Weslee Knapp
“A commuter-friendly landscape!”
What is the Atlanta Beltline to you?
The Beltline is a combination of greenspace, transit projects, future development, and opportunities for economic growth for the city of Atlanta. It is an opportunity for areas that have had less attention shown to them in the past to now have the proper funding necessary for the work they need, while jolting each area with a substantial fiscal boost.
What is your role that you currently play within the Beltline Project?
Currently, I am a consultant and broker who develops real estate within the city of Atlanta and in the metro Atlanta area. As a developer, I saw a lot of housing opportunities along with the opportunity to create a more stable economic base within the historic Beltline area that would not displace the current populous that lives within these areas.
What is it that you hope that the Beltline Project will bring to the city?
I hope that the Beltline Project brings a little ease to the community. With the huge stress we experience due to our current mass transit being - (from my perspective) - sub par, my hope is that the Beltline drives up a transit system that is better for to its local residents. I am also optimistic that the Beltline Project will continue to revamp and clean up the area that is the historic rail line.
What is your favorite aspect of the Atlanta Beltline Project?
As a consumer, I am thrilled about how the Beltline Project will provide renovated parks and living areas that residents can not only be proud to live in, but also work for. As a developer, I am happy to see that the Beltline TAD has established incentives for the development of the private sector. With the proposed generation of over 5,000 units of affordable housing over the course of the project, the Beltline will make a great impact on people’s attitudes towards our city.
How do you believe the Atlanta Beltline will transform the city of Atlanta?
The Beltline has the potential to bring areas that are spaced out into a safe, extremely convenient, and affordable commuting route. This project will progress our downtown area into a commuter friendly landscape.
Lynesha Reeves
“A lush, family-friendly area!”
What is the Atlanta Beltline to you?
The Beltline is a network of bike trails and parks that follow 20 miles of old railing surrounding parts of Atlanta. It’s pretty much a way to link together several poorly-connected inner Atlanta communities.
From my point of view, the Beltline is an equation of pluses, minuses, and variables. There are a lot of communities that need a lot of renovation, and they will definitely benefit from what the project brings to the city. My biggest concern is that once the Beltline has been completed, people that once occupied these neighborhoods will be forced to move due to increases in property taxes.
What is your involvement with the Beltline?
My involvement with the Beltline is purely from an outside interest. Although I’m not responsible for any particular aspect, as someone who lives in Fulton County, I am really interested in the whole process. Since I do invest my time and money into the community, I am being affected by the project. I’m eager to see what the development is going to be like.
What is your favorite aspect of the Beltline project?
Thus far, what I am looking forward to most is seeing how the Beltline will put money back into the park systems. I believe that family is of the utmost importance. Having some space for kids to run, play, and enjoy themselves is essential for making the community livable and cohesive. The beautifying of our living area will not only bring the city’s image up, it will allow for family recreational areas that people feel safe enough to visit. The 1,200 acres of new greenspace is a very exciting thought!
How do you believe the Beltline will transform the city of Atlanta?
With the beautifying and connecting of our park systems and public arts programs, the transformation will definitely be noticeable. I look forward to witnessing the downtown areas go from being mainly paved, impersonal streets, to becoming a lush, family-friendly area. The greenspace, trails, and availability of a better transit system will help families to affordably spend more time in the new, open space.
I know that the city of Atlanta and its surrounding area have great potential for becoming an even more beautiful and better connected community. I do believe the Beltline will bring us closer to that goal.
Jenny Pittam:
“Nice trails, nearby!”
Please describe the Atlanta BeltLine
The BeltLine is a fantastic network of parks and greenspace, as well as a dramatic improvement to Atlanta's public transportation system.
Why is the BeltLine important to you?
Atlanta's current public transit system, MARTA, can be great. There are people that use MARTA every day, and it works for them. But we need more public rail lines that go more places. Essentially, MARTA has two rail routes, North/South and East/West. Although the bus service is designed to fill in some of the areas not covered by the rail, there are large portions of the city that are incredibly inconvenient to access in this way. Buses get caught in Atlanta traffic, whereas a train doesn't. The BeltLine promises us more rail and more trains in more places! With the BeltLine, public transportation will become a far more convenient, and therefore popular, choice.
Also, as an avid bicyclist, I believe that the BeltLine multi-use trails are a great way to get people out and doing something! Atlanta simply doesn't have enough convenient places to go for a beautiful jog or bike ride. The BeltLine trails will get people out of their houses, improve their health, and cement community bonds. It's going to be great.
How are you involved with the Atlanta BeltLine?
Right now I'm coordinating booth displays at the various Atlanta festivals. I'm also making sure that those booths are staffed with helpful people. We had a lot of success recently, at the Virginia Highlands Summerfest, in June. And the Grant Park Summer Shade festival is coming up soon. I can't wait!
It's been really great working in these booths. When people come up to the booth, we get a chance to introduce people to the BeltLine and what it will do for them. We answer a lot of questions too, and we get to clear up any confusion about what the BeltLine will bring to a particular community. Of course, the best part is when the locals tells us how supportive they are of the BeltLine initiatives. It is really heartening to know that people want to make these important changes.
What is your favorite aspect of the Atlanta BeltLine?
The trails, the trails, the trails! Like I said, I love riding my bike, so I really love the idea of having a nice trail nearby.
I'm also excited about the public transportation loop. MARTA is not meeting the needs of the city. The BeltLine will bring a less-centralized public transportation system, and reach a lot more homes and businesses. Economically and practically speaking, we all benefit when we get cars off the road and reduce commute time.
How will the BeltLine transform your community?
Well, I live in Decatur, and I plan on buying my home when the BeltLine is built. I really want a home right on the BeltLine. Of course, as I've said before, I'm going to use to go running and biking on the beautiful trails! But, I'll use the public transportation, too.
I also think that the BeltLine will help to improve some of our real estate issues, and will inspire people to beautify their community. I'm a real estate marketing manager, and I'm already seeing this movement in the business. Several real estate agents are marketing houses with an emphasis on proximity to the BeltLine. They are marketing the BeltLine as an additional feature! It really is great.
"Historic Fourth Ward Park is a shining example of how the BeltLine can facilitate more holistic consideration of our greatest urban infrastructure challenges," said former Atlanta BeltLine Inc. President and CEO Terri Montague. "Beginning with passionate members of the community and continuing through the collaboration with government entities and leveraging of diverse public and private funding, we are delivering urban redevelopment."
The Department of Watershed Management is using the Clear Creek CSO Capacity Relief Project to create an amenity that will be enjoyed by residents in the area. The project will help reduce overflows in the low-lying area near City Hall East and provide additional combined sewer capacity for the community.
"This project not only helps eliminate a serious problem, it also provides an attractive and functional amenity."
Department of Watershed Management Commissioner Rob Hunter
"The Beltline is the most potentially city-changing project that has ever been undertaken in Atlanta," said Bob Bridges of The Simpson Organization and founding PAC member. "Because of development patterns for intown Atlanta, H4WP is likely to be the most heavily used park on the BeltLine."
The Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy was formed in 2008 as the non-profit support arm for the Historic Fourth Ward Park.
“A unique and powerful opportunity.”
What is the Atlanta Beltline to you?
For most of us, and for me, the Beltline is not only one of Atlanta’s most significant infrastructure projects, but a unique and powerful opportunity to connect the city’s people, places, and ideas. It is a 25-year project that ambitiously looks to makeover many of Atlanta’s dilapidated, less connected parks and cityscapes, making them into a beautiful, free-flowing whole.
More than numbers and figures, The Beltline project is a progressive ideal that our city, our business partners, and most of all, our community has come to support. The ideal that we are working to realize is that “everyone deserves a beautiful, affordable, and easily accessible living space.”
What role do you play within the Beltline Project?
I am a financial advisor and currently help to direct it. As a TADAC member, I not only appreciate the significance of the tasks ahead of us, but take great pride in working with ABI and our great city to ensure the vision is reached.
What is your favorite aspect of the Beltline Project?
I’m most excited about the positive impact that its expanded parks, trails, and transit will have on Atlanta’s economy, health, and overall standard of living. Our joint venture is set to positively influence so many aspects of life in the Atlanta area. With respects to new jobs, it shall create - and has already created - upwards of 75,000 jobs during the project’s course.
I believe the Beltline will also provide a blueprint for other cities around the globe as to how public-private partnerships can encourage sustainable development while preserving both community and history.
How do you believe the Beltline will transform the city of Atlanta?
I feel that the Beltline will help to stimulate and, essentially, grow the city’s economy. Through the realization of this project, our city will experience exponential and sustainable growth while still being able to maintain its established communities. After the Beltline is all said and done, I want our city to gain an efficient transit system and still be able to sustain positive growth for many years to come.
Kwabena Nkromo:
“Healing Atlanta.”
Please describe the Atlanta BeltLine
The BeltLine to me is 22 miles of public parks, multi-use trails, greenspaces, and public transportation. We're working to build this all along former rail lines, in order to develop unused resources.
Why is the Atlanta BeltLine important to you?
We need to help Atlanta have a sustainable future, and the BeltLine is our way of contributing to that. Current residents need a maintainable city, something they can continue to enjoy for the rest of their lives. But we also need to have a city that people can be proud to move to. I think the BeltLine will play a huge part in this. The parks, multi-use trails and arboretum will help keep the city attractive and livable, which we can all be proud of. The transportation lines will make getting around easier, which could improve everyone's perception of the city.
How are you involved with the BeltLine?
I'm the chair of NPU-T, or Neighborhood Planning Unit “T.” Neighborhood Planning Units hold meetings and citizen forums on planning issues, such as land development. Then we make recommendations, which the city can use to create customized development plans for the different areas. I use this position for the BeltLine, bringing information to the people, and making recommendations to the city that are based on the ideals of the BeltLine. In February of 2008, we broke ground for the BeltLine. It was a huge success, and was attended by Mayor Franklin. In April we held the first tree planting for the BeltLine Arboretum.
What is your favorite aspect of the Atlanta BeltLine?
I have two favorite things. The first is the possibility of connecting various areas of the city. Atlanta is a very fragmented city, compared to others. There are some obvious divisions, socially, economically, and physically. These are hurting Atlanta. By connecting people with transportation, with community involvement, and with economic opportunity, the BeltLine will help to connect people on every level. The result will be a more balanced city, with more economic, social, and physical mobility.
My other favorite thing is the greenspace promised by the BeltLine, and the opportunity to use this space to grow food within the city. I believe that Atlanta needs to have its own agriculture, and the BeltLine is a perfect opportunity. Growing food in the city is more sustainable than trucking it in from all over the country, all over the world. And, by having vegetable gardens on BeltLine greenspaces, we can encourage urban citizens to supplement their diet with healthier foods.
How will the Atlanta BeltLine transform your community?
I don't think that the BeltLine will transform my community. Overall, Atlanta has already awakened to the fact that things need to change. And, as a city, we're already moving towards those things that the BeltLine promises: improved transportation, lower economic barriers, and a stronger community. But I think that the BeltLine will add a great deal of momentum to this movement, and that it will improve the city in dramatic ways.
Furthermore, the BeltLine will help Atlanta maintain affordable living in times of inflation. By providing affordable housing to the Atlanta workforce, the BeltLine will keep people in the city who might otherwise be forced out, due to economic forces.
Al Bartell:
“Change the way we want it.”
Please describe the Atlanta BeltLine
The BeltLine is a state of the art approach to connecting 45 critical, core neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. Right now, Atlanta is fragmented along physical, economic, and social boundaries. The BeltLine is a community-oriented approach to connecting the city's neighborhoods on every level.
Why is the Atlanta BeltLine important to you?
The BeltLine is important for many reasons. It brings an opportunity to improve Atlanta's public transportation system. It brings an opportunity to improve public safety. And, most importantly, The BeltLine brings an opportunity to provide many Atlantans with affordable housing.
Affordable housing in Atlanta is critical. If housing prices and property taxes go up, it mostly affects workers with the least capacity to respond to the changes. Workers with low or fixed income cannot just move somewhere else: they are forced to live where housing is cheap. The BeltLine will help keep people who work in Atlanta living in Atlanta.
How are you involved with the Atlanta BeltLine?
I am a Community Stakeholder with the BeltLine Network.
The BeltLine Network is partnered with the city of Atlanta. Thus, the Network takes accountability for technical, administrative, and community information. We're responsible for making sure the citizens of Atlanta have all the information they need about the BeltLine policies and development.
As a Community Stakeholder in the BeltLine Network, I am committed to holding my community's perspective at every level of the decision making process of the Atlanta BeltLine, so that the BeltLine Network works both ways. I am entrusted with making sure that the BeltLine is in line with community needs and desires.
What is your favorite aspect of the Atlanta BeltLine?
Four things: public engagement through round-table discussions, development sessions, symposiums, and conferences. These will all be open to the affected communities, allowing the city to get more feedback from communities, as well as making sure that development plans are available and transparent. The BeltLine isn't just the parks you see and the buses you ride. The BeltLine is also communication at fundamental levels of society. The BeltLine is better communication between the city and the citizens.
How will the Atlanta BeltLine transform your community?
Atlanta is going to continue to grow and change in the next 25 years. What the BeltLine does is allow my neighborhood leaders, community leaders, and faith leaders access to the planning process and the officials that make policy. By engaging the public in the ways I mentioned earlier, the BeltLine will `ensure that our city changes in the way we want it to.
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