Traditional Townhomes Pitched for South Beltline Site

[Wooded site that could be overtaken by homes. Base map: Google Maps.]

Developers have lodged a Special Administrative Permit application with the City of Atlanta for a project along Avondale Avenue that could bring 104 townhomes to Boulevard Heights, just south of Grant Park. The property, currently wooded land along a creek just two blocks south of what will eventually be the southeastern portion of the Beltline, falls within the Beltline Overlay District and is therefore subject to additional scrutiny before the application is accepted. And since it's going to be that kind of scrutinizing party, we all might as well toss in our 2 cents.

First off, kudos for appropriate density. The proposal for dense single-family homes is respectful of the neighborhood — far from the large apartment blocks farther north on the Beltline — while not wasteful of intown land with potential for connectivity. Also, the proposal does its best to fit in with the prevailing Craftsman style of the area, though the design does seem a bit forced and becomes downright cookie-cutter along the repetitive street-frontage.

Unfortunately, where this proposal — and so many others — falls flat is on connectivity to the Beltline. While touting proximity is one thing, capitalizing on the adjacency is another. Narrow sidewalks positioned along three different driveways leading from the development to Avondale Avenue hardly make walking to the Beltline the most inviting venture.

· 1144 Avondale Avenue - SAP BL-15-041 [SandAtlanta]