Redevelopment of the Atlantic Civic Center to include historic preservation

The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution at its meeting Monday to ensure historic preservation is part of the redevelopment of the Atlanta Civic Center.

The resolution calls for a 10-year agreement between the city and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office, the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Civic Center developers. The agreement will ensure the redevelopment complies with the National Historic Preservation Act.

The redevelopment concept includes an affordable senior residential building, five multi-family residential towers, a 10-story hotel, a 12-story office building, commercial development and a charter school as well as the reuse of the Civic Center Performing Arts Center.

Other items approved by the board include:

• An ordinance authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the Atlanta Braves Foundation, Morehouse College and the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority to redevelop the Southside Park Sports Complex on Jonesboro Road into the Henry Lewis Aaron Complex at Southside Park. The ordinance also authorizes the city to accept donations of $3.8 million to cover its portion of the project.

• Two ordinances closing undeveloped portions of Chickamauga Avenue SW and Sells Avenue to facilitate the expansion of Enota Park, as outlined in the Atlanta Beltline Redevelopment Plan.

• A resolution authorizing the city to apply for a $3.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the installation of solar- and battery-powered resiliency hubs in strategic buildings.

• An ordinance accepting a donation from Atlanta Public Schools, allowing the city to install two markers on the campus of Frederick Douglass High School to commemorate the school’s history as a civic institution (24- O-1227).

• A resolution requesting the establishment of a commission to determine appropriate honors for the 150th anniversary of the first regiment of American colored troops raised in Atlanta by Bishop Henry McNeil Turner (24-R-3001).

The City Council presented proclamations and recognitions in honor of the Maynard Jackson High School girls’ varsity basketball team, the Lady Jaguars, who won the 2024 title. GHSA 5A State Championship; Keith Parker, CEO of Goodwill Industries of North America; Terrence Smith, CEO of Momentemps Inc.; Shannon Heath Longino for her 30 years of service to the City of Atlanta; and to celebrate National Public Works Week, May 19-25.