Residents, community leaders and business owners of downtown Atlanta heard redevelopment plans for Underground from its potentially new owner WRS during The Center for Civic Innovation’s (CCI) meeting on April 22.
Mayor Kasim Reed announced in December of 2014 that the 12-acre property would be purchased for $25.8 million by South Carolina-based real estate developer WRS, Inc., according to Creative Loafing.
A Place to Be for Students
WRS Project Manager Kristi Rooks said the company hopes to redefine Underground as a unique space for Georgia State students, as well as local residents.
“It’s right on the edge of campus, and we definitely want to make sure we are doing things that cater to the student body,” she said. “We’ve met with Dr. Becker, and he is a huge supporter.”
Rooks also said there will be student housing in the potential residential space created.
“Our hope is that there will be a feeling with students that this is the place to be,” Rooks said.
Georgia state sophomore Christopher Johnson said it all sounds nice but remains skeptical.
“It sounds like a good plan, but who knows if it will follow through that way,” he said.
Samantha Mandernacht said she thinks Underground is in definite need of rejuvenation, hopefully with improved safety.
“I don’t necessarily feel safe there,” she said. “So, if they are going to revitalize the area, I think it would be good for the campus and the community,” she said.
Putting the Pieces Together
WRS plans to officially close on this approximately 200 million dollar investment by September, though the preliminary process may cause delays, according to Rooks.
WRS has to interpret several outdated documents, including handwritten deeds from the 1800s, according to Rooks.
She said the company is also gauging the possibility of going vertical, which means looking at soil conditions and structural integrity.
“This is putting puzzle pieces together in a way I’ve never seen before,” she said.
When an attendee asked about WRS’s initial interest in Underground, Rooks responded, “This is probably the only opportunity to get the retail downtown desperately needs to be successful.”
The challenge will be balancing the wants of local residents and the company’s vision, according to Rooks.
True Transformation
A true transformation and improved safety of Underground is what Dorthey Hurst, public safety chairperson for Neighborhood Planning Unit M of downtown Atlanta, said she is most hopeful for.
“You can’t fix safety with police alone, you need economic redevelopment and housing as well,” she said. “Once all these components are working together, you’ve got a good solution.”
Rohit Malhotra, executive director and founder of CCI, said the organization is dedicated to being the liaison between WRS and the Atlanta community with such an essential redevelopment.
“Our role is to make sure that people have a voice at the table,” he said. “It’s going to impact what the historic center of the city is going to look and feel like over the course of the next decade.”
