The neighborhoods around Turner Field have been awarded a $212,000 grant to study development possibilities for the surrounding area after the Atlanta Braves leave for their new Cobb County stadium.
An Atlanta Regional Commission news release said the study will “develop a concept plan and rethink transportation infrastructure needs, all while enhancing and protecting existing neighborhoods.” The study will include the city of Atlanta, the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority, Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Atlanta Beltline and other neighborhood groups.
“The study that will be conducted with these funds will allow us to envision the future of the Turner Field area and the surrounding neighborhoods,” Atlanta City Councilwoman Carla Smith, who represents the area, said in a news release.
The Braves plan to move into a new ballpark near Cumberland Mall in 2017. The complex is expected to include a $400 million mixed-use entertainment district.
Turner Field’s future remains in question. A team of private developers and Georgia State University has proposed acquiring The Ted and its surrounding parking lots for a southern expansion of the university. The plan includes a mix of student and non-student housing, instructional space and retail. The university also wants to convert the ballpark into a 30,000-seat football and track facility and build a new Georgia State baseball field.
Mayor Kasim Reed has said other parties have also expressed interest in the site.
The Atlanta Regional Commission awarded grants to eight metro communities under its Livable Centers Initiative, including the Turner Field study.
Other grants were awarded to Locust Grove, Buford, Canton, Powder Springs, the Fort McPherson redevelopment effort, a joint project by Chamblee and MARTA and Norcross.
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