Progress on the Urban Agriculture Program

The Urban Farm in southwest Atlanta is moving forward, and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. is now seeking proposals from farmers to take charge of managing the farm. The farm, as part of the Atlanta BeltLine’s Urban Agriculture Program, is a production farm being built with the goal of helping to facilitate nutritional education in neighborhoods considered to be food deserts. Located on the Westside Trail near Allene Avenue, the farm sits directly between several neighborhoods, including Adair Park, Oakland City, and Capitol View.

Fig trees at the Urban Farm site.
Fig trees at the Urban Farm site.
Drainage basin at the Urban Farm site.
Drainage basin at the Urban Farm site.

The 4-acre site was once home to a pallet assembly facility and a bus repair facility, but with the help of major funding from the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, the  site was cleaned and prepared to eventually host a variety of species of fruits, vegetables, trees, grasses, bushes and edible berries. A grant from the  National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funded the stormwater system. The farm will help provide connections to fresh produce for the surrounding community, as some of the produce will be available for sale to the neighborhoods.

Bus repair service facility before demolition. Photo: Tom Harper
Bus repair service facility before demolition. Photo: Tom Harper
The Urban Farm site during construction. Photo: Christopher T. Martin.
The Urban Farm site during construction. Photo: Christopher T. Martin.

As this site will serve as a model for other Urban Agriculture sites around the Atlanta BeltLine, the proposals should demonstrate the depth of experience and creativity of the potential farmers’ approach to achieving the Atlanta BeltLine’s goals for the Urban Farm.

View the full RFP here, and stay tuned for more updates on our Urban Farm construction progress page.

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