While Beltlandia is certainly attracting a healthy share of the classic hipster population to it’s environs, I refer in this post to those who qualify for Atlanta BeltLine’s new Housing Initiative Program [HIP]. Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) today announced the reopening of HIP with a new round of grant goodness. HIP has up to $3 million in financial assistance for the purchase of new homes or the rehabilitation of existing homes along … [Read more...]
BeltLandia Weekender: April 29th – May 1st
With lows finally out of the 40s, I think we can truly welcome spring weather in Atlanta. That being said, we encourage you to take this weekend to soak up the spring sun before the scorching summer arrives in May. As April comes to a close, the Atlanta Botanical Garden will end their Atlanta Blooms celebration, the springtime extravaganza of tulips, daffodils, crocus and more. As one door closes, another opens: Starting April 30, international artist, Dale Chihuly will return to the Garden … [Read more...]
Bring shelter for the soul to BeltLandia
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I recently toured a couple of live-work artist cottages at Serenbe Art Farm. The so-called 20K houses are the result of a seemingly unlikely partnership between the new urban enclave of the wealthy that is Serenbe, and Rural Studio, an undergrad program of Auburn University’s School of Architecture that builds houses for poor people. The visit took me back to one of the most transcendent moments of my life. It happened standing in a downpour outside a poor, elderly woman's home in Hale … [Read more...]
The Square – “At the Edge of Everything”
I remember when John Wieland Homes broke ground on Highland Park. It was the first new construction many of us had seen for a few years, thanks to the Great Recession. There was a collective gasp when the introductory price in the $300K range was announced for these townhouses. That seemed like such a high price point at the time. You have to remember that, at the depth of the recession, we had seen houses in the Old Fourth Ward go for as little as $15,000. Of course, the desirability for … [Read more...]
The Southside Trail – something to smile about
Earlier this year, #boardthebeltline activists created a stir when they DIY’d a plywood path nailed atop cross ties on a section of dormant railway. Did this expression of frustration with the pace of progress pent up demand for completing a key section of the BeltLine trail system actually help get things moving forward? Maybe. According to The Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. has released a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the design and engineering of its Southside … [Read more...]
Hoverboards, Flying Cars, and Wireless Solar Streetcars
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One of the speakers at the ribbon cutting for the Atlanta Streetcar congratulated the city and then wondered, “What’s next? Hoverboards and flying cars?” A fair question.That’s what the Back to the Future movies predicted for 2015, right? Although hoverboards and flying cars (of a sort) may actually be available, they’re still financially out of reach for the majority of us. Or they catch on fire. There is a technological advancement for the Streetcar that is well within our grasp and one … [Read more...]
Roofscape the Eastside Trail
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I often refer to the BeltLine as Atlanta 2.0 because of how it is upgrading the city. The elevations of the reclaimed railroad have definitely upgraded city vistas at certain locations. The downside is that users of the Line will sometimes be looking down at wide expanses of the rooftops of big box retail buildings. This certainly doesn't show us the building's best side. Little consideration has been given to these elevated deserts of gravel and black tar because they weren't visible before … [Read more...]
Banner Year for Southwest Atlanta
This may be one of the best years ever for Southwest Atlanta. In June, Atlanta Beltline, Inc. (ABI) announced they have completed land acquisition for the Westside Trail. This was the final step in securing $18 million in federal grants for the $43 million section of the beltline. This 3-mile trail will run from University Avenue in Adair Park north to Lena Street at Washington Park. In July, WonderRoot, an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization, oversaw the unveiling … [Read more...]
The Arts Take Center Stage On the BeltLine
Public art -- both visual and performance -- has always been a fundamental component of the Atlanta BeltLine vision. Year five of the biannual Art on the BeltLine kicks off with The Lantern Parade this September 6. Over 240 proposals were vetted for artistic merit, concept originality, feasibility and community engagement with almost 100 visual and performance pieces selected. In similar news, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. has received a $100,000 National Endowment for the Arts Grant to build … [Read more...]
A Tale of Three Trails
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The BeltLine vision has always been about daisy-chaining communities. Turns out the original theme of connecting a loop of 45 historic intown Atlanta neighborhoods is just the beginning. As the BeltLine evolves it is becoming the central hub of a multi-county spoke-and-hub trail network. Three significant spoke trails are in various stages of development that will connect intown Atlanta to places as far away as Anniston, AL. Here are some details on a triumvirate of unbuckled versions of the … [Read more...]
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