The Central Atlanta Progress and Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (CAP/ADID) plan on revamping the Five Points and Garnett MARTA stations.
The groups have $100,000 to spend on the construction, installation and implementation costs for the renovation of the stations.
According to the March 19, 2014 Request for Proposals Downtown South Transit Station Area Enhancements Plan, the reason why the stations are being revamped is to “attract private investment to Downtown Atlanta’s South Central Business District’s (CBD).”
CAP/ADID are asking for architects, researchers and planners to submit project plans for the stations by 5 p.m. on April 15 to Wesley Brown’s, Project Manager of Planning and Capital Projects, address that can be found on the Request for Proposals.
Georgia State interior design faculty and students have given their recommendations on how they want to see the Five Points and Garnett MARTA stations renovated.
Tim Nichols, interior design assistant professor, said that he wants MARTA to efficiently connect with the street visually and functionally by appealing to the masses of people who pass through the station.
“I’d like the station to perform less as a building and more like a connector for people. There should be a physical connection across and a visual connection from sky to the tracks below. It should be easy to walk through the building to the other side without paying for admission,” Nichols said. “Something like a covered park above and a train station below. All the great train stations of Europe operate as public spaces which become the front door of the city. Five Points Marta station, to a smaller degree should exemplify Atlantans’ desire for outdoor activity.”
Rebecca McCloud, senior interior design major, suggested for the Five Points station to have defined pathways in the flooring to make traveling easier for commuters.
“It looks like a big bathroom in there. I know the ceilings are high, but it’s very dense and compact. It’s heavy,” McCloud said. “They should introduce more way finding mechanisms, because if you don’t know your way around it. Like even though they do have the signs, it’s still confusing.”
To make MARTA more appealing to the eye, McCloud said that it should bring the outdoors inside by installing skylights.
“The only way you can see the outdoors is through the entrance,” McCloud said.
Sheilaina Grant, senior interior design major, said that convenience stores would be a nice additional feature to add to the MARTA station.
“You know how people tend to forget things. At least if they had checkpoints of little convenient stores in the MARTA station. I think it would be cool to have something like that in Five Points,” Grant said.
Grant added that the stations should be brought up-to-date.
“Definitely something vibrant in color because everything is dull. It’s based off of classical sculptures which is not a big deal but I think they should have some funky art work in there,” Grant said. “I would definitely resurface some walls and floors to really modernize it.”
Lyle Harris, chief spokesperson for MARTA, explained how the renovation process is happening.
“There are these nonprofit groups who are interested in helping to improve that MARTA station. They came up with some money to request for a proposal. So, they are asking people (developers, architects, planners) to come up with ideas to upgrade the MARTA station.”
Harris said that MARTA appreciates Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District for their plans to revitalize MARTA.
“They decided since MARTA’s such an integral part of downtown Atlanta, it’s sort of like a front door to downtown Atlanta. They wanted to make it more appealing and more attractive,” Harris said. “And we can certainly say this from MARTA that we support those efforts from our partners who are around the city and the region.”
The Five Points station is a multiple platform rail station constructed in 1975. It connects North, South, East and West lines by serving as the intersection point for green, red, blue, and gold lines. Near its location is the Brave Shuttle, Underground Atlanta, Woodruff Park, Fairlie-Poplar Historic District and Atlanta City Hall.
The Garnett station opened its doors in 1981 and houses the North and South going rail lines, gold and red. It is also in close proximity with the Greyhound Bus Terminal and Mechanicsville Station Apartments.
