The Process
A hallmark of the Imagine Downtown Plan was the absolute focus on developing a collective vision based on the wishes and desires of the Downtown community. An extensive process was utilized to solicit stakeholder and community input and participation. The plan was developed directly from information gathered through:

On-line Survey
Focus Area Workshops
Core Team Meetings
Stakeholder Interviews

This creative process brought together all the elements of the Downtown community: residents, business and property-owners, students, developers, and government and elected officials. Aided by a consulting team of design professionals the tools engaged the community at large and what emerged was a clear idea of the character of the new city center.

On-line Survey (Back to Top)

The Imagine Downtown survey was a crucial component of the visioning process, providing a forum to citizens across the Atlanta region to express their interest in Downtown and their vision for its future. The survey, which included multi-media imagery, a visual character survey and a short-answer questionnaire tailored to issues and opportunities facing Downtown, was administered online.

A variety of audiences were captured in the survey, including Downtown residents, business owners, property owners, students, developers and elected and government officials. The survey was also aimed at residents of the City of Atlanta and interested parties from throughout the region. All told, more than 1,900 people participated in the online survey and registered their opinions and thoughts for the emergence of Downtown Atlanta.

Focus Area Workshops (Back to Top)

Downtown Atlanta covers four square miles of the center city and comprises multiple individual, yet related neighborhoods. In order to better understand and plan for the unique characteristics of each community the larger Downtown area was divided into a series of smaller areas to facilitate more detailed examination. The Imagine Downtown planning process utilized the following Focus Areas to develop the plan.

Jones/Simpson/Alexander-McGill Corridor
This area focused on the east-west corridor in north Downtown Atlanta that includes the planned improvements to the Jones Avenue, Simpson Street and Alexander Street corridor and the Ralph McGill Boulevard corridor. Special focus was placed on the Civic Center MARTA rail station and the area surrounding the new Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola attraction.

Eastside-Sweet Auburn
As part of planned comprehensive redevelopment activities associated with Grady and Capitol Homes, Georgia State University and Grady Hospital, attention was focused on development potential and linkages to Downtown’s east side and Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue business district, including the potential for a biotechnology corridor to be located along Edgewood Avenue.

Peachtree Corridor
Stretching south to north from Underground Atlanta to North Avenue, this area was focused on the potential for new development, reuse of existing structures, new pedestrian and open space amenities, transit, public safety and invigoration of the Five Points-Underground Atlanta area.

Terminus
Planned investment in the new multimodal passenger terminal (MMPT) presents a tremendous development opportunity around the railroad “Gulch” and surrounding properties. This area focused on communicating the concept of the new MMPT and establishing the character of associated development opportunities and connections.

South Central Business District (CBD)
This work was completed in conjunction with Georgia Tech College of Architecture students under the studio direction of Michael Dobbins. The South CBD area includes the blocks south of Five Points including the Government Walk district and the Garnett Street MARTA rail station.

The workshops gathered Downtown stakeholders – residents, workers, developers, students, business, government and community leaders – and provided a highly effective forum for open discussion and opinion-sharing. The facilitators – a mix of planners, architects, businesspeople and associated consultants – presented information in a forthright and engaging manner to get everyone “on the same page,” and a number of unique and interactive, hands-on activities, from building blocks to role-playing to monopoly money, were offered to allow everyone the opportunity translate their ideas into effective visual and conceptual tools.

Core Teams (Back to Top)

Within each Focus Area a Core Team comprising property owners, institutional and government representatives, and business leaders was organized to help the consultant team evaluate existing conditions, identify issues and opportunities and prepare for the workshops. Preliminary data and analysis was shared with the group in advance of the workshops to ensure that the process was heading in the appropriate direction to address the needs and concerns of the stakeholders.

One-on-One Interviews (Back to Top)

The Downtown community comprises a broad range of active development interests and major institutions, as well as individuals that were involved in previous planning efforts. Early in the process the need was recognized to reach out to this group of stakeholders and offer them a confidential platform to express their intentions, ideas and concerns.

The interviews provided a forum for candid conversations regarding the issues and opportunities before the workshops were designed and planning concepts or alternatives proposed. The issues emerging from the interviews were anonymously gathered in a matrix that was shared with the Core Team and that helped form the framework for the public workshops. Throughout the course of the Imagine Downtown planning process close to fifty interviews were conducted.

For more detailed information about the Imagine Downtown process including detailed maps, drawings and presentations about each Focus Area, contact Jennifer Ball at 404-522-3344 or jball@atlantadowntown.com.