Columbia Park/Avondale MARTA Station Development:  An Exciting New Development in the City of Decatur

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The Columbia Park/Avondale MARTA Station Development (CPAM) is 7.6 acres of the total area of 45 acres that was designated as Columbia Park through the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Planning process. the plan for the LCI area was adopted by the City of Decatur in December, 2002. Overall the plan provides for 1200+ units of new rental and sales housing, retail and live-work spaces.

Phase I of this plan is designated as the CPAM area plus streetscape and one tract nearby. The Housing Authority initiated action to implement Phase I as proposed in the LCI Plan. Working with MARTA, who owns the 7.6 acres, the City of Decatur, and a development consultant, an agreement was reached that led to the City's applying for and receiving $3 million in LCI implementation funds for a 175 space parking deck, bus intermodal and streetscape.

The development proposes the following:

• MARTA deck parking of 325 spaces plus bus intermodal facilities and apartment parking of 420 spaces, all in one combined deck.
• Bus intermodal facilities for MARTA.
• An apartment building comprised of approximately 271 units and 18,000 square feet of retail space at ground level.
• A condominium building comprised of approximately of 120 units, and a parking deck serving the building's needs.
• A new city street providing circulation and access to the above.
• Streetscape improvements on adjacent streets and the new street, including benches, bike racks, street trees, etc.
• Pedestrian and bike access into the area.
• A Separate 90 unit loft style condo building with parking deck already completed a block away on a 1.7 acre tract. (Talley Street Lofts, www.talleystreetlofts.com)

The parking deck will be constructed on MARTA land. The apartments will be on land leased to the Housing Authority by MARTA for 99 years. The Authority will pay an annual lease fee plus incentive. The condos and the city street (which will be dedicated to the City) will be on land that MARTA deeds to the Authority in exchange for the new facilities provided to them.

This development will serve as the catalyst, as well as set the standard, for the residential development in the balance of the Columbia Park area. The Development's include a workforce housing component in both the rental and sales units.

Total development costs, including the LCI grant, will be approximately $75 million. The Housing Authority will own and manage the apartments on a long term basis.

The current schedule provides for the construction of the parking deck and apartments to be started in late summer of 2008. Construction of the Columbia Park condos will not begin until after the MARTA deck is completed.