The Atlanta of the future will be much different from the one we know today.
Beyond the hopeful plans, there are a number of major projects already underway that promise to revitalize our in-town neighborhoods, suburbs, public transportation transit and quality of life.
Here are five of those projects that could change the concept of "live, work, play" around Atlanta:
When the last of the giant ribbons are cut by novelty-sized scissors in the hands of a local politician, what once was Braves country will become home to a decidedly collegiate experience.
Change is nothing new to the area. Take, for example, the land today serving as Braves game day parking. First, the grounds then lush with playing field grass and dirt lined white in chalk were canonized by the baseball legends of yesteryear playing at Atlanta-Fulton County stadium. Then they were paved over, in creating the "blue lot." Soon, they will again shed their skin and offer up a new city center for the students of Georgia State University.
Soon, according to the Livable Center Initiative master plan, GSU could transform Turner Field into a college football stadium (the Panthers Den, as the Olympic-turned-baseball-turned-football field will surely be cringefully nicknamed). Their new baseball field could also an abandoned Braves structure if it is built on the footprint Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium as the project plans call. The surrounding lots, areas and neighborhoods may evolve into a tapestry of high density housing, retail and office spaces, parks, senior living and student housing.
In all that change, at least one thing will remain —the plans call for preservation of the Hank Aaron home run wall.
Credit: Courtesy of Jamestown
Credit: Courtesy of Jamestown
Riverview Landing, a $300 million mixed-use concept is underway in Smyrna, that could transform an abandoned industrial site into a Chattahoochee River-adjacent multi-use community. Construction on the project is already underway at the 82-acre site, which was recently annexed by the City of Smyrna. The 82-acre site annexed in 2013 by the city of Smyrna today serves as a practice site for the Georgia Tech rowing team.
Though developers put the property up for sale earlier this year, Riverview Landing is slated to be a Cobb County community with a mix of homes, restaurants, green spaces, shops and nearly a mile of Chattahoochee River frontage re-imagined for public use. The site is about 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta. No word on whether Smyrna will indeed be get their own Ponce City Market.
Want to know about the other three projects? Click here for the answer.
