DOCSLIB.ORG

If You Can't Find It in Atlanta

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
If You Can't Find It in Atlanta Uncertainty has hung over the Omni, a $100 million, office-hotel-retail megastructure since 1978. Omni International restructuring gives Cousins' vision new life By TOM WALKER uncertainty that bad hung over the f 100 subsidiaries of two real estate development Journal SWf -* million, office-hotel-retail megastructure companies: Cousins Properties Inc. of It is the year 2000. En route from Tal- since 1978, Atlanta, headed by Cousins as chairman lahassee to Cincinnati, you find yourself "Omni International is only a partially and chief executive officer, and Daon with several boors to kill between planes at developed property," said Cousins. "It Development Corp. of Vancouver, British Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport. What, you ask came on stream during the depths of the Columbia, a publicly-owned real estate yourself, can you do with that time besides (1873-75 real estate) depression, and was firm with assets in excess of II billion. park on an airport bar stool? never finished." After the restructuring, what does the The answer, says Atlanta real estate Indeed, when plans for Omni Interna- future hold for Omni International and the developer Thomas G. Cousins,.is obvious. tional were first announced in 1972, the rest of downtown Atlanta'' The key is what Take the MART A train downtown, enjoy mixed-use structure was characterized as Cousins refers to as "the critical mass" of lunch or dinner at a hotel restaurant or in toe first stage in the unfolding of a master people who make up the downtown market- a revitalized Underground Atlanta, or shop plan for the air rights over downtown place: "The daytime ^private and govern- in a department store or one of several re- Atlanta's "railroad gulch" — more than 25 ment office) population that works down- tail malls, or go to a movie or even to the acres between the First National Bank town, the convention industry and the arts tenter, and return to the airport in Tower and the Georgia World Congress people MART A will bring in." plenty of time to catch the outbound plane. Center Cousins said plans for" OmniSouth, a By the end of the century, says Cous- With the financial restructuring, Omni projected $265 million retail link between ins, a potential market of close to 40 mil- International has survived its close call Omni International, Rich's Department lion downtown visitors a year will be with toe bankers, who twice waved the Store and the Five Points MARTA station, created at the airport — plane changing foreclosure stick over the development in are on hold awaiting a second anchor de- travelers just waiting to be lured via a J 0- 1978. partment store tenant ("Two companies minute MART A ride to the Central Busi- And while a substantial amount of va- are intensively investigating it now," Cous- ness District to while away their time be- cant space remains in the two office build- ins said). tween flights. ings and some retailers have moved or Plans are also being made to expand vKC£2r»4rJ«st-'®s3 affrsdlssMB • gm-mtt ct->fts5ases, Oesaf tateraatio&al the <71-room Omni International Hotel Cousins' larger vision of downtown Atlanta saiatotaed oae of witte *- -combination of rooms in a new in the future: A marketplace for people toe city's highest occupancy rates. The ad- structure, and also by converting some of served by office buildings, retail stores, vent of MART A and an aggressive market- the space in Omni International's north of- hotels, entertainment establishments and ing campaign last year boosted sales by fice building to hotel rooms. public places for education or leisure time. Omni International retailers 24.5 percent in Cousins believes MARTA's contribu- ^fhat is also the vision of downtown 1980 (by 83 percent at eating establish- tion to the downtown "critical mass" will Atlanta that has underpinned Cousins' faith ments). said Cousins. be greater than most people are anticipat- in the future of Omni International, his Basically, a new corporation was ing. "This is the only transit system in the most spectacular, if controversial real es- formed to buy Omni International from its country where the lines converge down- tate development. __ original owners (a Georgia limited partner- town, unlike the others which are loops. Omni International passed a critical ship) and to pay off the bank debt in a set- This is an opportunity for retailers and landmark over the weekend when it was tlement valued at $47 million. service industries. I am more confident and restructured financially, paying off its out- The new owner, known as Omni Ven- sure of the future (of downtown) than I've side bank creditors and removing the tures, is a joint venture between ever been," he said. VwmyWO Oy W2 This is what you see when you head down the escalators into MARTA's Omni station: a massive, ornate frieze from the old Atlanta Constitution budding facade Swaatou Hone An 1830s bouse owned by a Decatur sawmill family bas MARTA Continued from 1E been restored by the DeKalb Historical Society. Tout» require a caU to the society at 373-1088 several days In advance. The nearby Mary Gay House, an l«50s structure, is still being re- Fast food is available along Peachtree Street facing the park There are hamburgers, Mediterranean dishes (11.29 for a Directions: Exit to Courthouse Square and McDooough Greek salad. $1 93 for a Gyro sandwich at Shipfeifer's), and s Street, go one block to Trinity Place, turn right, go three "natural" selections (50-cent hooey bean pies and 40-cent cider) blocks, under MART A overpass, and go one more block. at the elegantly bulbuous Georgia Law Center one block up Sycamore Street Directions Exit to Peachtree Street, turn left on Peach- Well-proportioned Decatur Presbyterian Church and a tree. go 1/2 block to Marietta Street, cross Peachtree to the block of mostly municipal buildings are the gate to a neighbor- park hood of graceful homes. Alabama Street Shop* Greek Revival and Victorian have the upper hand, though Try a trip to a couple of fast food shops, one old and one there are occasional modernisms, some of them Jarring. The new squat Saxon lines of the First United Methodist Church's chapel Follow your none to the Planters Peanut Store. The nuts add an old English note From Columbia Drive intersection, cost from 70 cents a half pound (Virginia peanuts) to 84 50 a you can see MARTA trains dip into the tunnel that goes under half pound (macadamia Buts from Hawaii! Cashew* and pista- some of Decatur's nicest homes chios are hard to find even here, thanks to Iran and Afghanis Directions: Exit to Church Street and walk straight ahead tan There are low-priced lunch counter food and a lew high- on Sycamore. You can keep walking to Avondale Station, the priced nostalgia items like Mr Peanut banks. Monday through end of the East Line, or turn back if another half-mile sounds Saturday, 7 a m to 7 pm A couple ot doors down. Burger King competes for a de- like too much. signer prize with its MARTA trtcotors on the first floor, a GEORGIA STATE STATION (Wl> plastic recreation of an old railroad stop on the second There Omni International are wrought Iron" rails and globe lamps Monday through Indoor-world glitter on a global scale, this high-rise Friday, « a m to 8 p.m. Saturday, 7 a m. to 8 pm, Sunday, atrium has a bookstore (Rizzoli's) that sells newspaper* from 11:30 a m to 8 p.m Milan and Disney magazines from France. A Tater Toppings on Directions Exit to Peachtree Street, turn right on Peach- the concourse sells spuds with toppings like chicken a la king or tree Street, go 1/2 block, croas Peachtree seafood newburg (f I SO per potato) One big candy counter .of a Undergrunnd Atlaata store (Feodora's) where the cigarettes are Dunhiiis and the Like yesterday s love song this core-bustling center of candy is European. At the Magic Shop, crystal balls start at eating and entertainment lingers. Is this a new beginning or the $22 Dozens of shops, with a restaurant between every «ne. it ultimate end? seems Dante's Down the Hatch and Grecian Gardens are among directions; Exit station, walk 1/2 block" past the Omni the more vigorous hangers-on at lunch and dinner Now that arena. — MARTA has chopped its way through and finished patching up. Georgia World Coagress Center the area a neater, and the street creeps are gone. The Southeast's world-class convention center has sights Directions Approach Peachtree Street exit but turn right for occasional passers-by as well, Try elaborately electronic at toe Underground Atlanta sign inside the nation, and take the displays from Georgia-Pacific Corp., and bigtime nostalgia lighted stairway to Underground from Coca-Cola (when was the last time you saw a red Coke Atlaata Newspapers'Exhibit radio?) They and others are one level down from the entrance. Decades erf Atlanta news papering are on display, from hi- Drop one more level to enter the exhibit halls — if they'na open larious headlines marking President McKinley's melodious and if convention officials will let you in. Otherwise^Jry a passing to Mart Trail comic stnpa, Ralph McGlll columns and glimpse through the glass panels that line the floor abovef Margaret Mitchells desk from the Sunday magazine office Directions: Exit station, walk 1/2 block to combflation where the author once worked Monday through Friday, 8 am street-walk and ramp, cross, enter center under steel rafters to 5 p.m.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Objectivity, Interdisciplinary Methodology, and Shared Authority
    ABSTRACT HISTORY TATE. RACHANICE CANDY PATRICE B.A. EMORY UNIVERSITY, 1987 M.P.A. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1990 M.A. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- MILWAUKEE, 1995 “OUR ART ITSELF WAS OUR ACTIVISM”: ATLANTA’S NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS CENTER, 1975-1990 Committee Chair: Richard Allen Morton. Ph.D. Dissertation dated May 2012 This cultural history study examined Atlanta’s Neighborhood Arts Center (NAC), which existed from 1975 to 1990, as an example of black cultural politics in the South. As a Black Arts Movement (BAM) institution, this regional expression has been missing from academic discussions of the period. The study investigated the multidisciplinary programming that was created to fulfill its motto of “Art for People’s Sake.” The five themes developed from the program research included: 1) the NAC represented the juxtaposition between the individual and the community, local and national; 2) the NAC reached out and extended the arts to the masses, rather than just focusing on the black middle class and white supporters; 3) the NAC was distinctive in space and location; 4) the NAC seemed to provide more opportunities for women artists than traditional BAM organizations; and 5) the NAC had a specific mission to elevate the social and political consciousness of black people. In addition to placing the Neighborhood Arts Center among the regional branches of the BAM family tree, using the programmatic findings, this research analyzed three themes found to be present in the black cultural politics of Atlanta which made for the center’s unique grassroots contributions to the movement. The themes centered on a history of politics, racial issues, and class dynamics.
    [Show full text]
  • The Atlanta Preservation Center's
    THE ATLANTA PRESERVATION CENTER’S Phoenix2017 Flies A CELEBRATION OF ATLANTA’S HISTORIC SITES FREE CITY-WIDE EVENTS PRESERVEATLANTA.COM Welcome to Phoenix Flies ust as the Grant Mansion, the home of the Atlanta Preservation Center, was being constructed in the mid-1850s, the idea of historic preservation in America was being formulated. It was the invention of women, specifically, the ladies who came J together to preserve George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The motives behind their efforts were rich and complicated and they sought nothing less than to exemplify American character and to illustrate a national identity. In the ensuing decades examples of historic preservation emerged along with the expanding roles for women in American life: The Ladies Hermitage Association in Nashville, Stratford in Virginia, the D.A.R., and the Colonial Dames all promoted preservation as a mission and as vehicles for teaching contributive citizenship. The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition held in Piedmont Park here in Atlanta featured not only the first Pavilion in an international fair to be designed by a woman architect, but also a Colonial Kitchen and exhibits of historic artifacts as well as the promotion of education and the arts. Women were leaders in the nurture of the arts to enrich American culture. Here in Atlanta they were a force in the establishment of the Opera, Ballet, and Visual arts. Early efforts to preserve old Atlanta, such as the Leyden Columns and the Wren’s Nest were the initiatives of women. The Atlanta Preservation Center, founded in 1979, was championed by the Junior League and headed by Eileen Rhea Brown.
    [Show full text]
  • This Re-Route Will Start at the Biginning of Revenue Service Untill B.C.C
    THIS RE-ROUTE WILL START AT THE BIGINNING OF REVENUE SERVICE UNTILL B.C.C. GIVES THE ALL CLEAR. REROUTE ADVISORY: Route #2 Ponce De Leon, #3 Auburn Ave, #6 Emory, #9 Boulevard/Tilson Road, #21 Memorial Drive, #26 Marietta Street, #36 Virginia Highland, #40 Downtown, #42 Pryor Road, #49 McDonough Blvd, #50 D.L. Hollowell Pkwy, #51 J.E. Boone, #55 Jonesboro Road, #94 Northside Drive, #102 Little Five Points, #107 Glenwood, #186 Rainbow Drive, #809 Monroe Drive, #813 Atlanta Student Movement, #816 North Highland Ave, #832 Grant Park, and #899 Old Fourth Ward. WHAT: 2020 Publix Atlanta Marathon & 5k WHERE: The Marathon will start at Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive. The Route/Course will travel through various streets in the City of Atlanta and Dekalb County. WHEN: Sunday, March 1, 2020 TIMES: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. or Until the All clear is given by B.C.C. Buses in and around the Marathon will be rerouted during the Marathon/5k. Bus routes intersecting with Race/Runners will be delayed. Atlanta Police will allow traffic to flow between gaps in the Race. Reroute as follows: OUTBOUND: Route #2 from North Avenue Station to East Lake Station (South Loop) Regular route Expect Delays crossing North Highland Avenue. INBOUND: Route #2 from East Lake Station to North Avenue Station Regular route Expect Delays crossing North Highland Avenue. Regular route Page 1 of 20 OUTBOUND: Route #3 from H.E. Holmes Station to West End Station Continue M.L.K. Jr. Drive Right – Joseph E. Lowery Blvd.
    [Show full text]
  • Proposed Program of High Capacity Transit Improvements City of Atlanta DRAFT
    Proposed Program of High Capacity Transit Improvements City of Atlanta DRAFT Estimated Capital Cost (Base Year in Estimated O&M Cost (Base Year in Millions) Millions) Project Description Total Miles Local Federal O&M Cost Over 20 Total Capital Cost Annual O&M Cost Share Share Years Two (2) miles of heavy rail transit (HRT) from HE Holmes station to a I‐20 West Heavy Rail Transit 2 $250.0 $250.0 $500.0 $13.0 $312.0 new station at MLK Jr Dr and I‐285 Seven (7) miles of BRT from the Atlanta Metropolitan State College Northside Drive Bus Rapid Transit (south of I‐20) to a new regional bus system transfer point at I‐75 7 $40.0 N/A $40.0 $7.0 $168.0 north Clifton Light Rail Four (4) miles of grade separated light rail transit (LRT) service from 4 $600.0 $600.0 $1,200.0 $10.0 $240.0 Contingent Multi‐ Transit* Lindbergh station to a new station at Emory Rollins Jurisdicitional Projects I‐20 East Bus Rapid Three (3) miles of bus rapid transit (BRT) service from Five Points to 3 $28.0 $12.0 $40.0 $3.0 $72.0 Transit* Moreland Ave with two (2) new stops and one new station Atlanta BeltLine Twenty‐two (22) miles of bi‐directional at‐grade light rail transit (LRT) 22 $830 $830 $1,660 $44.0 $1,056.0 Central Loop service along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor Over three (3) miles of bi‐directional in‐street running light rail transit Irwin – AUC Line (LRT) service along Fair St/MLK Jr Dr/Luckie St/Auburn 3.4 $153 $153 $306.00 $7.0 $168.0 Ave/Edgewood Ave/Irwin St Over two (2) miles of in‐street bi‐directional running light rail transit Downtown – Capitol
    [Show full text]
  • REGIONAL RESOURCE PLAN Contents Executive Summary
    REGIONAL RESOURCE PLAN Contents Executive Summary ................................................................5 Summary of Resources ...........................................................6 Regionally Important Resources Map ................................12 Introduction ...........................................................................13 Areas of Conservation and Recreational Value .................21 Areas of Historic and Cultural Value ..................................48 Areas of Scenic and Agricultural Value ..............................79 Appendix Cover Photo: Sope Creek Ruins - Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area/ Credit: ARC Tables Table 1: Regionally Important Resources Value Matrix ..19 Table 2: Regionally Important Resources Vulnerability Matrix ......................................................................................20 Table 3: Guidance for Appropriate Development Practices for Areas of Conservation and Recreational Value ...........46 Table 4: General Policies and Protection Measures for Areas of Conservation and Recreational Value ................47 Table 5: National Register of Historic Places Districts Listed by County ....................................................................54 Table 6: National Register of Historic Places Individually Listed by County ....................................................................57 Table 7: Guidance for Appropriate Development Practices for Areas of Historic and Cultural Value ............................77 Table 8: General Policies
    [Show full text]
  • Spouse Puts New Value in Rocks Can Leverage Both Richmond and Columbia Counties’ Current by LAURA LEVERING to Someone’S Face,” Allissa Said
    LOOK INSIDE: St. Patrick’s Day Shuffle - Page 7 Friday, March 17, 2017 | Vol. 3, No. 11 Published for the Department of Defense and the Fort Gordon community FORTGORDONGLOBE.COM CRAFTSMAN’S PASSION Poor credit can lead to big problems BY LAURA LEVERING “There could be something Fort Gordon Public Affairs Office on the report that doesn’t be- long to you, so reviewing it Financial readiness is a lot gives you a chance to check it like driving an automobile. before applying and potentially If you don’t perform regular being turned down for a credit preventative maintenance, it’s card or loan,” explained Bar- bound to cause problems. bara Brown, personal financial In the case of finances, check- readiness specialist, Financial ing one’s credit report is pre- Readiness Program, Army ventative maintenance. Community Service. Credit reports and credit Credit reports are a detailed re- scores are different but di- port of a person’s debt history, in- rectly affect one another. By quiries about credit applications, law, individuals have an op- personal address and places of portunity to review their credit employment. In most cases, debt report three times a year. It’s seven years and older disappears the first thing a person should from credit reports and gets sent do before applying for a credit to a third party collections agen- card or taking out a loan for cy, which then tries to collect large items such as a car or the debt on behalf of company. house. Other cases may take longer and Consumers can request a free require action to disappear.
    [Show full text]
  • Afterschool Day at the Capitol 2019 Parking and Directions Important Addresses Georgia Freight Depot Georgia State Capitol 65 M.L.K
    Afterschool Day at the Capitol 2019 Parking and Directions Important Addresses Georgia Freight Depot Georgia State Capitol 65 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW 206 Washington Street Atlanta, GA 30303 Atlanta, GA 30303 Parking Information The Georgia Freight Depot is a long brick building on the right between Washington St./Courtland St. and Central Ave., next to Underground. We highly recommend that you park in the lot in front of the Freight Depot. Instead of waiting in line to pay for parking - download the Park Mobile app. When you get there, the zone number is 70302. You don't need a printed parking ticket! Additional Parking Options (Cost varies) 1. Underground Atlanta Parking, 75 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 2. Pete Hackney Parking, 162 Jesse Hill Jr., Dr. 3. Steve Polk Plaza Parking, 65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA 30334 4. 254 Capitol Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30334 Public Transportation Consider taking MARTA! It's cheaper and the MARTA Station is one block away! The Georgia State MARTA Station is an elevated station at 170 Piedmont Avenue SE on the blue and green rail line. It is directly connected to the Sloppy Floyd Building on the eastbound train platform.To get to the station you must be on a blue or green line train, which runs east and west through downtown Atlanta. If you are traveling from the red or gold line, travel to the Five Points MARTA station and follow the signs to the eastbound train platform and board the first train that arrives.
    [Show full text]
  • Raise the Curtain
    JAN-FEB 2016 THEAtlanta OFFICIAL VISITORS GUIDE OF AtLANTA CoNVENTI ON &Now VISITORS BUREAU ATLANTA.NET RAISE THE CURTAIN THE NEW YEAR USHERS IN EXCITING NEW ADDITIONS TO SOME OF AtLANTA’S FAVORITE ATTRACTIONS INCLUDING THE WORLDS OF PUPPETRY MUSEUM AT CENTER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS. B ARGAIN BITES SEE PAGE 24 V ALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE SEE PAGE 32 SOP RTS CENTRAL SEE PAGE 36 ATLANTA’S MUST-SEA ATTRACTION. In 2015, Georgia Aquarium won the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award as the #1 aquarium in the U.S. Don’t miss this amazing attraction while you’re here in Atlanta. For one low price, you’ll see all the exhibits and shows, and you’ll get a special discount when you book online. Plan your visit today at GeorgiaAquarium.org | 404.581.4000 | Georgia Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization, inspiring awareness and conservation of aquatic animals. F ATLANTA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016 O CONTENTS en’s museum DR D CHIL ENE OP E Y R NEWL THE 6 CALENDAR 36 SPORTS OF EVENTS SPORTS CENTRAL 14 Our hottest picks for Start the year with NASCAR, January and February’s basketball and more. what’S new events 38 ARC AROUND 11 INSIDER INFO THE PARK AT our Tips, conventions, discounts Centennial Olympic Park on tickets and visitor anchors a walkable ring of ATTRACTIONS information booth locations. some of the city’s best- It’s all here. known attractions. Think you’ve already seen most of the city’s top visitor 12 NEIGHBORHOODS 39 RESOURCE Explore our neighborhoods GUIDE venues? Update your bucket and find the perfect fit for Attractions, restaurants, list with these new and improved your interests, plus special venues, services and events in each ’hood.
    [Show full text]
  • Soohueyyap Capstone.Pdf (6.846Mb)
    School of City & Regional Planning COLLEGE OF DESIGN A Text-Mining and GIS Approach to Understanding Transit Customer Satisfaction Soo Huey Yap MS-GIST Capstone Project July 24, 2020 1 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Transit Performance Evaluation……………………………………………………………………………….. 3 1.2 Using Text-Mining and Sentiment Analysis to Measure Customer Satisfaction………… 5 2. METHODOLOGY 2.1 Study Site and Transit Authority……………………………………………………………………………….. 9 2.2 Description of Data…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 2.3 Text-Mining and Sentiment Analysis 2.3.1 Data Preparation……………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 2.3.2 Determining Most Frequent Words…………………………………………………………… 12 2.3.3 Sentiment Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………. 13 2.4 Open-Source Visualization and Mapping………………………………………………………………… 14 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Determining Most Frequent Words………………………………………………………………………… 16 3.2 Sentiment Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17 3.3 Location-based Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………. 19 4. CHALLENGES AND FUTURE WORK……………………………………………………………………………………. 24 5. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….… 25 6. REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26 7. APPENDICES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29 Appendix 1: Final Python Script for Frequent Words Analysis Appendix 2: Results from 1st Round Data Cleaning and Frequent Words Analysis Appendix 3: Python Script for Sentiment Analysis using the NLTK Vader Module Python Script for Sentiment Analysis using TextBlob Appendix 4:
    [Show full text]
  • Piedmont Hospital Achieves US News and World Report
    Piedmont Hospital Achieves U.S. News and World Report Rankings Summer/Fall 2011 PIEDMONT Volume 21, No. 3 A publication of Piedmont Healthcare Confronting Cancer: Journeys of Support & Healing Also Inside: Non-surgical Alternative to Open-Heart Surgery Hypothermia Technique Saves Rockdale Heart Patient PIEDMONT Letter from the CEO A quick fix. It’s what patients who come through our doors hope our doctors and nurses have for what ails PIEDMONT HEALTHCARE them. Sometimes the cure is a quick fix. Often, it is not. Chairman of the Board: William A. Blincoe, M.D. The same hope is true for those of us who work in Foundation Board Chair: Bertram “Bert” L. Levy healthcare. We would like to believe there is a quick President & CEO: R. Timothy Stack fix for what ails many hospitals around the country – namely, the economy and the future under healthcare PIEDMONT HOSPITAL reform. Piedmont Healthcare, along with its hospitals Chairman of the Board: Patrick M. Battey, M.D. and physician groups, is no exception. We are facing President & CEO: Les A. Donahue significant challenges that have caused us to take a proactive approach to ensure our financial stability now and in the future. PIEDMONT FAYETTE HOSPITAL As you know, financial hardships have caused many people to put their Chairman of the Board: James C. Sams, M.D. healthcare needs on hold. Some choose not to see the doctor or have an elective President & CEO: W. Darrell Cutts procedure because they would rather save the copay and the dollars they would spend on what’s not covered.
    [Show full text]
  • ABBC 2016 Annual Report
    IMPACT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2016 ATLANTA BETTER BUILDINGS CHALLENGE One of my proudest accomplishments as Mayor of Atlanta is the tremendous success achieved through the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge (ABBC). The Office of Resilience has partnered with businesses and nonprofit organizations to implement a comprehensive, voluntary program to increase energy and water efficiency in our building stock. The Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge invites participating building owners to commit to a 20 percent reduction in energy and water use by year 2020. With more than 114 million square feet of building space and more than 600 buildings pledged, Atlanta has earned its spot as a leader on the efficiency scoreboard. Since 2011, this successful public-private partnership between the City of Atlanta, Central Atlanta Progress, Livable Buckhead, Midtown Alliance and Southface has positioned Atlanta as a national leader in energy and water efficiency. We surpassed our water reduction goal five years ahead of schedule, and we’re quickly closing the gap on our energy goal, having already reduced our portfolio’s energy consumption by 17 percent. Through the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge, participants are saving money on bills now, while helping to ensure a more resilient future for all Atlantans. This program plays a pivotal role in furthering Atlanta as a top-tier city for sustainability. We hope to inspire other cities by our achievements and lead by example as we continue to make big strides in reducing our energy and water usage. Thanks to our participants in the Challenge. Sincerely, Mayor Kasim Reed INTRODUCTION | 03 IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR BUILDINGS 20 PERCENT BY 2020 The goal of the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Resource conservation efforts not only support the City’s Challenge is to improve the efficiency of commercial, sustainability efforts and lead to a cleaner and healthier institutional, industrial, and multifamily buildings by 20% or place to live and work, but the dollar savings achieved more by 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • The Transformation Alliance
    The TransFormation Alliance Strengthening Communities Through Transit The TransFormation Alliance is a diverse collaboration of organizations including, community advocates, policy experts, transit providers, and government agencies working toward a common goal to change how transit and community development investments shape the future, to offer all residents the opportunities for a high quality of life, linked by our region’s critically important transit system. Issues Driven People and Creative Placemaking Housing Choice and Transit Innovative Capital Equitable TOD Climate and Job Access Health Why It Matters Housing Cost Jobs Access 48% The percentage of income paid in 3.4% rent by City of Atlanta HH of jobs are accessible by a earning the lowest 20th 45 minute trip on transit. percentile. - Brookings Institute, 2016 Income Mobility 4% A child raised in the bottom fifth income bracket in Atlanta has just 4% chance of reaching the top fifth - Brookings Institute, 2016 MARTA links disparate communities The five highest median The five lowest median household incomes by MARTA household incomes by MARTA stop stop 1) Buckhead Station: 1) West End Station: $19,447 $104,518 2) Ashby Station: $21,895 2) Brookhaven-Oglethorpe 3) Oakland City Station: Station: $104,168 $23,000 3) East Lake Station: $97,037 4) Lakewood-Ft. McPherson 4) Lenox Station: $90, 766 Station: $25,236 5) Medical Center Station: 5) Bankhead Station: $26,168 $89,281 Station Area Typology Type A: • In/near major job centers • Improve job access Low Vulnerability + • Affluent
    [Show full text]