old fourth ward master plan 2007

Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward is on the verge of a fantastic transformation

With the leadership of Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, the Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development will partner with Old Fourth Ward residents, businesses and stakeholders to create an Old Fourth Ward Master Plan to guide the neighborhood’s future, a future which is already here.

Major development projects are in the works all across the Old Fourth Ward. Now is the optimal time to create a vision, a framework, a plan; to steer this growth and development, to leverage the neighborhoods inherent strengths, and to make the Old Fourth Ward a truly great neighborhood within a truly great city.

How to Participate:

Do you have a stake in the future of the Old Fourth Ward? If you live, work, or play in the Old Fourth Ward, we need your help. Only with the full support of the community can we create a plan that truly represents the neighborhood.

Send email to o4wplan@atlantaga.gov, or call the Bureau of Planning at 404.330.6145 for more information.

To join the mailing list, fill out this form and click "submit by email" (may require updated version of Acrobat Reader)

Upcoming Meetings:

PUBLIC MEETINGS

DATE

TIME

LOCATION

Public Kick-Off Meeting

Oct. 24, 2007

6:30 pm

City Hall East
675 Ponce de Leon

Existing Conditions

Dec. 5, 2007

6:30 pm

Helene S. Mills Senior Center
515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE

Visioning & Goals

Jan. 26, 2008

9:00 am

Atlanta Medical Center Health Pavilion
320 Parkway Drive NE (at Ralph McGill)
Atlanta, GA 30312

Preliminary Findings

May 15, 2008

6:30 pm

Walden Middle School
320 Irwin Street NW

Final Recommendations

July 17, 2008

6:30 pm

St Luke's Episcopal Church
435 Peachtree St. NE

Final Plan Presentation

Aug. 12, 2008

6:30 pm

Georgia Power Auditorium
241 Ralph McGill Blvd.

Plan documents

Final Presentation (600 kb PDF)
Fact Sheet (500 kb PDF)
Study Area Map (600 kb PDF)
Kick-off Presentation from Oct. 24 Public Meeting (1 mb pdf)
Existing Conditions Presentation from December 5 Public meeting (2.4 mb pdf)
Preliminary Recommendations from May 15 Public Meeting (3.3 mb pdf)
Draft Recommendations from July 17 Public Meeting (6mb pdf)

Press Clippings

“The Old 4th Ward is on its way to becoming the very cool New Fourth Ward of Atlanta” Delta Sky, November 2005
“A Face-lift for the Old Fourth Ward” Sunday Paper, November 4-10, 2007”
“New Hopes for Old Fourth Ward” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 11/14/07

About Old Fourth Ward Master Plan

The Old Fourth Ward Master Plan will create a vision for the future by asking:

What can we do now to create the old Fourth Ward we want to see in 25 or 50 years?
How can we encourage a diverse and sustainable mix of housing, employment, shopping business, and open space?
How can we accommodate and encourage smart growth and redevelopment while protecting the neighborhood’s existing character, businesses and residents?
What can we do to improve the neighborhood’s visual character?
How can we reestablish broken connections across the BeltLine, Freedom Parkway, and the Connector?
How can we leverage growth and development along the BeltLine to foster improvements throughout the neighborhood?
How can we create a strong identity and character for the Old fourth Ward?

The Old Fourth Ward: Past Present & Future

The Old Fourth Ward used to be one of the densest residential neighborhoods in Atlanta, with a population of over 22,000 in 1960. Between 1960 and 1980, the population dropped dramatically to just over 6,000, largely due to urban renewal activities and the clearance of residential properties for other uses. Bureau of Planning population estimates anticipate the population to rise sharply over the coming years, eventually surpassing the 1960 levels by 2025; however recent development activity suggests that growth may occur even more rapidly.

What will the Old Fourth Ward look like with four times as many residents? Where will they live? Where will people shop and eat? Where will people work? How will people get around? This is your chance to help decide how those questions should be answered.

Coordination with the Beltline

This study will complement a concurrent study led by Atlanta Beltline, Inc. The BeltLine Sub-Area study, expected to last through fall and winter 2007, is going to look at how the BeltLine will integrate with the neighborhood’s transportation infrastructure, land-use and open space. The Old Fourth Ward Master-Plan team will take a wider view of the neighborhood as a whole, though the Old Fourth Ward Master Plan team will work closely with BeltLine planners and stakeholders to ensure that the plans are consistent and complementary. For more information on the BeltLine visit www.beltlinecommunity.com.

Opportunities and Development

Across the Old Fourth Ward, dozens of major redevelopment initiatives are currently underway or on the horizon, individually and collectively, these initiatives have the potential to transform the neighborhood. This why there is now an urgency for the community a clear and visionary unifying master plan, to guide these opportunities to create a truly Great Neighborhood.

Recent projects such as the Glen Iris Lofts, Tribute and the revitalization of city Hall East are indicative of increased interest in the neighborhood. Planned projects such as the redevelopment of the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, the Atlanta BeltLine, and proposed Fourth Ward Park are suggestive of the neighborhood’s future.

At the same time, the Old Fourth Ward is blessed with a solid base of historic buildings, established neighborhoods, transportation infrastructure, and civic institutions that can act as a framework to manage new growth. The Martin Luther King Junior Center for Nonviolent Change, the neighborhood’s historic homes, the Auburn and Edgewood Street historic districts, and the neighborhood’s proximity to the Downtown and Midtown Business Districts can form the foundation of a new vision for the neighborhood.