CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NEW PATH400 SEGMENT IN NORTH BUCKHEAD

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other officials join Livable Buckhead to break ground on
$12.8 million project

ATLANTA – November 12, 2022 – Construction is now officially underway on the final major segment of PATH400’s 5.2-mile route through Buckhead. When complete, the new 0.75-mile stretch between Wieuca Rd. and Loridans Dr. will provide pedestrian and bike connections to Mountain Way Common and the planned Loridans Park. It also will create almost three contiguous miles of pathway between the GA 400 Loop and Loridans Dr.

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Local Girl Scout Launches Nature-Themed Art Contest for Elementary and Middle Schoolers

Three designs to be replicated as murals on PATH400

ATLANTA – August 13, 2020 – Getting outdoors has been a common “stay sane” strategy during the coronavirus pandemic. Now a local girl scout is asking kids to take inspiration from the plants and animals that they have observed and create works of art to be replicated on PATH400. Read more

Take Steps for the Hikes for Health Challenge

ATLANTA — August 7, 2020 — Ten organizations have joined forces with national recreation retailer REI for a social media campaign encouraging the public to hike, walk, or jog 10 trails in their 10 greenspaces over the next 10 months.  Get ready to put on your athletic shoes for the Hikes for Health Challenge.

Organizations participating in the Challenge – Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Chastain Park Conservancy, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Dunwoody Nature Center, Friends of Lost Corner, Livable Buckhead, Parks Cobb County, Peachtree Creek Greenway, and Sandy Springs Conservancy – have been integral in boosting the quality of life in various communities through the development of trails, parks, and greenspaces.

Livable Buckhead, a nonprofit with a mission to make Buckhead the kind of place where people want to live and where businesses want to operate, encourages Hikes for Health Challenge participants to enjoy PATH400. This multi-use trail runs along the spine of GA 400 and, once complete, will provide a 5.2-mile greenway through the heart of Buckhead, connecting neighborhoods, office and retail locations with a path for bicyclists and pedestrians. PATH400 will eventually join with the Atlanta BeltLine in the south and trails in Sandy Springs and north Fulton County.

Now more than ever, Livable Buckhead and allied organizations see their beloved trails as part of a prescription for better physical and mental health and a stronger life. Hiking outdoors has been proven in studies to promote heart health, weight reduction, and cholesterol control for adults. Physical activity in nature boosts muscular and brain development, creativity, and mental well-being in children.

Hikes for Health Challenge launches in the metropolitan Atlanta area during National Wellness Month in August from this shared vision of trails by the ten greenspace organizations and REI. Participants are encouraged to use #HikesForHealthREI in social media postings after walking, jogging, or hiking a trail from each greenspace organization. Register for the Hikes for Health Challenge in August to qualify for a $250 REI gift card using the link featured in social media postings for participating organizations and in REI newsletters.

This campaign culminates with the selection of a Grand Prize winner in spring 2021 with a $250 REI gift card plus prizes from the greenspace organizations. Take a step toward wellness and join the Hikes for Health Challenge. For more details and registration, go to https://hikesforhealthchallenge.splashthat.com.

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Livable Buckhead Celebrates Newest Section of PATH400 with Party on the PATH

October 20 event to feature live music, interactive scavenger hunt and sneak peek tours of trail

ATLANTA – October 7, 2019 – PATH400 is transforming Buckhead by creating pedestrian connections between many of the area’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. With the newest section of the trail nearing completion, Livable Buckhead is throwing a party to celebrate PATH400’s progress. On Sunday, October 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. the public is invited to Party on the PATH, an entertaining evening featuring food, drink, live music and a sneak peek trail tour. Party on the PATH will take place in Miami Circle, which will soon be within a short walk or bike ride of the center of Buckhead thanks to PATH400.

“I’ve given a lot of preview tours of the new section of the trail, and nearly everyone is surprised at how quickly you can get from Lenox Square to Miami Circle on foot,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “That’s the magic of PATH400. We’re taking unused land and turning into a trail that lets people get to Buckhead’s great shops and restaurants without the hassle of traffic. Party on the PATH will give everyone a chance to see that for themselves and to have a great time while they’re at it.”

Party on the PATH will be begin with an hour of custom-crafted cocktails from ASW Distillery and tours of PATH400 using an interactive scavenger hunt created by Clue Town specifically for the event. That will be followed by dinner featuring a menu of tapas, tacos and Spanish desserts from Legendary Events. Party-goers will enjoy an open bar offering sangria, mojitos, wine and beer from Creature Comforts Brewing Company. The evening will conclude with dancing and live music from Willie Ziavino and his four-piece band playing a rhythmic and musical fusion of Trova Cubana, Salsa and Caribbean rhythms with elements of funk, pop and Brazilian beats.

When the newest section of PATH400 opens to the public, the 5.2-mile trail will be approximately 80 percent complete. The remaining sections of the trail are slated to be complete by 2023. Several other trails will connect to PATH400 in Buckhead, including extensions of PATH400 through Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Roswell. Atlanta BeltLine Inc. is working to determine where it will connect to PATH400 as well.

Tickets for Party on the PATH range from $65 to $150 and can be purchased at http://livablebuckhead.org/pop/. Party on the PATH proceeds support Livable Buckhead’s mission of creating community greenspace. The event is sponsored by AMLI Residential, ASW Distillery, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., ECCO, Eclipse di Luna, Legendary Events, Owen & Associates Insurance, POND, Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc., Louisiana Bistreaux, Peachtree Tents and Events, Simon and South City Kitchen.

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About Livable Buckhead
Livable Buckhead is a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the Buckhead community. The organization achieves its mission by working cooperatively with individuals, public entities and private businesses to integrate sustainable strategies. Livable Buckhead implements programs related to greenspace, recycling, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, arts and culture, real estate development and land use. For more information about Livable Buckhead and its programs, visit livablebuckhead.org.

About PATH400
PATH400 is a 5.2-mile walkable, bikeable greenway being constructed on public land adjacent to GA400 extending from the bank of Peachtree Creek northward toward the northern edge of Atlanta. It is the centerpiece of a broader greenspace plan, the Buckhead Collection, initiated by Atlanta Councilman Howard Shook. Livable Buckhead is spearheading the PATH400 project in partnership with the Buckhead Community Improvement District (Buckhead CID) and the PATH Foundation. Several other agencies and organizations are involved in the development of PATH400, including Georgia Department of Transportation, the City of Atlanta, MARTA, Atlanta Neighborhood Planning Unit B, and Atlanta Public Schools. PATH400 will increase access to community amenities such as arts, historic, and cultural exhibits; neighborhood pocket parks and greenspaces; retail centers; and learning centers. For more information about PATH400 or to donate to the capital campaign, visit livablebuckhead.com.

PATH400 team accepts award

PATH400 Wins People’s Choice Award at AASHTO

ATLANTAThe PATH400 trail won the Socrata People’s Choice Award and a $10,000 prize on September 23 at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Annual Meeting in Atlanta. The Socrata People’s Choice Award is awarded to the America’s Transportation Award project that receives the most online votes by the general public, and is presented with a $10,000 cash prize to be donated to a transportation charity or scholarship of the winner’s choosing. The PATH400 trail was one of just 12 projects from across the country that was vying for the national award.

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PATH400 Wins Award of Excellence from Atlanta Urban Design Commission

Innovative greenway is one of four Buckhead projects honored for contributions to Atlanta’s cityscape

ATLANTA – May 18, 2018 – During a public ceremony last night, the Atlanta Urban Design Commission announced the winners of the 41st Awards of Excellence. Fourteen projects were honored in categories ranging from public art to historic preservation. PATH400 was named an Award of Excellence winner in the parks, landscape design and connectivity category, and three additional Buckhead projects took home honors as well. Read more

Visioning Work Set to Begin for Park on Site of Former McClatchey School

Five-acre site along PATH400 in north Buckhead to be shaped through public engagement

ATLANTA – April 24, 2018 – The site of a former public school and one of Atlanta’s oldest family cemeteries is one step closer to becoming the newest park along PATH400. Park Pride has selected the site of the Lowery-Stevens Cemetery and the former home of D.F. McClatchey Elementary School – now known as Loridans Park — for its 2018 park visioning program. The nonprofit organization will now engage the local community in developing a master plan for the park, aiming to maximize its unique features and to reclaim the unused parcel for much-needed public greenspace in Buckhead.

Livable Buckhead, which applied to Park Pride for the Loridans Park visioning grant, worked with the City of Atlanta Parks Department and Atlanta Public Schools to acquire the school parcel in 2016. The site is being combined with the adjacent cemetery, which had previously been acquired by the City from Fulton County. The end result is a five-acre site near Loridans Dr. and GA 400 in north Buckhead that offers a unique opportunity to uncover a piece of local history and bring it to life within the community.

“We’re really excited to have Park Pride do this work,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “As a neutral party with extensive visioning expertise they will be able to balance the various needs of the neighborhood. Their leadership will be invaluable and I have every confidence that they will bring out the best in this process.”

A 22-member steering committee has been formed that includes community residents and representatives of nearby Sarah Smith Elementary, NPU-B, Buckhead Heritage and the Buckhead Garden Club. Atlanta City Councilmember Howard Shook, who was instrumental in acquiring the land, is also a member of the steering committee.

“Each year Park Pride selects two parks in the City of Atlanta for visioning through an application process,” said Andrew White, Director of Park Visioning at Park Pride. “The many layers of history on this site coupled with the strong community interest in how the park is developed made Loridans Park a great candidate for the community visioning process. We look forward to working with the Buckhead community on a plan that will meet the needs of the neighborhood and address concerns.”

Need a fitness boost? Join BuckheadWALKS!

Get fit, win prizes by putting in as many steps as possible during May

ATLANTA – April 12, 2018 – If your Fitbit is a greater source of guilt than pride these days, give your fitness routine a boost with BuckheadWALKS! This month-long competition challenges people to take as many steps as they can during the month of May, and gives extra credit for commuting on foot or for attending a BuckheadWALKS! event. Registration is now open on the Livable Buckhead website.

“This is the perfect time of year to get outside and become more active,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “BuckheadWALKS! provides a little extra incentive to do that. We want people to discover just how walkable Buckhead is by getting out on two feet and giving it a try.”

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New Murals on PATH400 Inspire Mental Wellness

Kaiser Permanente sponsors art to promote encouraging, hopeful messages on Buckhead trail

ATLANTA – March 29, 2018 – Research has shown that spending time in nature can be emotionally and mentally restorative. For people on PATH400SM in Buckhead, their next walk may be even more so, thanks to inspiring new murals. Local artists have created five works of art on large panels along the trail, sharing inspirational messages with everyone walking or jogging between Old Ivy Rd. and Wieuca Rd.

The temporary art installations are part of Kaiser Permanente’s sponsorship of PATH400, and are the latest in a series of changing exhibits designed to make the trail experience more engaging. “Livable Buckhead works with Kaiser Permanente to provide commute solutions for its employees, but this is our first PATH400 partnership and we’re very excited about it,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead.

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Portion of PATH400 Trail Certified as Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

A section of PATH400 in North Buckhead was recently designated an Atlanta Audubon Certified Wildlife Habitat as part of a collaborative effort between Atlanta Audubon Society, Livable Buckhead, and the North Buckhead Home and Garden Club. The Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Program encourages both private and public properties to enhance their land for birds and other wildlife by installing native plants and providing food, water, and shelter for birds and other wildlife. The certified section runs between Lenox Road and Old Ivy Road, and was the first completed segment of the trail, opened to the public in January 2015.

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