By John Ruch, This article originally appeared in SaportaReport
Atlanta BeltLine Inc. says it will spend the next 18 months coming up with a community-informed plan for the 31-acre Bankhead property it recently bought to catch up on its unfulfilled promises to create affordable housing. How affordable “affordable” might be remains a key question.
The timeline and open-to-ideas approach to 425 Chappell Road were announced in a June 28 virtual meeting, the first since ABI’s $25.6 million purchase of the site from a housing developer was announced in May. Many attendees obliged with early ideas, with themes of deeply affordable and lower-density housing, preserving local culture, and providing basic amenities like a grocery store or pharmacy.
The huge site was formerly occupied by an apartment complex and such industrial uses as an asphalt plant and a garage — though tests show no signs of pollution, ABI official said. The site is roughly bounded by Chappell, Mayson Turner Road, parts of Kennesaw Drive and North Avenue, and a CSX railroad line. Proctor Creek runs north-south through the property. It’s a lot of elbow room for possibilities.
“ABI doesn’t have a plan,” said Beth McMillan, a vice president of planning at the organization that is building the Atlanta BeltLine trail, transit and park system. “… So we have a blank piece of paper and we hope that you will help us determine what the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. plan will be.
For the full meeting presentation, see ABI’s website.
Read the full article on SaportaReport.