Turner Field Survey Shows Residents Aren't Asking For Much

The results are in! The people want groceries! Among other things… The Turner Field Community Benefits Coalition conducted a major survey of nearby residents to piece together a broad vision for the neighborhood and the redevelopment of The Ted. Based on the results, community members want some basic, no-brainer stuff that — for some reason — hasn't been available this whole time.

Altogether 1,783 people responded to the survey. Of those, 53 percent of responses came from residents within the Turner Field community. The biggest issue for residents, across the board, was the management of safety and crime within the neighborhood. It's embarrassing, really, that residents have to tell people this, but increased safety would "improve the overall ... stability of the community."

The other major neighborhood issues were related to transportation and property management. Residents, especially seniors, have said they consistently have difficulty accessing public transportation services (yes, even more difficulty than the rest of Atlanta). They also pointed out the need for an access plan in the event of future sporting events because people were often cut off from their homes during Braves games.

In terms of new services, residents just want access to basic necessities. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but people don't enjoy going hungry or getting sick. Residents mostly want new grocery stores for food and pharmacies for medication. Other amenities mentioned were barber shops and new restaurants.

Many respondents also spoke up about the need for more opportunities for kids. In a youth-specific focus group, residents pointed to a need for libraries, computer labs, and recreational facilities. It seems the main concern among younger people was rising housing prices that might push them out of the neighborhood, and blocking long-term residents from any benefits of the new development.

· Turner Field Redo (Finally!) Taking Community Input [Curbed]
· Turner Field Development's Not-So-Affordable Housing Future [Curbed]