Have you seen the January 2014 issue of Planning Magazine? The new issue of the American Planning Association’s national publication is all about Atlanta, and the Atlanta BeltLine features prominently. An excerpt from Planning Atlanta, a book due out in April 2014, takes a look at the Atlanta BeltLine’s beginnings, its grassroots growth, and its progress with an essay by Alexander Garvin: “Emerald Necklace, Southern Style.” It was Garvin’s Emerald Necklace Study that predicted the potential success of the Atlanta BeltLine as a transit corridor with trails and greenways. Read the full Emerald Necklace Study and other research in our Foundational Documents.
You can read the entire excerpt here. Members of the American Planning Association have free access to Planning magazine online—at www.planning.org/planning. Everyone else can see the January issue’s table of contents here. Planning’s editor says that copies of individual articles will be provided until the end of February; email requests to Planningmagidea@planning.org.
In the article, “Atlanta: the Next Chapter,” writer Michael E. Kannell calls the Atlanta BeltLine “the most far-reaching project” of high-profile Atlanta developments:
“The big Atlanta story is mostly a collection of small stories with one thread: the [Atlanta] BeltLine.”
Planning Magazine dives into the Atlanta BeltLine’s roots as a graduate thesis in a profile on Ryan Gravel. The issue also talks with James Shelby, Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Community Development:
“[The Atlanta BeltLine is] going to be an economic engine for jobs. It’s going to be a transportation marvel.”
Other coverage includes the Livable Centers Initiative, Historic Fourth Ward Park’s stormwater relief design, and a fantastic photo spread.
The Atlanta BeltLine will also be involved in the APA National Planning Conference, which is coming to Atlanta in 2014. The conference is April 26-30 and is a way for planners to network and connect with great programming.
National recognition for the Atlanta BeltLine like the coverage in Planning Magazine and awards such as the EPA’s National Award for Smart Growth Achievement highlights its growing status as a model for positive transformation and sustainability nationwide.
