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The DIRT: August 2019

Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

Hello Trail Enthusiasts,

Sorry I’ve been a little quiet lately, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been anything going on for PATH400…quite the opposite actually!

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Construction Update – June 2018

Construction Report – Well, the theme here is baby steps or maybe pushing a wet noodle – take your pick. As I mentioned in my last communication, we had to write up a report to tell the railroad folks EXACTLY how we are going to build the part behind Lenox Square that goes under their main freight line. We put the finishing touches on that approach and got it all submitted to the railroad a few weeks ago. So now we wait and politely play the squeaky wheel routine. I asked the Magic 8-Ball (used to make all of my major decisions) if we would get approval in June and its prediction was “concentrate and try again…” so I guess I will be in touch later.

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.”

The Tree Fairy Strikes Again

The tree fairy has struck again! And of course, by tree fairy, I mean our awesome city arborist Jasen Johns and his trusty tree gnomes at Tri Scapes. This time, they have sprinkled their fairy dust (not to be confused with pollen) on PATH400 between Miami Circle and Sidney Marcus. This part needed some landscaping love to help hide that sound wall. Sorry GDOT peeps. I know it’s functional but it’s not that pretty, so we are covering it up one tree at a time.

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Art Walls on the Greenway

Thanks to Kaiser Permanente we have new art on PATH400!  Yep – those awesome art kaiser permanente logowalls up by Wieuca Road have been transformed into walls of inspiration. Whether it is in support of mental health awareness or you just need some inspiration to keep you going on your workout, our local artists have done some great work. Artists Meg Mitchell, Jessi Queen, Chelsea Austin, Cathryn Bozone and Katie Bush have outdone themselves yet again.

The azaleas and wisteria are in bloom, so take a walk and check out their work!

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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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Naughty or Nice?

Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.
denise and will path400-smI have some great news to share with you today – it appears that PATH400 was on Santa’s NICE list this year! How do I know? Well, we just received the best kind of present – the one you never want to return – cold hard cash – and a lot of it! 

Just how much cash you might ask? (How rude – didn’t your Mama tell you it isn’t nice to talk about money?) Oh well – let’s be tacky anyway.

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News – October 2017

 Sandy Springs Extension: Our neighbors to the north are moving forward on the design for the PATH400 connector between the original 5.2 miles in Buckhead and the part that goes through the middle of the 285/400 interchange. This 2.1 mile missing link will run from Loridans right through the former toll plaza and all the way up to Glenridge Drive. Sandy Springs residents got a peek at initial design concepts, and they were enthusiastic about PATH400 coming to their neighborhood. For more information on this part of PATH400 and to learn about public meetings, contact Dan Coffer

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Construction update – October 2017

Great news! After several months of wearing people down with my best squeaky wheel routine, we have received approval from Norfolk Southern to get moving on the next phase, from Miami Circle to the back of Lenox Square. We still have to clear pre-construction meetings with both the railroad and MARTA and then you will see some good old fashioned dirt movin’ going on! We have also received our final approvals to move forward with construction on the Adina section from Lindbergh to Garson. We will build these two at the same time to maximize efficiencies. Read more