East Atlanta Village – Six Years Later

In 1999, Caleb Racicot, who was then with the City of Atlanta Bureau of Planning and currently a principal at TSW, managed and prepared the East Atlanta Village Study, aimed at revitalizing the historic neighborhood commercial node through various improvements such as streetscape enhancements, shared parking arrangements, better marketing, and a new library. The study was completed successfully and saw the implementation of some of its major recommendations. The recommendations that were executed included rezoning the area to Neighborhood Commercial, legalizing shared parking arrangements, constructing a new library that was opened in July 2005, and creating a streetscape master plan prepared by TSW in 2003.

Today, the transformation of East Atlanta Village continues, building on the vision outlined in the Study. After five months of streetscape construction, the neighborhood had a grand “re-opening” on July 30, which lasted from noon until 7 p.m. The reopening was reported on by “The Story,” which praised the new streetscape and the eateries in the area. With the continued implementation of the Study’s recommendations, East Atlanta Village is likely to become an even more attractive commercial node in the future.

The successful implementation of the East Atlanta Village Study’s recommendations demonstrates the importance of planning for community revitalization. Through comprehensive planning efforts that involve community members and relevant stakeholders, cities and neighborhoods can identify the key factors that contribute to their decline and develop effective strategies to address them. The study serves as a good example of how a thorough analysis of a community’s needs, coupled with thoughtful recommendations and effective execution, can yield positive results that benefit all stakeholders involved.

Read complete coverage in The Story, “East Atlanta boasts new streets and great eats.”