Fort McPherson – 475+ Acres of South Atlanta Hope??

 

What is going on with the Fort McPherson development on Lee Street in south west Atlanta?  Strategically located between the Oakland City and Ft. McPherson/Lakewood MARTA rail stations, this former Army Base was finally beginning to show signs of development four years ago.  That is when Tyler Perry purchased the majority of the property and the remaining (approximately) 145 acres has been slowly planned for community use with community input.

It was beginning to look as if the Oakland City/Ft Mac communities, with an average household income of less than $20,000, were about to get a “good deal”.  Now, the project that includes lots of community input, has come to a halt.

In the Saporta Report, Maria Saporta weighs in and is asking City Hall some really tough questions.  I welcomed the opportunity to add my two cents.  See her article on the link below:

Questions surround future of Fort Mac redevelopment

Be sure to leave your thoughts about what could be the best project for Atlanta residents because 60% of the housing units are slated to be affordable!

 

South of I-20, Ft. McPherson Redevelopment is Finally Taking Shape

After more than a decade of back and forth between the U.S. Army Ft. McPherson (Ft. Mac) representative, GA Gov. Sonny Perdue’s input in 2005, community debate, and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed bringing Tyler Perry to the table; the redevelopment of his 445 acre site is finally a reality.  Since officially closing in 2011, southwest Atlanta and East Point neighbors along with the Ft. Mac Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) are finally able to see their efforts materialize.  Though there were numerous disagreements and lawsuits along the way, project is moving forward.

Borrowed from the Ft. Mac LRA newsletter during the MLKing, Jr. week of activities, this is a short “must read”:

Celebrating Martin Luther King’s Vision of a “Beloved Community” at Fort Mac
There’s an old adage in Atlanta shared by the local real estate community – “don’t develop south of I-20.” This conventional wisdom, inculcated by race issues and still buttressed today by economic issues, has created a tale of two cities in Atlanta, one prosperous, and one left behind. This dichotomy is especially frustrating given Atlanta’s status as the birthplace of the American civil rights movement and the hometown of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, investment has begun to return to the area, but not yet at large scale. However, the time is now here for a bold, catalytic project in South Atlanta that will shape and define the City for the next 100 years by transforming underserved communities into the “Beloved Community” envisioned by Dr. King.

Here is information about the next public meeting:

Fort Mac LRA Community Engagement Subcommittee Meeting:

Wednesday, January 24, 2018
5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Fort Mac LRA Office
1794 Walker Street Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30310, United States

(Must have state ID or driver license to enter.)

 

For more on what is going on st Ft. Mac, how you stay abreast of the progress, or when you can attend their public meetings, visit:

https://app.robly.com/archive?id=bfd6fbf6358680109a6ef1badc08f839&v=true

Email:  info@fortmaclra.com

Call:  (404) 487-6767

Website:  www.fortmaclra.com