marta RAPID TRANSIT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN ATLANTA Division of Planning & Marketing Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority M ay 1978 RAPID TRANSIT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN ATLANTA: An illustrated summary of the experience to date. Manuel Padron Division of Planning and Marketing MARTA May 1978 The rapid transit program approved by the voters of the Atlanta Metro Area in November 1971, as amended, encompasses the construction of 53 miles of rail rapid transit and 8 miles of busways. This system will be fully integrated with a net­ work of 1,530 route miles of feeder and express bus lines. The rapid transit system is structured in a cruciform arrangement, with the East-West and North-South rail trunklines intersecting in downtown Atlanta, at the center of the region (See Figure). Each of the four legs of the trunk system branches once to extend the geographic coverage of the system outside the central area of Atlanta. As much as possible the lines of the system are at or above ground level (51% and 30% respectively), with only 10 miles or 19% of the line construction in subway in order to minimize costs. The two busways are planned to be in the median of future expressways. A large portion of the rail system parallels existing rail­ road right of way (65%) to keep disruption of neighborhoods and business at a minimum by not creating new transportation corri­ dors. The rail lines depart from existing railroad corridors in three important areas: in the North-South Line through the central area where there is no railroad that will effectively serve the main downtown growth axis (Peachtree Street); in the central portion of the West Line, where no railroad corridor is available either; and in Decatur, on the East Line. In 1978 UMTA committed $800 million toward the construction of the initial segment of the rapid transit system. This initial segment, Phase A, consists of 14 miles of rail rapid transit and includes 17 stations and the central car maintenance and repair facility. Phase A encompasses the construction of the portion of the East Line from Avondale to Georgia State Station, scheduled for revenue service in December 1978; the West Line from Georgia State to Hightower Station, to be opened to the public December 1979; and a small segment of the North-South Line from Garnett Station to North Avenue Station, which will open in April 1981. Phase A of the MARTA rapid transit program involves the most difficult and costly construction in the entire system. A substantial portion of the line construction is in subway— some of it in deep rock tunnel— in the downtown areas of both the City of Atlanta and the City of Decatur. The total budget for Phase A is $1,017 billion, which includes the local share of $217 million. Considerable effort has been made in Atlanta in the plan­ ning, design and construction process to integrate urban devel­ opment and rapid transit from the outset, in recognition of the obvious economic and transportation service benefits of such integration. Immediately after the passage of the referendum in 1971 urban planners in the region undertook the preparation of detailed plans for the areas around the different stations. This process, financed by UMTA and sponsored by the Atlanta Regional Commission, is known as the Transit Station Area Development Study (TSADS) process. It culminated with the official adoption of a detailed plan for the impact area of each station by the government of the jurisdiction where the station is located. One of the most successful examples of this process is the City of Decatur. In 1972 Decatur elected officials and citizens in coopera­ tion with MARTA carried out an intensive planning effort in order to capitalize on the positive impacts that the downtown Decatur Station is to have on that city. This led, among other things, to the identification of several design features that would enhance the impact of the station on downtown Decatur. The most significant of these features was raising the top of the station out of the ground, the permanent clos­ ing of two blocks of Sycamore and Swanton Way Streets and the creation of the pedestrian mall on top of the subway station in these two blocks. Accordingly, MARTA modified its plans for the station at the request of Decatur officials and as a result, the station, now nearing completion, will be one of the most exciting in the MARTA system from an urban design standpoint. A local developer has already assembled a seven and one-half acre tract in downtown Decatur for a mixed-use develop­ ment less than 200 feet from the rapid transit system. As planned, this project includes a high-rise residential area, offices and retail stores along with pedestrian amenities. The first phase of this development (1978-1980) will consist of approximately 200,000 square feet of office space, 60 units of middle income apartments and 10-15,000 square feet of retail space. A hotel with auditorium facilities is being considered in a future stage. In the City of Atlanta a revised Zoning Ordinance has been drawn up in accordance with the Transit Station Area Development plans. A number of programs for complementary public works are being pushed forth on the basis of TSADS plans both in the City of Atlanta and in DeKalb County. TSADS plans seek to encourage maximum development in areas around the stations where such growth is appropriate, but at the same time discourage it where it would conflict with established neighbor­ hoods or where it would create unacceptable environmental impact. Things are beginning to happen as a result of these and related efforts. For example, two large office towers are being built by the State of Georgia simultaneously and in the air rights of the Georgia State Station. These towers will house a large amount of state employees which will be added to the already numerous potential transit riders from Georgia State University (enrollment: 20,000), the State Capitol and several other existing state office buildings. This was made possible through a timely cooperative construction agreement between MARTA and the State of Georgia in which the State provided the necessary surface rights for the development of the station, retaining the air rights for the construction of the buildings. A similar arrangement was worked out with Southern Bell Telephone Company at the North Avenue Station. In this case, certain property rights acquired by MARTA were exchanged for the necessary underground easements in land owned by Southern Bell. The foundations of both the station and a new regional headquarters office building for Southern Bell are being built at the same time. In addition this new complex will include shops, restaurants and other offices directly accessible from the rapid transit station. This agreement also permitted saving of a major national architectural land­ mark, the Fox Theater, which was to have been demolished by Southern Bell for the construction of its headquarter building. Several other stations will be tied in directly with many large-scale existing and future developments. The Five Points Station, largest in the system where the East-West and North-South trunklines will intersect, will have under­ ground passageways to Underground Atlanta, one of the region's largest and most important tourist attractions, to a proposed future development complex and to Rich's, one of the largest department stores in the South. Rich's has announced tentative plans to build a larger store and office building on its present site. The Omni Station, on the West Line derives its name from the fact that it will be connected directly to the facility of the same name, home game location of Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Flames. The Omni's 15,000 seat auditorium is also heavily used throughout the year for big-name entertainment including circus and ice shows. In addition the Omni Station ties in directly with the adjacent Omni International, a hotel, office, shopping and entertainment facility of regional signifi cance. On the portion of the North Line being built within Phase A, a station of the same name will directly serve Peachtree Center, a multi-structure development containing offices, shops entertainment and the 1,100 room, 70 story Peachtree Plaza Hotel. This station and line segments on either side are being built in a rock tunnel 115 feet below the surface at the deepest point. The bare rock of the cavern will con­ stitute the finished walls for the mezzanine and platform areas. The next station to the north, Civic Center, will connect directly to the Peachtree Summit Building one level below the street. This 30 story building was completed in 1977 in anticipation of the rapid transit system and houses MARTA's administrative offices. A second office building of similar size is slated for construction by the same developer next to the Summit in the near future. The Civic Center Station will also be connected via a short people mover, also part of MARTA's program, to the Atlanta Civic Center and to the Bedford-Pine Urban Redevelopment Project. This rapid transit station itself is unique in that it is being con­ structed in the air rights of Interstate 1-75/85. A number of opportunities lie ahead as MARTA moves into Phase B. Two weeks after the referendum passed in November 1971, financial backers gave the go-ahead to Colony Square, a major development complex that will be served by the Arts Center Station. Since that time, when only an office building had been built, a second office building, a hotel and two large condominium apartment buildings have been started and completed.