MARTA is setting in motion plans to develop property adjacent to two more of its train stations.
MARTA officials said Tuesday that the agency has released a request for proposals for developers to a build high-density, mixed-use project at its Arts Center station in Midtown near the Woodruff Arts Center. Another request for proposals is planned for its Oakland City station near Fort McPherson later this year.
The transit agency has forged ahead with plans to partner with developers to build on parking lots and other land near its stations to drive ridership and to promote denser development near its stops.
Younger adults are less likely to drive and want walkable communities and public transportation. A number of recent metro Atlanta corporate relocation announcements have been driven in part by a desire by big companies to locate on transit, including State Farm in Dunwoody, Mercedes in Sandy Springs and NCR in Midtown
MARTA also has development projects in the works at stops including King Memorial and Brookhaven.
Arts Center is “a more complicated site” for a developer with 6.2 acres available, and it includes the bus area, parking, the existing station and undeveloped land, said Amanda Rhein, MARTA’s senior director of transit-oriented development and real estate.
Oakland City is 3 acres of a closed parking lot. They believe it is prime for redevelopment because it is near the Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail and Fort McPherson, where Tyler Perry plans to purchase land for a movie studio.
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