Everyone knows the age-old adage, "If you want something done fast, go to Buckhead." Only six weeks after news broke that the Buckhead Community Improvement District was looking into creating a park over Ga. Highway 400 between Peachtree and Lenox roads, the group has voted to commit $39,500 to a phase two study. According to the Northside Neighbor, the phase one study found no conflicts regarding property rights, air rights, utilities or constructability — all for the paltry sum of $10,000. Bringing this big idea to fruition could cost in excess of $100 million, but the CID seems pretty gung-ho about the potential.
What sets this project apart from other slower-moving park projects throughout the metro — the Beltline, Waterworks Park, etc. — is that the Buckhead CID is a quasi-government entity which, in addition to being able to levy taxes in a very affluent area, is able to encourage those same wealthy local people to supplement the tax revenue with additional investment. The group is responsible for PATH400, which is trucking along, as well as the recent transformation of Charlie Loudermilk Park. It's too bad they don't do potholes.
For the highway-capping park, the group is looking into a similar project in Houston, which allegedly took 10 years to plan and a few more to execute. But with a little Buckhead wherewithal (and a lot of Buckhead cash), maybe this project is destined to barrel along much faster, transforming the corridor and making the area all that much more desirable/expensive. If it does come to fruition, it will nicely compliment the new park under Ga. Highway 400 just a mile up PATH400.
· Buckhead CID begins Phase II of $100 million park plan [Neighbor Newspapers]
· New Park Could Cap Ga. Highway 400 in Buckhead [Curbed Atlanta]
· Hidden Park Beneath Ga. Highway 400 to Get Tricked Out [Curbed Atlanta]
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