BALTIMORE – Once upon a time, Atlanta wanted to create the same kind of magic that enabled Baltimore to build a tourism destination around an aquarium. Those days seem long ago.
The entrance plaza to the National Aquarium was devoid of pedestrians and vehicles Sunday around noon, about three hours after the facility had opened. Credit: David Pendered
On Sunday, spacious walkways around the National Aquarium were mostly vacant. There was no queue at the aquarium’s main entrance. Outdoor cafes on ...more
The forced resignation of William Perry, former executive director of Common Cause of Georgia, speaks to the breadth of redirection of the national organization under the leadership of former Clinton cabinet member Robert Reich.
William Perry
The national Common Cause organization installed in 2014 a president, Miles Rapoport, who has said he intends to work on economic opportunity issues, sustainability and environmental protection.
Reich, President Clinton’s labor secretary, recused himself from the selection process because of his previous relation with Rapoport, according ...more
The Atlanta City Council has provided $48,000 to the ongoing effort to improve the area around West End and Morehouse College, an area that a Georgia Tech plan suggests is on the brink of revitalization.
This effort is in addition to the city’s plans to develop a complete streets project along a major corridor just to the north of Morehouse College. The city plans to install bike lanes, sidewalks and a linear park along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, all the ...more
Atlanta is poised to embark on a study costing up to $125,000 on how to involve residents of the Westside communities, near the Falcons stadium, in code enforcement and flooding issues.
Construction continues at the Falcons stadium, as shown in this photo from June. Credit: newstadium.atlantafalcons.com
The study is to be funded with a grant from a program named City Accelerator, which is a project of Living Cities Foundation. The foundation is an initiative of Living Cities and Citi Foundation, and ...more
A new visioning plan intends to guide the revitalization Atlanta’s first suburb developed for African Americans, a neighborhood where two thirds of residents who took a survey think the new Falcons stadium will have a negative impact on their community.
The survey size was small – just 18 respondents. But it does represent a snapshot of the perspective of a group of people, nearly half of whom have lived in Washington Park more than 40 years and feel a strong connection ...more
Atlanta is moving forward with plans to create a pleasant place to walk and cycle along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, all the way from the future Falcons stadium to Fulton Industrial Boulevard. A new linear park is to be built.
The 7.2-mile stretch of roadway is the latest of the city’s efforts to retool heavily used corridors into complete streets. The notion is that streets are not complete until they serve pedestrians and cyclists and transit, as well as automobiles ...more
Atlanta on Tuesday took another step toward improving the environment just west of the future Falcons stadium in the Proctor Creek basin.
The gist of the plan is to restore the land’s ability to handle stormwater runoff along a portion of Joseph E. Boone. In addtion, the street will be narrowed and bicycle and turn lanes will be installed.
The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to allocate up to $387,747 for the project. The money will match an anticipated grant from the ...more
Less than 10 percent of those who applied for a job-training program initiated by Falcons team owner Arthur Blank passed the drug/alcohol test required for acceptance to the program, according to Atlanta City Councilmember Ivory L. Young, Jr.
Young cited the figure to illustrate the challenge of job training for individuals who have troubles past or present. Of 160 applicants, 18 were accepted, he said.
The issue of jobs-training is again becoming relevant in Atlanta, as the new Falcons stadium creates jobs ...more
Atlanta is about to embark on another assessment of brownfields that are located in strategic locations the city seeks to prime for redevelopment.
The first site on the list is the Proctor Creek watershed area. The new Falcons stadium is in the Proctor Creek basin, which also encompasses a portion of a planned $30 million urban renewal project to be funded by Atlanta and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
The city has allocated $392,000 for the project. Proposals are due Nov. ...more
Atlanta has won the first round of the legal fight over its authority to issue more than $278 million in bonds for the future Falcons stadium.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville ruled last week in the city’s favor. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s office issued a statement saying the mayor was “pleased” with the outcome.
However, the city cannot issue any bonds during the 30-day period during which the opponents can appeal the court ruling. Opponents said Sunday they are weighing ...more
