All Aboard for Transit-Oriented Development in Downtown Atlanta
(Atlanta) – A recent study has indicated that the area surrounding the upcoming Stitch project and MARTA’s Civic Center station in downtown Atlanta is ripe for the introduction of a mixed-use tower and a streamlined bus hub. The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) and MARTA have collaborated on the study, identifying multiple potential sites within a quarter-mile of the transit hub to build the proposed facilities.
The MARTA Civic Center station is situated near the western edge of the 14-acre Stitch concept, a freeway-capping project that recently obtained a crucial injection of $157 million in federal funding to kickstart its first phase.
Mixed-Use Tower and Bus Hub: A Comprehensive Analysis
The joint team from ADID and MARTA conducted an “exhaustive analysis” for the study, aiming to “guide the future development of the Civic Center station area by promoting accessibility, multimodal connectivity, and vibrant urban growth”. Alongside the MARTA rail, the station caters to a host of regional bus operators, including Ride Gwinnett, Emory University’s system, Xpress, and CobbLinc.
The project assessed the likelihood of integrating a new bus-transfer facility along with a mixed-use development to rise next to the MARTA station. The goal is to give bus lines terminating there a more systematically efficient endpoint. A total of three potential scenarios have been pinpointed, placing the bus hub at the threshold of MARTA and the Stitch project site.
Potential for Growth and Revitalization
Given the proximity of the studied area to the Stitch project and multiple transit options, it holds immense potential for growth and revitalization according to the analysis report. It further emphasized the “unique opportunity to leverage transit infrastructure as a catalyst for economic development and community enhancement.”
The Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) aspect of the project already appears to generate developer attention. Early discussions noted last summer include plans for a 260-key, mixed-use Hilton hotel project to be built on a vacant parcel near the MARTA station. The project proposes including affordable housing units tailored particularly for healthcare workers at neighboring Emory facilities.
What’s On the Horizon?
Moving forward, here’s a sneak peek at potential plans for a new off-site bus transfer facility close to MARTA and the Stitch site:
- The Horseshoe Alternative: This option would situate the bus facility within Site A and include a bus loop offering space roughly for five bus bays.
- The Overbuild Option: This larger alternative would stretch from Site A across the Connector, providing room for nine bus bays.
- The Minimal-Impact Option: This option aims for minimal impacts to Site A, featuring about four bus bays.
In addition, a fourth alternative under exploration by the project team involves enhancing the existing bus transfer facility a block north of the station.
Overall, these developments serve as exciting indicators of what’s to come for Atlanta’s downtown growth and revitalization, interfusing urban planning with transit infrastructure to create a modern, accessible, and livable cityscape.
