//The Atlanta BeltLine: Creating a TOD Real Estate Market Pre-Transit
NACTO 2012 Designing Cities Conference
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 1 // Context
The Atlanta BeltLine connects the heart of the region and utilizes historic freight rail ROW circling the city:
• Located inside the I-285 loop highway
• Connects 45 neighborhoods ringing the CBD
• 22% of City of Atlanta population and 19% of city land mass within ½ mile of corridor
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 2 // HistoryThe Project + Context Elements Providing the Region with Needed Connectivity
•Economic Development •Transit •Brownfield cleanup •Affordable housing •Parks •Trails
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 3
//The Project Elements
Transit Parks Trails Jobs & Economic 22-mile loop 1300 + new acres, 33 miles Development 40% increase 20 areas, 30k jobs 6,500 acre TAD
Affordable & Existing Public Art & Environmental Workforce Communities & Streetscapes Clean-up Housing Historic 1100 + acres Preservation
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 4 // Case Study for Urban TOD Historic Fourth Ward / Poncey Highlands Redevelopment
Historic Fourth Ward Park Site
The old Sears Distribution Center next to the Atlanta BeltLine and lots of parking
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 5 // Historic Fourth Ward & Poncey Highlands Existing Conditions
“Buttermilk Bottom” Confluence of 3 watersheds
Described by The Atlanta Journal Constitution as …
“A barren expanse of cracked concrete, weeds, and towering trees surviving against a background of neglect.”
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 6 // The Planning Process Led to Projects Atlanta BeltLine Master Plan
Promote improved connectivity
Promote denser development
Promote improved livability
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 7 // The Planning Process Led to Projects Historic Fourth Ward Park Vision and Construction
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1. Park master plan, 2. Construction, and 3. The new park with TOD
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 8 // Historic Fourth Ward Park Opening Day
The new park with Sears Building in background, band playing & partners on opening day
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 9 // The Planning Process Led to Projects Corridor Vision
A rendering of the Atlanta BeltLine corridor north of the old Sears building
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 10 // Eastside Corridor Trail
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1. Existing conditions, 2. Rendering, and 3. Construction of Eastside Trail south of old Sears building
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 11 // Eastside Corridor Trail Opening Day
Mayor Kasim Reed leads the opening day bike ride on the trail
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 12 //Projects led to Transit Oriented Development Adaptive Re-Use of City Hall East
Ponce City Market $180M Rehabilitation of the former Sears Building (1926) 2 million sq. Ft. Building – the largest brick building in the Southeast U.S. Class A office, Residential, Restaurants, Commercial, Bike Station, Gardens Being built by Jamestown Properties developer of the Chelsea Market
Lake in the new park with the old Sears Building, the future home of Ponce City Market in the background
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 13 //Projects led to Transit Oriented Development Citywide Development Activity near Atlanta BeltLine Corridor
Since 2005 in the Atlanta BeltLine Corridor area:
Over 90 projects complete or underway *
$1.1 billion of new taxable value in tax increment finance district
12,000 new residential units
• 1,300 constructed or underway around Historic 4th Ward Park
750,000 SF of new commercial space
*Projects larger than 10 dwelling units and/or 10,000 square feet
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 14 // TOD Design Challenges and Opportunities Eastside Corridor Trail Development Interface
Trail Experiences
Passage through neighborhoods
Portal to urban activities
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 15 // TOD Design Challenges and Opportunities Eastside Corridor Trail Development Interface
Access to the BeltLine
Public Connections
Private Connections
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 16 // TOD Design Challenges and Opportunities Eastside Corridor Trail Development Interface
Building Orientation
To the Street?
To the Atlanta BeltLine?
Both?
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 17 //What’s Next? Add the “ T” to TOD by Extending Atlanta Streetcar to Atlanta BeltLine Corridor
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 18 //What’s Next? Add the “ T” to TOD by Extending Atlanta Streetcar to BeltLine Corridor
Old Phase 1 expansion Sears Building includes east side of Area Atlanta BeltLine corridor – Projects 1E and 3 serve old Sears Building area
– Integrated with starter line streetcar project
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 19 //What’s Next? Add the “ T” to TOD by Extending Atlanta Streetcar to BeltLine Corridor
Phase 1 expansion includes west side of Atlanta BeltLine corridor – Projects 1W, 2 and 4 serve west side of Atlanta
– Includes many transit dependent and blighted areas, and major university
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 20 //What’s Next? Back to the Future?
An rendering from 1961 for the area around the old Sears Building. Thanks to a lot of hard work with our partners we are on our way to realizing a similar vision!
10/23/2012 Confidential // Atlanta BeltLine // © 2012 Page 21