Mayor, Governor Announce McPherson Land Reuse Plans
Today Mayor Shirley Franklin joined Governor Sonny Perdue, East Point Mayor Joseph Macon, and Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves to announce future re-use plans for the Fort McPherson property located in southwest Atlanta.
Fort McPherson, a 487-acre military base, is being closed under the federal government’s Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) of 2005. The site will be vacated by the U.S. Army in 2011.
In 2005, the City of Atlanta created the McPherson Planning Land Reuse Authority (MPLRA), an entity that includes several jurisdictions affected by the base closure. For over 21 months, the MPLRA has engaged the community, social service agencies, businesses, and the academic community to develop a sustainable Re-Use Plan for the site. On September 22, the final Plan will be submitted to federal authorities to undergo a process and transfer review specific to base closures.
Plan Highlights:
- Development of a 115-acre scientific research park. The state will request that the Army convey to the state, at no cost, a parcel to be developed into an urban mixed-use work/live/learn/play science and research park for interdisciplinary research and technology transfer. The park would ideally be located close to the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This development will drastically enhance the economic value of the remaining parcels on the site, to be sold by the Army. If approved by the Army, the research park will be developed by a task force including the Board of Regents, local governmental entities and private partners.
- Creation of 150 acres of green space, with 30 acres set aside for a festival and event grounds. This will require re-zoning by the City of Atlanta and public-private partnerships with developers, the state of Georgia and the city of East Point. The future site may also feature up to 4,600 homes, four million square feet of office space and 400,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.
- A mixed-use retail district – roughly 35 acres - to create a “main street” district.
- A historic district comprised of an approximately 40-acre assemblage of buildings on the National Historic Register.
- A linear park will hold as the site centerpiece, stretching from a MARTA station on the north to a MARTA station on the south. This green space will be dominated by old-growth trees, paths and bike trails.
For more information on the Fort McPherson Redevelopment Plan, visit here or contact the MPLRA at 404.614.8318.
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Major Clean Water Atlanta Sewer Projects Completed Early
The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) continues to exceed expectations by completing major Clean Water Atlanta sewer projects substantially ahead of federal consent decree deadlines.
Sewer separation projects in the McDaniel sewer basin and the Stockade sub-basin were completed last month, well ahead of the September 1 deadline. The early completion means that DWM has met every consent decree deadline to date on-time and is on track to meet all 55 Consent Decree milestones on schedule.
The projects took approximately one year to complete. “We know these projects were disruptive and that our customers have lived with the noise, the dust and the traffic delays,” said DWM Commissioner Rob Hunter. “Our residents have our sincere thanks for their forbearance.”
The McDaniel and Stockade projects involved separation of the previously combined sewer system with construction of new pipes to handle the sewage that previously flowed through the combined sewer pipes. They will help eliminate sewer overflows in the southeast Atlanta communities of Grant Park, Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown and the southwest neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Mechanicsville and West End.
Ongoing projects include the Greensferry sewer separation project which is on track to finish on - or before - its September 27 deadline. Over the next six months, the City will repair damaged streets, curbs and landscaping in the sewer separation areas.
For more information on Clean Water Atlanta projects, visit www.cleanwateratlanta.org
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Atlanta Police Bring ‘HOPE’ to Chronic Homeless
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) has partnered with the 24/7 Gateway Center and other social service agencies to connect chronic homeless residents with resources and support through Project HOPE.
Project HOPE are crisis intervention-trained APD officers who can identify the needs of the chronically homeless, with emphasis on identifying those with mental health issues. Officers work with the 24/7 Gateway Center to help the homeless receive supportive transitional services. For more information on Atlanta’s Blueprint to End Homelessness, visit here.
In 2004, Atlanta became the first Georgia city to launch a crisis intervention public safety program. APD officers receive training from social service agencies to handle escalating issues stemming from developmental disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Every other week, Project HOPE team members meet with United Way service providers to plan outreach for specific homeless residents.
Last year the HOPE Team was awarded the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) award for “Officers of the Year”. APD was commended for facilitating long-term care to a woman living with dementia and her developmentally challenged son. Stories like these are just one among many, says Lieutenant Trudy Boyce, Project HOPE coordinator.
“This program is beginning to show results,” said Lieutenant Boyce. “There is just story after story of ways the program is helping Atlanta’s chronically homeless get their lives back on track.”
For more information about Project HOPE, call 404.658.7830.
Atlanta Police officers receive the 2006 CIT Award for “Officers of the Year” at the most recent recognition banquet. |
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Author Joins Public Events for Second Annual ‘Atlanta Reads’ Week
This week, the City of Atlanta continues its celebration of ‘Atlanta Reads’, a citywide literacy program, with public events and author discussions throughout the city.
The 2007 Atlanta Reads selections are: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee and ‘The Women of Brewster Place’ by Gloria Naylor. Naylor will participate in a cross-generational dialogue with Atlanta senior citizens and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) seniors, sponsored by the Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) Cultural Experience Project. Theatrical performances, public book discussions with Naylor and workshops are also planned.
Atlanta Reads Week- Schedule of Events
- Wednesday, Sept. 12
10 am
Atlanta Public Schools Cultural Experience Event:
Building Community with Atlanta Reads featuring Gloria Naylor
Atlanta Civic Center
395 Piedmont Avenue
Presented by the Atlanta Public School System
and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs
- 8 pm
Alliance Theatre
Opening Night: The Women of Brewster Place
Alliance Theatre
1280 Peachtree Street
404.733.5000
- Thursday, Sept. 13
11:00 am
Convocation with Gloria Naylor
Spelman College
Cosby Auditorium
- Friday, Sept. 14
7:30 p.m.
Theatrical Outfit Open House
Belzar Theatre at Herron’s
84 Luckie St., NW
404.577.5257
For more information on Atlanta Reads, visit www.ocaatlanta.com
The ‘Atlanta Reads’ literacy program will continue to host several events related to the 2007 theme: Building Community throughout the week. |
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Chinese dignitaries and Atlanta officials recently came together at Zoo Atlanta to celebrate Giant Panda Mei Lan’s first birthday. Birthday festivities continued throughout the week with the opening of the Giant Panda Arts Festival. Click here to go to Video On Demand (VOD) webpage to watch the news conference.
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Rave Reviews!
- Information on the planned Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR) is now available online at www.cchrpartnership.org. The site will be a source for updated information on efforts to build the Center, will serve as a public forum for input on design, and will be a gateway for understanding civil and human rights issues. An interactive calendar will highlight local and national civil and human rights events and will allow the public to submit event notices for posting. The site also provides links to a multitude of resources on civil and human rights in Atlanta and beyond. The Center is scheduled to open in 2010 and will be a space for ongoing dialogue, study and contributions to the resolution of current and future freedom struggles of all people at the local, national and international level.
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
- Join the BeltLine Partnership, Park Pride, Trees Atlanta and the PATH Foundation on Saturday, October 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for a BeltLine Clean Up Project and Picnic. We will remove kudzu, pick up litter and beautify a 1-mile stretch in Southwest Atlanta in preparation for construction of the first BeltLine trail, which will begin at the end of the year. To volunteer, register here, call 404.522.4097, or email susan@treesatlanta.org.
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Job Announcements
With the City of Atlanta’s online application system, you are able to create an account and select a Username and Password and then log in to your account.
After your account has been established, you can create an application by clicking on the “Build Job Application” link. Once your application is completed, it will be stored in the system and can be used to apply for future job openings. To get started by viewing current open positions, click here.
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Weekly Features
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