Katharine Kelly, CEO of the Buckhead Coalition and CID, has announced a five-year roadmap to increase livability in the community.
Buckhead Forward is a plan focusing on walkability, infrastructure, public safety, traffic mitigation, and community engagement “to drive economic growth and enhance quality of life in Buckhead,” Kelly said.
The master plan update is being funded by the Atlanta Regional Commission – along with projects on Candler Road in DeKalb County, Mableton town center, Stockbridge, Sweet Auburn, and Morrow Trail. While Buckhead Coalition and CID will receive $240,000 for a study, ARC is investing $1.4 million total in this round of funding.
The ARC monies will be used to conduct a comprehensive, district-wide study on Lindbergh, Buckhead, and Lenox MARTA station areas and their connected mixed-use districts. Mini master plans will address Buckhead Village and the Lindbergh/Armour/Piedmont district.
While Buckhead is known for retail, dining, and commercial/office space, it is also made up of 45 neighborhoods. Months of listening sessions with civic association leaders, community surveys, and meetings with City of Atlanta, local, state and regional stakeholders across Metro Atlanta informed the plan.
The final plan will establish a framework to align land use, multimodal transportation, and economic development.
Buckhead Forward is working to repair potholes across the district in collaboration with the City of Atlanta and the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods. By the end of 2026, streets will be repaved and many potholes will be filled, according to a press release.
“Buckhead Forward is not about creating something new from scratch. It is about building on the foundation that already exists and strengthening the connections that create a thriving community,” Kelly said.
“Our vision for Buckhead looks like streets designed for people, public spaces and cultural venues that bring us together, traffic that flows, and investments in the fundamentals such as water and utility infrastructure, public safety, and transportation.”
