1 Affordability and Housing Thank You! Transit Progress
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Winter 2016 // Volume 9 // Issue 4 In this issue: Affordability and Housing // Referenda // Transit Progress // CEO Corner // Westside Trail // Eastside Trail Extension // Art on the Atlanta BeltLine // Performance Space // Signage // Bond Issuance AFFORDABILITY AND HOUSING THANK YOU! ABI has committed more than $18 million in TAD revenue to affordable November’s passage of the housing over the next three years. TSPLOST and MARTA votes Right now, there are 250 units in various stages of development within paves the way for significant active projects: improvements to mobility across the city of Atlanta. This • 670 DeKalb Ave: 36 units opportunity was made possible • Gateway Capitol View: 160 units through the visionary leadership • Phoenix House: 69 units of Mayor Kasim Reed and through your belief that Atlanta’s mobility plays an essential role in ensuring The newly renovated exterior of Stanton Oaks Additional funding will: Apartments. Photo: The Sintoses. that everybody has full access to • Dedicate approximately economic opportunities and can With renovations complete and all $2.1 million annually from share in our city’s growth and residents moved back in their new tax increment for affordable prosperity. homes, Stanton Oaks Apartments workforce housing beginning in 2017 for a total of $6.3 million over With passage of these referenda, celebrated with a “Welcome Home funds will be available to purchase 3 years. Ceremony” in late September. the remaining land needed to Stanton Oaks is an affordable housing • Support a 2016 bond issue that will complete the Atlanta BeltLine loop development designed for individuals capitalize more than $11 million in and to build out a complete transit and families with income levels below additional funding for affordable network—the centerpiece of the 50% of area median income (AMI). workforce housing. • Dedicate 75 percent of any mid- Atlanta BeltLine vision. The rehabilitation of the 43-unit family year unanticipated TAD income As your implementation agent, we at apartment complex in Peoplestown that we receive to affordable Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. thank you for features brand-new amenities for the housing efforts. your confidence in the vision and for residents to use and enjoy, including a your continued support as we move multipurpose community room, a fully to make Atlanta a better place for equipped fitness center, a computer everyone. center, a laundry facility, an outdoor grilling area and a state of the art tot-lot. All tenants returned to their upgraded apartment homes with no increase in TRANSIT PROGRESS rent. Consultant Tia McCoy of HomePlace Consulting 16 miles of future Atlanta Streetcar leads a discussion at a homeowner workshop. routes are currently in NEPA planning and documentation. Below is a snapshot The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership of when each will go to the Federal hosted three free homeowner Transportation Administration (FTA). workshops this past fall that were • Atlanta BeltLine West: under review well attended. The workshops were by FTA The brand new playground at Stanton Oaks • Atlanta BeltLine East: Expecting to Apartments. Photo: The Sintoses. designed to ensure that existing homeowners in Atlanta BeltLine submit to FTA in early 2017 The redevelopment is a result of a neighborhoods are equipped to take • Crosstown Midtown: Expecting to public-private partnership between advantage of available resources to submit to FTA in early 2017 Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., Invest Atlanta, stay in their homes or knowledgeably • Crosstown Downtown: Expecting to the Georgia Department of Community evaluate opportunities if they are submit to FTA in early 2017 Affairs, Woda Group, Inc. and Parallel considering selling. Stay tuned for Housing, Inc. The rehabilitation, which additional opportunities in 2017. Environmental clearance from the FTA cost a total of $7.8 million, received allows ABI to pursue federal funding. ABI an $800,000 grant from the BeltLine For more, please visit beltline.org/ will hold community meetings to invite Affordable Housing Trust Fund. housing. public comment on the final documents. For more, visit beltline.org/transit. 1 WESTSIDE TRAIL UPDATE President & CEO Corner: As we usher in the new year, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. is looking forward to significant new progress in 2017. We are focused more than ever on affordability and equity as we advance the Atlanta BeltLine program in all parts of the city. We are demonstrating this commitment by accelerating trail and park development and dedicating Since October, concrete has been the trail, including the ramp at Lawton more than $18 million towards poured on two major portions of the Street, construction of the connection at affordable housing in just the Westside Trail: from University Avenue Donnelly Avenue, and connections and next three years. to Allene Avenue and from north of improvements around Stafford Park. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive to Lena trail is due to open in the summer of 2017. This kind of progress could not Street. The latter stretch includes occur without the leadership re-constructing the portion of Lionel In November of 2016, several volunteer of Mayor Reed and the support Hampton Trail that intersects with the groups came together to clean up areas of City of Atlanta residents. trail near Washington Park. of the trail that are outside the limits Your votes in support of both of construction to clear out trash and the TSPLOST and MARTA The planting of large trees is currently invasive species. This first clean-up was referenda clearly indicated your underway. In addition to landscaping, sponsored by Park Pride and the Atlanta desire for more greenspace and over the next few months you will see BeltLine Partnership with more to follow. transportation alternatives. We are humbled and honored by construction of many more elements of your trust in us to continue to bring you the trails, parks, and EASTSIDE TRAIL EXTENSION UPDATE transit of the Atlanta BeltLine. We look forward to bringing you four more miles of trails in 2017. Pictured above: “Voluptuous Vaults” by Tristan Al-Haddad on the Eastside Trail. Photo: The Sintoses. We take your vote of confidence and trust seriously and pledge Underground ductbank work on pedestrian crossing. In January, curbing and to be transparent, collaborative, the Eastside Trail Extension along ramps will follow on the northern corners and accountable in all we do. We Wylie Street is complete and surface of the intersection. Ramp installation will welcome your help and feedback improvements are done on the eastern also wrap up along Wylie Street. all along the way and we ask for side of Krog Street tunnel. Work will your continued engagement as continue within the tunnel to improve Over the next few months, expect to we move forward through the the lighting and install new handrails on see road closures on Irwin Street to process of implementation. both sides. construct a speed table in the road at the trail crossing. The southern end of the As always, we appreciate your Initial work has begun to survey the paved Eastside Trail will be replaced to support and involvement as we meet the height of the new speed table. A advance the Atlanta BeltLine. intersection of Krog Street and DeKalb Avenue where a pedestrian scramble speed table will also be built at Kirkwood Avenue, the current southern end of the —Paul Morris will be installed. A scramble halts motor vehicles in all directions to allow safe first phase of the extension. 2 ABP STAFF NEWS UPCOMING EVENTS The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership is Date Time Meeting/Event Location pleased to announce the following: 2/2/17 7-8:30PM Run.Walk.Go! Club check beltline.org/events David Jackson joined ABP as Deputy 3/8/17 8:30-10AM ABI Board of Directors Meeting 100 Peachtree St, Ste 2300, 30303 Executive Director. 3/14/17 6-8PM Quarterly Briefing check beltline.org/events During his 31-year career, Jackson has 4/29/17 2-6PM Washington Park Jamboree Washington Park, 30314 worked extensively in affordable and 7/15/17 7:30-9:30AM Run.Walk.Go! Westside 5k 1111 Oak Street, 30310 equitable housing and other neighborhood Fridays 9:15AM-12:30PM Atlanta BeltLine Bus Tour * Inman Park MARTA Station revitalization and community building issues around the Fridays 10 -11:30AM Arboretum Walking Tour * 240 N. Highland Ave, 30307 country. Saturdays 9:15 AM-12:30 PM Atlanta BeltLine Bus Tour * Inman Park MARTA Station Jennifer Treman joined ABP as the Saturdays 10-11:30AM Arboretum Walking Tour * 240 N. Highland Ave, 30307 Office Manager. For more details on upcoming events, please visit: beltline.org/events. We offer an extensive roster of free fitness classes, all of which are listed on our calendar. Please register online at beltline.org/fitsignup. * All tours require advance registration. Please visit beltline.org/tours for more information on bus, arboretum, and bicycle tours. Walking tour hours may vary. Bus tours resume in mid-February. We’re looking for volunteers! Visit beltline.org/volunteer for more information on ways to get involved. ART ON THE ATLANTA BELTLINE In 2016, nearly 150 visual and performing art installations graced the Eastside Trail, parks, and the interim hiking trails near Piedmont Park and through Reynoldstown. Returning artists and local favorites exhibited work alongside more national and international artists, and many new artists joined us for the first time. For three weekends in September and October, our trails and parks turned into venues for performance art—encompassing a wide variety such as contemporary dance, live jazz and blues, theater, freestyle rap, aerial performances, Vaudeville clown, and more. Gordon White Park played host to the first day of performances, followed by afternoons in Historic Fourth Ward Park and a temporary performance space near Piedmont Park. Every year, the exhibition opens on the first Saturday after Labor Day with the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade, created and hosted by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons.