Quarterly Briefing Recap: Tour of Ponce City Market and the Eastside Trail

Cool fall weather greeted guests at Ponce City Market for the Atlanta BeltLine’s third Quarterly Briefing of 2012 on September 24. To kick off the meeting, the first 50 attendees signed in and picked up hardhats for a tour through the third floor of the 2.1 million square foot building and out onto the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail.

Atlanta BeltLine Quarterly Briefing at Ponce City Market
Guests peer into the plexiglass containing the detailed model of the Ponce City Market development.

During the railroad era, Sears (who used to house a store, offices, distribution services, and more in the building) built a rail spur directly from the original Belt Line that ringed Atlanta into the third floor of the massive structure. From the second floor, you can still see the iron trestle work that supported the box cars. Jamestown, the developers of Ponce City Market, are not only keeping the historic trestle, but they are rebuilding the original connection to the Eastside Trail in the form of a multi-use path. The paved path will enter on the third floor and pass through the building into an open air courtyard. Along the path within the building, expect to find a bike valet, showers, a bike shop, and other cycling-related possibilities. *

Stepping out of the shed alongside Ponce City Market, we stepped across the future plaza space linking the development with the Atlanta BeltLine and out onto the Eastside Trail. Patrick Sweeney, Senior Project Manager for Transit and Transportation, gave an update on the trail and future transit. After a short question and answer session, the crowd filed back onto two original freight elevators and made our its back to the community room for the briefing.

Atlanta BeltLine Quarterly Briefing at Ponce City Market
Patrick Sweeney of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. gave a quick update on transit and the Eastside Trail.

A packed house filled the community room as John Somerhalder, the Chair of the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. Board of Directors, gave an update on progress of the Atlanta BeltLine over the past few months. Lisa Gordon, Chief Operating Officer, told the audience on the Edgewood Avenue bridge replacement, the upcoming implementation plan, and Art on the Atlanta BeltLine. Rob Brawner, Program Director for the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, presented details on the latest outreach activities the Partnership has accomplished, including Atlanta BeltLine Night at the Braves, running series events, and Adopt the Atlanta BeltLine.

If you weren’t able to make the meeting, or would like a recap, you can download the Quarterly Briefing presentation here.

Atlanta BeltLine Quarterly Briefing at Ponce City Market
Over 150 people attended the third Quarterly Briefing of 2012 held in the community room of Ponce City Market.

* Want to see the connection between Ponce City Market and the Atlanta BeltLine for yourself? During Atlanta Streets Alive on Sunday, October 7, 2012, Ponce City Market will be offering tours every half hour from 2 – 5:30 p.m. starting from the Eastside Trail. Full details are on Ponce City Market’s blog here.

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