Sweet Auburn for a diverse and thriving intown neighborhood with cultural depth on par with Harlem in New York or the U Street Corridor in Washington. Yet, they realized that it would take major moves and a concerted effort to make that vision happen.

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 1

OVERVIEW / ISSUES The Focus Area The Eastside/ Auburn Focus Area bridg- es between Peachtree Street and the residential area of the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, with Auburn Avenue as its east-west spine. Some of the major elements include:

The Ho tel District Auburn’s proximity to the largest concentration of Downtown hotels helps reinforce its future as a strong tourist destination, but connections and attractions need improvement

King National Historic Site The center of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the other landmarks of the District get an average of 650,000 visitors a year

Institutions and Housing Georgia State University and Grady H o s p i t a l a r e m a j o r p l a y e r s i n t h e f u t u r e of the Auburn corridor, especially with GSU plans for new student housing in the vicinity; the redevelopment of Grady Homes will also provide a range of new housing The Issues Matrix One-on-one stakeholder interviews and open forums with the Core Team produced the set of priority issues listed in the matrix below:

Several mixed-use developments planned; keep sense of history; preservation requirements challenging; Eastside Land Use Tax Allocation District (TAD) an asset; continued development ‘jump-started’ with early projects; redevelop NHS parking Untapped market at King NHS (65,000 tourists per year); existing viable businesses along Auburn; new retail coming Economic at Grady Homes and Auburn-Glenn; protect ‘mom-and-pop’ stores while attracting new retailers; cultural tourism Development a missed opportunity; ‘Sweet Auburn’ story unknown; major African-American museum missing; Auburn as ‘Urban Main Street’ Grady, Auburn-Glenn will add new housing; Atlanta Overlook a problem; Overlook / Wheat Street Gardens redevel- Housing opment candidates; tradition of affordable housing; gentrification is an issue; GSU plans for Beaudry

Historic/N atural Retaining historic character very important; NPS negotiating on SCLC; Fire Station 6 to be museum; new John Lewis Civil Rights Center in Haugabroooks home; culinary school idea for Casino; renovation planned for old Atlanta Life; Resources more effort to put new uses in historic building Bus traffic a problem; potential for a NHS / Downtown shuttle; pedestrian - vehicular conflicts on Boulevard; Auburn Transportation primarily a pedestrian street; high speeds on Piedmont; interstate ramps problematic; Decatur / Hilliard intersection dangerous Social/Community Pa n h a n d l e r s / h o m e l e s s d e t e r v i s i t o r s ; l i q u o r s a l e s e n c o u r a g e p a n h a n d l i n g ; b r a n c h l i b r a r y i n q u e s t i o n ; W a l d e n M i d d l e Services as School of Excellence; independent leadership committee needed

Equal emphasis on Edgewood and John Wesley Dobbs; facade funding available; Auburn has residential, com- Urban Design mercial halves; Auburn / Hill intersection a ‘center’; area under interstate a problem; CODA streetscape in disrepair

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS: LAND USE & ZONING

Existing Conditions Analysis Each focus area was subject to an initial physical analysis before convening the Core Team. The analysis utilized GIS information derived from Fulton County tax records and the City of Atlanta, as well as new information and verification provided by field surveys. The intent of the analysis was to provide the Core Team with a compact picture of the area from which to begin a discussion, and to determine strengths, weaknesses, assets and liabilities in the physical environment that may not be apparent to the Core Team. The analytical maps, along with the list of stakeholder issues, became the staring point for the public consensus-building process during Charette Week.

Land Use Land uses in the study area vary drastically in terms of use, density and character. The study area is made up of 337 parcels covering approximately 165 acres of land. The land use analysis is a result of a windshield survey, compiled using the City of Atlanta’s parcel level database. Residential uses are dominated by two aging multifamily apartment complexes which occupy over 20 acres in the study area. Additionally, two senior high-rises, provide affordable housing within the corridor. Single family houses and duplexes are concentrated along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue east of the Downtown Connector. A small number of mixed-use buildings with predominately residential uses are scattered throughout the study area. Commercial development varies from high density to single storied commercial establishments. Smaller office and retail establishments are mostly located along Auburn Avenue and Edgewood Avenue. Located between these high and low rise offices are 5 – 10 storied office complexes. Three large parks contribute about 10 acres of land within the study area – each providing a unique opportunity for recreation in Downtown. Institutional uses dominate the corridor, such as Grady Hospital and Georgia State University. Institutional uses includes one of Atlanta’s most prominent attractions, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Finally, surface parking lots and vacant land together make up about 15% or about 25 acres of the land area.

Zoning The City of Atlanta regulates the development of all real property through the use of zoning, which legally controls the use, height, density, setbacks, parking, etc. The following discussion describes both the current zoning and the proposed zoning. Current Zoning: The Martin Luther King Jr. Landmark District covers most of the Auburn Corridor east of Courtland Street. Auburn and Edgewood have their own subareas within the district. Administered by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, this district generally provides a high degree of protection to existing buildings and allows a mix of uses but has strong height and density restrictions. The Special Public Interest (SPI-1) District: applies to western end of Focus Area and governs zoning in most of the Downtown Core. This district allows a high non-residential density along with a smaller percentage of residential uses. A Residential General Sector 4 (RG-4) is in place at the existing apartment complexes east of the interstate and allows low-to medium-density residential and accessory uses only. These regulations are somewhat ‘suburban’ in that they call for generous setbacks, open space provisions, and off-street parking minimums. A small Light Industrial (LI) district is present only in the northeast corner of the area and remains from when the area was home to small manufacturing concerns like the Scripto Pen factory. Existing uses are limited to surface parking, open space and limited residential. Proposed Zoning: A process to update the zoning code for Downtown is currently underway. The goal of the proposed SPI-1 District is to create a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment in Downtown with special incentives to encourage housing. The proposed Subarea 1 – Downtown Core covers all of the existing SPI-1areas in the Eastside/ Auburn Focus Area. The proposed district and subarea allows high density commercial and residential and encourages a compatible mix of uses.

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 3

EXISTING CONDITIONS Existing Land Use Highlights: •The corridor is predominately low- density commercial and institutional, much of which is in historic build- ings •Parking facilities cluster near Peachtree and at the King NHS dis- trict, although there are many smaller surface lots scattered throughout •Major institutional uses including Grady Hospital and Georgia State University •Residential uses concentrate east of the interstate in aging apartment complexes

EXISTING LAND USE

EXISTING ZONING

Existing Zoning Highlights: •Most of the corridor falls within the Martin Luther King Landmark District, which is a historic district adminis- tered by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission •The western end of the corridor falls within the proposed Downtown Liv- ability Code (DLC) area •The DLC is in the approval process •The DLC strives to take provisions of existing “quality-of-life” districts and apply them to Downtown •The DLC provides for new streetscape standards

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 4 EXISTING CONDITIONS: CIRCULATION & URBAN DESIGN

Circulation The analysis of existing circulation targets three major issues - street connectivity, transit service and the pedestrian environment. Because of its location in the Downtown core, the Focus Area has a very good network of streets which allow a free flow of traffic. Piedmont Avenue and Courtland Street form a one-way pair, carrying the bulk of north-south traffic through Downtown on the east side. Pedestrian activity in the Focus Area is mainly concentrated along Auburn Avenue, Edgewood Avenue, around the MLK National Historic Site, and towards Peachtree Street. There are very few breaks in the street grid, with the exceptions being at I-75/85 and the Atlanta Overlook apartment complex. The Focus Area is well-covered by transit, including MARTA bus lines on Auburn, Edgewood, John Wesley Dobbs, Peachtree, Peachtree Center Avenue and Boulevard. MARTA rail is also present at the periphery along Peachtree and Decatur Street. An added benefit of the Focus Area is the proximity to the Freedom Park trail, popular with bicyclists. For these transit accommodations to work they must be supported by a good pedestrian environment. The sidewalk system, though adequate, is hindered by disrepair, panhandling and topography which discourages pedestrian use. Topographical challenges are present at Peachtree Street, which is located along a ridge and slopes down substantially towards Bell Street. Though the topography is frustrating for some, it allows superb views of Downtown from certain locations, adding to the land and development value. Sidewalk conditions are generally adequate except at locations along Hilliard Street, an important north-south connector linking the King Memorial MARTA station to Grady Homes and Walden Middle School. Streetscape enhancements on Auburn Avenue completed before the Olympics also need repair and maintenance. The hostile vehicular environment along Piedmont Avenue, Courtland Street, and to some degree Boulevard creates issues for the large number of Georgia State student and tourist pedestrians.

Urban Design The urban design framework of Sweet Auburn is largely based on observation of its unique districts. The most prominent district within the corridor is, without doubt, the historic Auburn core extending from Courtland Street to Boulevard. Along with historically and culturally significant buildings such as the Odd Fellows Building, the Herndon Building, and the churches, the corridor includes many small commercial businesses which piece together these landmarks. Interpretive markers along the corridor, along with pocket plazas and parks, relate the importance of the corridor and enhance Auburn Avenue’s feel as a consolidated district. There are three existing cultural destinations or nodes along Auburn - the Apex Museum / Research Library complex, the Sweet Auburn Curb market and the Martin Luther King National Historic Site. In addition there are other cultural landmarks like the offices of Atlanta Daily World and the Royal Peacock nightclub. The Downtown Hotel District forms the northern edge of the study area. This area sees a high concentration of tourist and conventioneers throughout the year. Though physically located just a few blocks north of Auburn Avenue, the two districts have weak pedestrian and transit connections discouraging tourists from visiting Sweet Auburn. The southern side of the study area is dominated by two institutions, Grady Hospital and Georgia State University Both have an impact on the Focus Area either through traffic, business patronage or colonization (GSU dorms and facilities). Perhaps the largest physical anomaly (and psychological barrier) is the Downtown Connector, which bisects the Focus Area and creates two subdistricts. Along with sound and visual separation, the terrain under the interstate between Auburn and Edgewood - overflow parking for the Curb Market - is a poorly-lit, somewhat dangerous environment. The few improvements done for Olympics have not had significant success in alleviating this problem.

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 5

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Existing Circulation Highlights: •Well-connected existing street grid in corridor •Interstate is the major break in the grid •Excellent interstate access •Good coverage by bus transit; MARTA rail at periphery •Piedmont and Courtland are one- way pairs and heavily-used vehicular routes through Downtown •Boulevard somewhat congested, poses collision problems at intersec- tions •Small-scale buildings contribute to the ‘walkability’ of Auburn and Edgewood •Decaying pedestrian environment and panhandling negatively affect EXISTING CIRCULATION ‘walkability’

Existing Urban Design Highlights: • Sweet Auburn has a strong historic narrative and increasing levels of tourism, but mostly concentrated at the eastern end of Auburn Avenue • Auburn spans between the top of the URBAN DESIGN ridge at Peachtree and the lower- lying Old Fourth Ward, testing the ability of some pedestrians • Auburn and Edgewood are poten- tially great pedestrian streets • Auburn is host to installations of pub- lic art and a streetscape that remains from the 1996 Olympics • The Auburn Corridor contains two parks and a municipal market • The interstate viaduct divides Sweet Auburn into and eastern and western half • Sweet Auburn is affected by the presence of major institutions like Grady Hospital and Georgia State University

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 6 EXISTING CONDITIONS: HISTORIC RESOURCES & DEV. OPPORTUNITIES

Historic Resources / Development Opportunities Though there are several surface parking lots scattered along Auburn Avenue, the incremental existing development that gives the corridor its strong character limits the possibilities for consolidated redevelopment efforts. The considerable historic resources - described in part below - add to the perceptual dimension of the Focus Area, but call for infill redevelopment strategies. The major large development opportunities are located along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue near Peachtree, between Courtland and Piedmont, and at the Beaudry Ford site at Piedmont and Ellis. There are also significant redevelopment opportunities at the outdated apartment complexes of Atlanta Overlook and Wheat Street Gardens.

Market Analysis Imagine Downtown has included an overall downtown “benchmarking” study establishing the market potential of Downtown, as well as specific market analyses of each Focus Area. Key findings of the market analyses carried out by ZHA, Inc. and Zimmerman Volk Associates for the Eastside/Auburn Focus Area include: Retail: - Potential demand of 75,000 to 110,000 square feet by 2010: Eating & Drinking 48,000 - 56,000 sq. ft. Shoppers Goods 10,000 - 37,000 sq. ft. Convenience Stores 15,000 - 17,000 sq. ft.

Office: - Approximately 20 million square feet of existing office space Downtown - An additional 2 million square feet could be added by 2010 if Downtown maintains share of Fulton County growth - Untapped potential for lower-cost ‘Class B’ space that could favor Sweet Auburn West of Interstate: 135,000 - 200,000 sq. ft. ($21 - $24 per square foot) East of Interstate: 40,000 - 100,000 sq. ft. ($16 - $20 per square foot) - Centralized parking will be key for new retail and office

Housing: - Total Downtown demand of 7,800 units in next seven years - Market for multi-family rental, multy-family for-sale, single-family attached, single-family detached in Focus Area - 1,400 (55%) potential buyers / 1,140 (45%) potential renters per year in market area - 33% Empty-Nesters, 12% Traditional Families, 55% Young Singles and Couples - Potential demand for up to 1,800 units by 2008 (10.5% capture rate) - 264 units/year absorption The market analysis team recognized that Sweet Auburn is one of premier Heritage Tourism opportunities in the United States for African-American culture. Key cultural attractions include:

Legendary Enterprises: Atlanta Life, Atlanta Daily World, Herndon Building, Bronner Brothers Entertainment Venues: The Royal Peacock, The Casino Institutions of Faith: Wheat Street Baptist, Big Bethel AME, First Congregational, Ebenezer Baptist Social Places: Sweet Auburn Curb Market, Butler YMCA, Odd Fellows Building Civil Rights Landmarks: Ebenezer Baptist, Prince Hall / Southern Christian Leadership Council, MLK Center, MLK Birth Home, MLK NHS Visitor’s Center

The corridor benefits from several hundred thousand captive visitors a year at the MLK site, but most of these are not drawn down Auburn Avenue because of the lack of services and effective marketing, the seedy appearance, and the fear of aggressive panhandlers. One way to entice visitors is to create a major ‘anchor-link’ project midway down the street. Dobbs Plaza (adjacent to the interstate) is an ideal for a new destination development, possibly a ‘culturetainment’ attraction like the Spy Museum in Washington D.C. Because the intown housing market is strong and getting stronger, Auburn must strike a balance in the future between housing and commercial development to achieve the economic susceptibility that was foremost in stakeholders’ minds.

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 7

EXISTING CONDITIONS OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS Historic Resources Highlights: • One of Atlanta’s earliest African- American communities • Home to businesses started by Af- rican-American entrepreneurs like Alonzo Herndon and Herman Perry • Home to prominent political figures like John Wesley Dobbs and A. T. Walden • Home to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Southern Christian Leadership Con- ference, the core of the Civil Rights movement • Significant stock of historic buildings remaining that tell the story of Afri- can-Americans in Atlanta

HISTORIC RESOURCES

Development Opportunities Highlights: • Major development opportunities along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue • Planned 2,000-bed Georgia State University student housing develop- ment on former Beaudy Ford site DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES (Piedmont and Ellis) • Some development - mostly infill - opportunities along Edgewood and Auburn on surface parking lots • Significant parking facility beneath I-75/85 viaduct but underutilized • Negative impacts of I-75/85 viaduct must be overcome for adjacent de- velopment to succeed • Widespread redevelopment op- portunities east of the interstate on outdated or troubled apartment complexes like Atlanta Overlook and Wheat Street Gardens • Development opportunity on Na- tional Park Service surface parking lot • Many historic buildings in substan- dard condition • Most historic buildings under land- mark protection

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 8 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

A significant portion of the work done on the Eastside/ Auburn Corridor involved public participation in three formats: • Core Team group discussions • One-on-one stakeholder interviews • Public Workshops (Charette Week)

Stakeholder Interviews

Approximately fourteen stakeholder interviews were conducted during November and December 2003; this was in addition to the stakeholders interviewed as part of the process for the Peachtree Street Focus Area which overlaps Auburn. The interviews provided a forum for candid conversation between Core Team and community members and the Planning Team before the workshops were designed and planning concepts or alternatives proposed. The issues emerging from the interviews were anonyously gathered in a matrix (see Page 3) and presented to the Core Team during the second group forum. Subsequent discussions helped form the framework for the Charette Week workshops.

Charette Week

The Eastside/ Auburn Avenue Charette Week was held over the course of three days between December 9 and December 11, 2003 at the Citizen’s Trust Bank Building (75 Piedmont Avenue, 9th Floor). It had two opportunities for direct public involvement – an opening workshop that was intended to provide participants with an opportunity for a focused, structured dialogue on key planning issues for the corridor including land use, circulation and urban design. This was followed by a team working session that culminated in a closing presentation of the consensus plan along with workshop exercises on implementation action items. Priority projects chosen at the final workshop are listed in the following pages. Both the initial session and the public recap were well-attended with over 60 persons at each. Day one of Charette Week opened with a welcome, introduction of the planning team and presentation of a short video orienting attendees to the existing conditions in the corridor and the strategic questions affecting the participatory exercises. The four-hour event was broken into three individual sessions – land use, open space and circulation, and development massing. There were a total of ten tables with six to eight participants at each, guided by two facilitators at each table. Session one, land use, began with groups choosing a ‘theme’ for Auburn as well as selecting land use images. The groups then colored in desired future land uses on a base map and prioritized retail locations. Session two also opened with image selection, then moved to classification of each street according to the desired level of pedestrian activity. Groups were also asked to pick locations of parking facilities, public art and gateways, priority streetscapes and the route of a transit circulator if desired. Finally, groups were given wooden blocks to ‘build out’ the corridor after first having marked the historic buildings that need to remain. Of the many suggestions that emerged from the workshop, these five goals capture the themes uppermost in people’s minds:

• Save… historic resources that give the corridor its depth of place • Work… on affordable new housing solutions throughout the corridor • Expand… cultural facilities keeping in mind the notion of ‘culturetainment’ • Enhance… transportation connections internally and with MARTA • Target… new office and retail uses, especially infill on Auburn and Edgewood

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 9

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Participation Highlights: Public input for the Auburn Eastside Corridor came in three forms - group discussions with the Core Team; one-on-one stakeholder interviews; and two workshops conducted over the course of three days called ‘Charette Week’. While the individual interviews set the framework for the strategic questions posed during Charette Week, the workshop exercises were designed to engage the public on issues of future land use, circulation, open space and identity in an engaging and fun way. The recommendations of each workshop group were assimilated and presented back to the public at the second workshop; the resultant plans are shown on the following pages. A final presentation to the Core Team provided comments on the framework plans and the priority projects. The Auburn Core Team members are listed below:

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 10 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

The development framework plan is essentially two different but interwoven elements – a future land use plan that prescribes the desired development on private land, and an open space plan that identifies new plazas, parks and connecting streetscapes which order future development. Auburn Avenue has the unusual and interesting characteristic of gradually transitioning between low-density (urban) residential on its eastern end and the highest commercial density in Atlanta on the west, from one topographically high point to another over a length of about one mile. Edgewood Avenue, in contrast, has a more even and full street edge, particularly along the south side.

Historic nodes along Auburn would be the center of small, unique district, where each district’s future land use and development strategy is reflective of themes either present in existing development or resulting from public consensus during Charette Week. The future land use plan thus calls for an emphasis on heritage tourism. Over on Edgewood, the Dixie Coca-Cola Bottling Company building, the 1940s façade of the Municipal Auditorium, and Hurt Park combine to form an urban square with a strong sense of place.

The core of Sweet Auburn lies in the blocks between Piedmont and the interstate, with the intersection of Auburn and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive (Butler Street) as its central intersection. This area was identified as a potential ‘entertainment district.’ Commercial mixed-use infill would occupy the redevelopment sites on the north side of the street, with the Herndon Building as either commercial or residential mixed-use. This Central District extends to the parcels flanking Piedmont.

The zone between the I-75/85 underpass and Wheat Street Baptist Church is another district that centers on Dobbs Plaza and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) buildings. This is the midpoint between the Cultural District and the MLK National Historic Site. The commercial market analysis recommends an “anchor-link” project on the block bounded by Auburn, Hilliard, Edgewood and the Interstate/ Fort Street. This catalytic project would include office and studio space, residential uses, performance facilities, storefront retail and parking.

The final district on Auburn Avenue includes the Heritage and Horizon sanctuaries of Ebenezer Baptist Church; the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change; the NHS Visitor’s Center and offices; the Wheat Street Charitable Foundation’s retail buildings; and the retirement home.

The Auburn study area expands northward to include the zone around the Piedmont and Ellis intersection and the blocks flanking John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. On the west, the Beaudry Ford site and the First Congregation Church parcels are locations for new housing. The First Congregation Master Plan calls for an 11-story residential tower at the corner of Ellis and Courtland. The Georgia State plan for Beaudry locates 2000 student beds on the parcels north and south of Dobbs Avenue. As an alternative future for the Beaudry site, the northern parcel might be reserved for an assembly or convocation facility because of the larger size and the superb interstate access. The southern parcel could then be built out as high-density, high-rise housing to handle the 2,000 beds.

East of the interstate, the outdated apartment complexes of Wheat Street Gardens and Atlanta Overlook are envisioned as a new medium- to low-density neighborhood. The organizing features in this area are an open-space commons that straddles Hilliard Street, and an extension of Cain Street and the Freedom Parkway multi-use trail to link to Hilliard and the route to the King Memorial MARTA station. The housing density builds toward the interstate. In the northeast corner of the study area, the large NHS surface parking lot is proposed for eventual redevelopment as a residential and retail project surrounding a major structured parking facility.

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 11

The Development DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Framework Plan Much of the corridor is privately 1 - Medium-Density Residential owned, and much of Auburn and Edgewood are historic storefront Redevelopment of existing 1 buildings and local landmarks. There apartment complexes to in- a re op p ort u ni ti e s to c re a te p roj ec ts crease residential base at east – either public or public/private partnerships – that enhance the end of corridor identity of this fledgling cultural tourism district. Highlights include: 2 - High-Density Residential 2

Redeveloped surface parking along Dobbs Av- enue form basis of new medium- to high- den- 5 sity mixed-use residential spine

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4 10 The Pr ojects Eleven proposals to improve the public environment and encourage private 3 - Cultural Dis trict development include: Arts and entertainment district 1 Edgewood Streetscape anchored by expanded attractions 3 like APEX, Research Library, Royal 2 Auburn Streetscape Peacock 3 Municipal Parking Structures 4 - Auburn Mixed-Use 4 Hilliard Streetscape Historically-sensity infi ll to add resi- 4 dential and retail to support both 5 Jackson Streetscape locals and tourists 6 Piedmont Streetscape Land Use Key 7 I-75/85 Underpass Enhancement Retail Low-Density Residential ‘Anchor-Link’ Project Medium-Density Residential Mercantile 8 High-Density Residential Lodging 9 Boulevard Streetscape Residential / Retail Institutional / Cultural Residential / Office / Retail Transportation / Utility 10 Eas tside Circulator Tr olley Office / Retail Parking Facility Corridor Gateway s Office Proposed Land Use 11

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 12 TRANSPORTATION FRAMEWORK PLAN

The Auburn corridor is well-served by its street network which spans several functional levels. The local street grid is a legacy of the earliest days of Atlanta and provides a fine-grained circulation system for the area; there are few discontinuities in the grid. From a citywide perspective, the one-way pairs of Courtland and Piedmont, as well as the Boulevard artery provides rapid connections to areas north and south of Downtown. Interstate 75/85, despite its impact on Auburn Avenue, gives superb access to the metro region. The recommendations therefore focus on small adjustments to the existing grid. Stakeholders were most concerned about improving the visual conditions of the two principal streets, Auburn and Edgewood. Auburn Avenue was treated as an Olympic Corridor in 1995 and upgraded with special paving, lighting and signage. Unfortunately, the streetscape has fallen into disrepair since then – paving has subsided, light poles have faded or been vandalized, and the interpretive signage stolen or covered with graffiti. Edgewood has not had a comprehensive streetscape treatment at all. For these reasons, one of the top priorities for the corridor is a comprehensive streetscape design and rehabilitation program for Auburn and Edgewood. Streetscapes are also important in the National Park Service precinct, where Jackson and Boulevard could be enhanced to reinforce the character of the King district. As good as the Auburn street network is, there are some areas where connectivity could be improved by filling in the gaps. The most significant is re-establishing Houston Street to intersect with Hilliard and John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. Once continuous to Peachtree, Houston currently dead-ends into the Atlanta Overlook apartment complex. Extending it to Hilliard would increase access and frontage for the redevelopment of Overlook, as well as provide a direct link between a redeveloped Wheat Street Gardens, through Overlook, to a new retail center at Boulevard. On the south, Fitzgerald Street could be extended to Edgewood as it was originally built, providing a secondary access route to the new Auburn-Glenn development. There are also opportunities to build completely new streets in the corridor, not so much to improve connectivity but to create memorable places that help define development character. At the west, a new pedestrian street or ‘mew’ could extend from Woodruff Park into the blocks between Park Place and Courtland. With complementary development, this area could have some of the intimate qualities found in Covent Garden in London or Via Mizner in Palm Beach, Florida. On the east, two new streets inside the boundaries of Wheat Street Gardens frame a narrow park between Hilliard and Jackson. This park, surrounded by new townhouses, could take on the gracious residential character of places like St. James Court in Louisville or Portland Place in St. Louis. The biggest transportation improvement in the corridor is the Eastside Circulator Trolley, which stakeholders feel needs at a minimum to serve Auburn, but could be extended to link other east side attractions like Oakland Cemetery and the State Capitol. Subsequent discussions during Charette Week for the Peachtree Focus Area validated the Auburn route, and extended it down Luckie Street as a steel-wheeled streetcar line. Further study needs to be conducted on the feasibility of the routes, and the cost of steel wheels versus rubber tires. Below is a matrix summarizing the recommended transportation improvements:

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 13

The Transport ation TRANSPORTATION FRAMEWORK Framework Plan The lively dialogue and exercises in 1 - Auburn Avenue Impr ovements Charette Week resulted in several Repairs and upgrades to the Olympic 2 transportation-related projects that streetscape along with enhanced enhance the Auburn corridor by interpretive signage restores Auburn improving access for alternate modes and creating improved streetscapes. to center stage 1 Highlights include: 2 - Freedom Park Extension

New bike and pedestrian link between the Freedom Park- way trail and the King Memo- rial MARTA station running along Hilliard Street

Circulation Pr ojects 3 - Eastside Circulator Several projects discussed on these Bus or trolley transit connecting pages are also listed in the previous Sweet Auburn to the greater east section on development framework. side - rationalizes parking strategies In urban situations, land use decisions throughout the corridor; provides an 3 should inform transportation moves. Broad categories of circulation projects incentive for redevelopment double as public space improvements 4 - New Streets that can spur new development: Filling in missing pieces of the street Streetscapes 4 Along Auburn and grid or creating new streets to break Edgewood down large development blocks Along Hilliard and Jackson Along Boulevard Transport ation Key New Streets Signalization / Strip- At Woodruff Park Streetscape En- At Wheat Street Gardens hancements ing Changes Greenway Trails At Overlook New Streets / Extensions On-Street Parking Along Hilliard Road ‘Diets’ Eastside Circulator The Eastide Circulator Along the Entire Route Multiuse Greenways / Paths

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 14 DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER

Sweet Auburn is perhaps the biggest opportunity to create a mixed-use neighborhood in the core of Downtown that blends old and new into a powerful story of Atlanta’s coming of age. Auburn Avenue rivals Peachtree Street in its importance, not only locally as a testament to the energy of its African- American entrepreneurs, but nationally and globally as the home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the fountain of the Civil Rights movement. The number of important and evocative historic structures remaining in Sweet Auburn is matched only by the level of stewardship and enthusiasm about its future.

The Eastside/ Auburn Illustrative Plan shows the district in its most urbane form. A new ‘sculptural’ café and outdoor dining area enclosed by the water-wall at Woodruff Park welcomes the visitor to Sweet Auburn, with the sensitive renovation of the older buildings adjacent to the SunTrust tower hinting at what lies beyond. New development opportunities concentrate along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, where the redevelopment of the former Beaudry Ford site as GSU student housing sets the residential tone for the street. New mixed-use residential projects line the south side of John Wesley Dobbs, increasing in density to Peachtree. On Auburn, the three-block stretch from Courtland to the interstate is the cultural heart of Sweet Auburn, featuring museums, small shops and music clubs intermingled with new housing.

East of the interstate, Auburn changes scale to transition to the Old Fourth Ward. A proposed Cultural Arts Center reinvigorates Dobbs Plaza and mitigates the effect of the viaduct, while a ‘digital canopy’ connects the Center back to Sweet Auburn’s heart. Redevelopment of outdated apartment complexes like Wheat Street Gardens around communal open spaces graciously brackets the territory around Ebenezer Baptist and the King NHS Visitor Center. At the corridor’s northeastern corner, new retail in a mixed-use project surrounding a plaza celebrating Xavier Medina-Campeny’s ‘Homage to King’ gives the Fourth Ward goods and services it has been lacking. A partnership with the NPS fills out the former surface lot with structured parking for the visitor center as well as new residential uses.

Above: Enhancements to Interstate Overpass

Left: ‘Anchor-Link Project’ (Cultural Arts Center)

Below: Concept for the ‘Digital Canopy’ at the Interstate canopy Near Right: Gateway at Woodruff Park Far Right: Eastside Circulator

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 15

DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER The Illustrative Plan

Buildings, streets, trees - all are brought 1 - Dobbs South Mixed-Use together in the Illustrative Plan to give High-density office / residential / retail an impression of how Auburn might look in the future with the improve- development with pedestrian ‘mew’ 2 ments outlined in the Development linking Woodruff Park and Peachtree and Transportation Framework Plans Street with Courtland Street; medium- complete. Some of the highlights of density residential mixed-use between 1 the plan include: Courtland and Piedmont to comple- ment GSU academic ‘village’

New Neighborhoods 2 - GSU Beaudry Development Mixed-use redevelopment of Wheat Academic ‘village’ with provision Street Gardens with townhouses sur- for 2,000+ beds of student housing, rounding open space ‘commons’, ground floor retail, and structured 4 higher-density housing adjacent to parking; alternative plans may include interstate; redevelopment of Atlanta a convocation center between J.W. Overlook as medium-density housing; redevelopment of NPS surface parking Dobbs Avenue and Ellis Street 3 as residential with neighborhood com- 3 - Casino Block mercial, structured parking Planned mixed-use infill development on block containing historic (but vacant) Casino nightclub; residential ‘flats’, urban townhouses, storefront retail in contextually-sensitive design 4 - Cultural Arts Center Mixed-use ‘culturetainment’ develop- ment with Class B office, performance Right: Edgewood Avenue infill and recording spaces, artist housing and storefront retail fronted by Dobbs Plaza

Eastside / Auburn Prepared by: Urban Collage, Inc. in association with Cooper Carry, URS Corp., ZVA, ZHA, HPE, Verge Studios, Biscuit Studios and PEQ 16