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WHAT’S UP IN NEW DEVELOPMENT
Local affordable housing development could stand some more innovation. Will a new plan in East Athens help
provide a fresh model?
An exciting development project getting
underway in East Athens could change the
way public building projects—for housing or
otherwise—are done around here. The Athens
Housing Authority (AHA), along with the East
Athens Development Corporation (EADC) and
others, have created Peter Street Partners,
which will develop new affordable housing on
a site at the corner of Vine and Peter streets.
They're aiming to make this a green project,
aspiring to LEED-ND certification—the "ND"
standing for Neighborhood Development.
(This is a new LEED certification, created in
response to concerns about LEED standards
focusing more on buildings than on sites.)
Even more interesting is the desire of the
development partners for a very transparent
design process, with the hopes of keeping the
public involved from before the designs are
drawn all the way through construction.
Lots of Potential: At the first public meeting
on the proposal, held Apr. 22, members of the
partnership laid out the mission for the proj
ect. "Cutting-edge" was one of the phrases
AHA Director Rick Parker used to describe the
goals for the project, which—if followed—
should open the door to some innovative solu
tions to too-common problems. The partners
would like to build 50 to 60 affordable units
which, along with the Athens Land Trust's
larger Fourth Street Village, could serve
as a positive model for the future of afford
able housing. Currently the property is zoned
for about 22 unit?, according to Parker. The
rezone necessary for the project would allow
for upwards of 100 units, but they're not
interested in maxing out the property's allow
able density.
Several community members were present
at the meeting, including many EADC board
members. Concerns and ideas for the project
centered around making it blend in to the
existing fabric of East Athens, with smaller
houses that match the neighborhood architec
turally. The houses ought not be too obtrusive
in color, either; much of the student-targeted
infill recently built there is brightly painted.
Neighborhood connectivity was another
major topic. Many questions centered around
how to design streets which are safe and dis
courage crime. One idea that surfaced was a
single-entrance cul-de-sac approach. However,
this design has actually hindered police work
at Bethel Midtown Village downtown, by
allowing criminals to spot when police arrive
in the community. On the other hand, too
much connectivity creates a different set of
issues. The question is how to find a balance
between the two approaches.
Questions of Balance: The "green" factor is
an interesting one as it applies to affordable
housing, and another one where balancing
multiple factors will be key. Energy efficiency
is a way to cut residents' utility bills. Lower
water use, efficient heating and cooling, and
reduced electricity consumption in general will
add up to real savings for families below the
poverty line. The LEED certification process
isn't a perfect one, though, and oftentimes
getting the necessary number of credits for
certification becomes the developer's focus,
rather than a more holistic approach to sus
tainable design. When the project has limited
funds and people are asking for basic services,
let's hope that those needs are met, rather
than focusing on green gadgets which score
LEED points.
More Ideas: There are some interesting oppor
tunities that didn't come up in the meeting,
but which are certainly worth considering as
the project moves forward. For example, AHA
property is contiguous with the area proposed
for the Trail Creek Greenway. A link could be
created, providing safe access for pedestrians
in the neighborhood to the new East Athens
Park. Such connections would mirror to some
degree the setup seen at Fourth Street Village,
where the new Boys & Girls Club is convenient
to new housing.
Another question is how well served the
area is by businesses. The concept of a "food
desert" refers to a situation where people live
without convenient access to healthy grocer
ies, and instead must rely on convenience
stores and fast food. Community gardens were
brought up as an idea, but could a locally
owned co-op help meet residents' needs while
also serving as a community center?
One to Watch: In early May, there will be a
charrette for the site, a fast-paced public
design exercise intended to get many ideas
together in a quick way. I'll be sure to let you
know what comes out of that, and hope to
see you there. The details on scheduling the
charrette haven't been worked out quite yet,
though, so stay tuned.
Kevan Williams athensrising@flagpole.com
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