Senior Exit Project

Atlanta Greenline:

Connecting the Atlanta BeltLine into Downtown through the redevelopment of old rail Right-of-Way

by

Lauren Cardoni

A Senior Design ProjectPresented to the College of Environment and Design

University of GeorgiaUnder the Direction of:

Douglas PardueIn partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Athens, GeorgiaSpring, 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTSA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

SITE SELECTION PA G E

SITE INTRODUCTION PA G E

MASTER PLAN DESIGN PA G E

CONCEPT DIAGRAMS PA G E

SITE INVESTIGATION PA G E

SITE PLAN DESIGN PA G E

SITE PLAN DETAILS PA G E

4 - 5

6 - 7

8 - 9

1 0 - 1 1

1 2 - 1 3

1 3 - 1 4

1 5 - 2 1

PROJECT RESOURCES PA G E 2 2 - 2 3

S I T E S E L E C T I O NA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

In the heart of the state of Georgia lies the great city of Atlanta. With a metropolitan population surpassing five million and a continually sprawling land area of over 8,000 square miles, the city is in need of a more sustainable transportation system. Currently, the majority of residents in the metropolitan region commute strictly by personal vehicle. For this reason, congestion, air pollution and disconnect are the factors that come to mind upon mention of Atlanta.

Downtown Atlanta is surrounded by interstate 285, also known as the perimeter. Within this loop, a smaller, more centralized “loop” is beginning to form through the development of the Atlanta BeltLine. The Atlanta BeltLine is a project looking to redevelop the old railroad systems to better connect the downtown area. Along with 1,200 acres of new parks and 33 miles of connecting trails, the BeltLine is proposing 22 miles of light-rail transit.

Shown above in green, the BeltLine is a system of old railroads that links the downtown core of Atlanta. The current public transportation system, known as MARTA, runs the length of the BeltLine region north to south and the width of the region east to west. With the rail system the BeltLine intends to develop, a larger public transit system will serve to better connect the city. However, some locations within the region will remain underserved.

T H E S T A T E O F G E O R G I A T H E C I T Y O F A T L A N T A T H E B E L T L I N E P R O J E C T

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Resource: MARTA-BeltLine Workshop Summary

L E G E N D

existing buildingexisting roadwayunderserved locationrail transit stationexisting MARTA stationrail transit and multi-use trailrail + trail connectionMARTA pathwaymulti-use trail

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SITE INTRODUCTIONA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

In an effort to connect the Atlanta BeltLine to the inner city, the area shown in red was studied further for favorable possibilities. The red dots, identifying particularly underserved locations, were given the most attention. This region, called West Midtown, includes: Georgia Tech, Home Park, Atlantic Station, Marietta Street Commercial District, English Avenue and Vine City. Many of these neighborhoods are made up of a population that supports alternative transportation systems.

Creating connections inside the city to serve alternative transportation can alleviate some of the current congestion problems, as well as assist those who do not have the option or desire to use a personal vehicle. With this in mind, the selected neighborhoods were studied in an effort to find existing infrastructure to repurpose for use by pedestrians and cyclists only. This infrastructure would need to provide a connection from one of the proposed BeltLine transit stations into or through one of the chosen neighborhoods.

A secondary, but equally critical, goal of this project will be to evaluate the needs of the study area concerning greenspace to incorporate into any redevelopment plans.

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disconnected east-west routes

in-use railway creating a barrier

high volume roadways

proposed locations for light rail transit stations on the BeltLine

infrastructure to repurpose

areas supportive of alternative transportation

underserved locations

SYMBOL INVENTORY

General Notes:

Significant lack of vegetation and very little green space -discourages pedestrian activity

Slopes not necessarily restrictive -pedestrian/bicycle accessible

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SITE INVESTIGATIONA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E8

The area shown circled in red was the site selected for for this project. An old section of railroad right-of-way (ROW), this long strip of land has been mostly abandoned and left to nature. It conveniently links directly into one of the proposed BeltLine transit stations and runs through a neighborhood supportive of pedestrian uses.

Pieces of this ROW have been purchased by adjacent parcel owners and turned into asphalt parking. However, the majority of it is simply covered in overgrown, invasive plant species and just waiting to be rehabilitated for a new use.

The old connection into downtown at the Georgia World Congress Center has been broken by a large residential development on Northside Drive. Fortunately, the parcel across the street can serve as a bridge between the two, as it was a public housing project that has since been demolished. That property can provide the necessary link to bring pedestrians into downtown, as well as provide Atlanta with a large new public park. This area of town could really use some new active-use greenspace.

Atlanta BeltLine

Critical Nodes

Project Site

SYMBOL INVENTORY

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Georgia Dome

Georgia World Congress Center

1

2 3

1

4

2

3

4

Area ofRedevelopment

CONCEPT DIAGRAMSA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

RESTORATION INTERACTION

To restore natural habitat within the established fabric of the city to provide refuge for wildlife.

Elements of the Plan: 1. No redevelopment 2. Removal of abandoned structures 3. Restoration of natural habitat - Cleanup of environmentally degraded spaces 4. Rehabilitation of in-use buildings

To restore natural habitat as well as provide new greenspace for active use within the existing fabric of the city.

Elements of the Plan: 1. Light redevelopment at specified nodes 2. Access trails for pedestrians 3. Restoration of natural habitat - Cleanup of environmentally degraded spaces 4. Rehabilitation of existing buildings

CriticalNode

BeltLine

Natural Restoration

Natural Restoration

1 0

INTEGRATIONTo provide active-use greenspace and restore natural areas within the proposed redevelopment for the area.

Elements of the Plan: 1. Maximum infill development without disrupting community 2. Large access trails for pedestrians and cyclists to connect Atlanta BeltLine users to the downtown area 3. Restoration of natural areas for active use by community - Cleanup of environmentally degraded spaces 2. Rehabilitation of neighborhoood

1 1

Concept:

To provide active-use greenspace and restore natural areas within the proposed redevelopment for the area. This greenspace will serve as an access corridor connecting the Atlanta BeltLine into the downtown area for pedestrians and cyclists.

The greenway trail runs directly along the old railroad line as a historic reference. Throughout the trail, sculptural elements referencing the history will be placed, marking the entrance to each new “space.” Also located throughout the greenway will be passive-use spaces and pedestrian plazas for gathering.

MASTER PLAN DESIGNA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

Elements of the Plan:

Level of impact:

1. Maximum infill development without disrupting community

2. Access trails for pedestrians and cyclists

Parti:

1 2

Important Spaces:

Plaza at the Overlook with be shown in further detail in the Site Plan design. Historically, the railroad ran through a tunnel under the road. The design incorporates an overlook area down onto the greenway trail.

City View Park is an elevated section of the old railroad with a wonderful view of downtown Atlanta.

General Improvements:

1. Restoration of natural areas for use - Cleanup of environmentally degraded spaces

2. Rehabilitation of neighborhoood

Legend:

Proposed Structure

Existing Structure

Possible Public Park

Georgia Dome

City View Park

Crossing at North Ave.

Plaza at the Overlook

Proposed Greenway

AtlantaBeltLine

1 3

SITE PL AN DESIGN A T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E1 4

MASTER SECTION

A B C

SECTION B

SECTION C

SECTION A

ENLARGEMENTS:

This site design incorporates the history of the existing site, having been an old rail line. The historic lines of of the old railroad are transposed across the entire site, starting with the greenway trail placed directly on top of the existing line and radiating out across the remainder of the site. Those lines help to create a system of plaza spaces juxtaposed by the curvilinear forms given to the natural planting design.

Within this site there is heavy grade change. The center of the site was excavated in order to tunnel the railroad underneath the vehicular traffic at the south end of the site. The buildings on either side sit above the greenway in the center and overlook the space. For this reason, there are large concrete “board-walk” features at both edges. The west edge has access down into the trail space by means of amphitheatre style stairways, also representative of the old rail lines.

Each plaza area is shaded for user comfort by either beautiful flowering Dogwood trees or Paperbark Maples with their attractive peeling bark. Two species of Dogwood trees are specified to provide alternating flower color within the space. The steep slopes down into the greenway trail are decorated with flowering shrubs and groundcover that also serve to stabilize the slopes and prevent erosion of the soil.

MASTER SECTION

The master section shows the character of the area at the shallow end of the site.

SITE PLAN DETAILSA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

SITE LOCATION

PLAN VIEWHISTORIC ART ELEMENT

SECTIONHISTORIC ART ELEMENT

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SITE LOCATION

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SECTIONCUSTOM BENCH DESIGN

PERSPECTIVECUSTOM BENCH DESIGN

SITE PLAN DETAILSA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

SITE LOCATION

AMPHITHEATRE SEATINGSECTION

ENLARGEMENT

PLAN VIEWAMPHITHEATRE SEATING

1 8

TREE PLANTING IN PERVIOUS CONRETE PLAZA

SECTION

SITE LOCATION1 9

SITE PLANTING PLANA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E

TREESCODE QTY. SIZE BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME COMMENTSCF 14 15G CONT. Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood Spacing as shown on planCFCB 10 15G CONT. Cornus florida 'Cherokee Brave' Cherokee Brave Dogwood Spacing as shown on planAG 23 15G CONT. Acer griseum Paperbark Maple Spacing as shown on plan

SHRUBSCODE QTY. SIZE BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME COMMENTSAG 378 3G CONT. Abelia x. grandiflora Glossy Abelia 4'-0" o.c.

CODE QTY. SIZE BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME COMMENTSVM 378 4" POTS Vinca major Big Leaf Periwinkle 24" o.c.

SODCODE QTY. SIZE BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME COMMENTSZJ 4162 SF SOD Zoysia japonica Zoysia Grass

GROUNDCOVER

PLANT LIST

big leaf periwinkle glossy abelia paperbark maple cherokee brave dogwood

flowering dogwood

2 0

zoysia grass

PLANTING PLANSCALE: 1”=10’-0”

PROJECT RESOURCESA T L A N TA G R E E N L I N E2 2

GIS/AutoCAD Maps:

Chuck SchultzBureau of Planning, Division of GISCity of Atlanta

BeltLine Maps and Info:

Kevin BurkeSenior Landscape ArchitectAtlanta BeltLine

www.BeltLine.org

Downtown Atlanta Info:

Jennifer BallVice President, PlanningCentral Atlanta Progress, Inc.

Other:

David Green, AIA, LEED APAssociate PrincipalSenior Urban DesignerPerkins + Will

Jonathon Lewis, AICPSenior Project Manager, PlanningCity of Atlanta

Doug PardueAssistant Professor at the University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia

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Related Research:

Mapes, Jeff. Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities. Oregon State University Press, 2009. Print.

Byrne, David. Bicycle Diaries. Penguin Books, 2010. Print.

Rybczynski, Witold. Makeshift Metropolis: Ideas About Cities. Scribner, 2010. Print.

Chase, John, Margaret Crawford, and John Kaliski. Everyday Urbanism. The Monacelli Press, 2008. Print.

Websites:

www.AtlantaDowntown.com

www.MidtownAlliance.org

www.AtlantaGA.Gov

www.BeltLine.org

www.ShutterStock.com