Buford Highway, the most diverse corridor in metro Atlanta, is on Brookhaven’s radar for redevelopment.
Nearby projects are booming, Buford Highway is viewed as the next frontier for redevelopment in the city. Already, the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is in its final months of construction and Emory Healthcare continues growing in Executive Park.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is about to begin a massive project at North Druid Hills Road and I-85 to handle the increased traffic new development will bring to the city.
Nearly 200 experts in planning, finance, and development attended the Brookhaven Buford Highway Redevelopment Summit on Jan. 17 hosted by the city of Brookhaven and Council for Quality Growth.
The multi-hour conference began with Sheba Ross, cities and communities partner at HKS, Inc. Breaking down Buford Highway’s activity nodes, or areas where a buzz of activity occurs, Ross explained the vision for the corridor is to connect, captivate and celebrate the area.
Ross said the urban design concept of “the 15-minute neighborhood” is possible on Buford Highway – where all ages and abilities can reach daily amenities in a short walk.
The Buford Highway corridor is deficient in parks and gardens because of the number of large parking lots, Ross said. She suggested reconfiguring buildings, housing, and recreational areas around the area’s biggest asset, Peachtree Creek.
By using the land’s topography, parking could be tucked into the slope rather than at street or surface level. “Expose human-centered spaces, vibrant retail, restaurants, and entertainment,” Ross said.
Other speakers included Johnny Clark from Gay Construction, who talked about building relationships with on-site construction workers, and Marquita Jackson, executive director of public finance at JP Morgan, who explained tax districts.
David Laube, principal at Noell Consulting Group, said building townhomes and condos is the best way to increase housing considering current economic conditions. Where the Atlanta housing market in prior years has hovered around 20% of new townhomes or condos, that number is going to jump to 30% as townhomes try to fill the affordability gap, Laube said.
“In this area, particularly the neighborhoods back behind the [Buford Highway] corridor, have had an average between 20% to 40% increase in median household incomes. Median household incomes in this area are now basically between $70,000 to $110,000,” Laube said.
Elected city officials and city staff, along with DeKalb County Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and DeKalb County school board member Allyson Gevertz, attended the summit.
“We all have to have a seat at the table,” said Brookhaven City Council member John Funny, whose district encompasses Buford Highway. “We’re coming up with a strategic way to approach development.”
