Doing Good Work

The five CIDs in South Metro Atlanta – ATL Airport, Boulevard, Downtown, West End and South Fulton CIDs – have been especially busy. “This region and these CIDs are hugely connected to international markets,” says John Vaughan, a partner with Rainey & Vaughan, LLC, a law firm that represents 20 CIDs. “With major trucking corridors and logistics hubs, the growth in this region is substantial and rapidly increasing.”

Preparing for the FIFA World Cup

Exciting Time: AJ Robinson, president of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and Central Atlanta Progress. Photo credit: Brandon Clifton

Atlanta is hosting eight World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium between June 15 and July 15 of 2026. “The next year could be the most exciting 12 months in recent history for Downtown Atlanta,” says AJ Robinson, president of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and Central Atlanta Progress.

In the meantime, Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted four games of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 last month with two more this month, pitting the best clubs from each of the six soccer confederations against each other. “The Club World Cup [is] a good trial run for the World Cup next summer,” says Robinson.

In anticipation of the influx of visitors, the improvement district and the Atlanta Police Department have launched a public safety campaign called “Lock, Hide and Keep” to encourage people not to leave items in unlocked cars. “This is the No. 1 crime and safety issue downtown,” says Robinson, who adds that more than 80 yellow signs with that message have been posted all over downtown. In addition, ADID is working with the city of Atlanta to upgrade wayfinding signage downtown in advance of the World Cup.

The “Lock, Hide and Keep” public saftey campaign encourages people not to leave items in unlocked cars. Photo credit: CAP/ADID

“We’re also stepping up our efforts with the Ambassador Force and Clean Team,” says Robinson. Downtown Ambassadors in red and blue uniforms patrol the area daily between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Segways and bicycles, helping visitors find their destinations, suggesting activities to them and escorting them to their cars or other locations. The ADID Clean Team performs daily vacuuming of sidewalks and plazas, as well as pressure washing, graffiti removal and light trash pickup throughout downtown.

Another project includes what Robinson calls a “much-needed facelift” for Woodruff Park. “This is a very visible park right in the heart of downtown,” he says. Improvements will include a new dog park, expanded seating areas, rebuilt sidewalks, new lighting and playground improvements.

Robinson points to Centennial Yards as another major downtown development currently underway. The urban revitalization project will transform the area known as The Gulch – the 50-acre piece of below-street-level land between MARTA’s Five Points station and Mercedes-Benz Stadium – into a thriving community and world-class entertainment district with 8 million square feet of retail, office, hotel and residential space. The Lofts at Centennial Yards opened in 2021, offering loft-style apartments within refurbished railroad buildings from the early 1900s. By the end of this summer, The Mitchell Hotel and Hotel Phoenix are expected to open, and the Cosm fan zone, a big sports and entertainment venue, is slated to open in 2026.

A $700,000 project kicking off this summer will improve the Jackson Street Bridge, which is known for its iconic view of Atlanta’s skyline. The renovation includes removing one of the three traffic lanes on Jackson Street to make room for a new pedestrian area and protected cycling path between the Freedom Parkway Trail and Baker-Highland Trail. Project completion is scheduled in time for the 2026 World Cup.

Redeveloping Mall West End

New Amenities: Conceptual rendering of One West End, a $450 million mixed-use project expected to break ground this year that will have retail, grocery, boutiques, mixed-income rental and student housing when complete. Photo credit: The Prusik Group

Given its proximity to downtown and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the West End CID will also be focusing heavily on World Cup preparations over the next year, says CID Administrator Nicole Hall. “We’ll be working with the city of Atlanta on smaller-scale projects like sidewalk improvements, crosswalks, lighting and streetscapes to make sure visitors can get around the area easily and safely,” she says. “We want people to come to the West End district and have a good time while they’re celebrating the World Cup.”

The other big project in the area is the redevelopment of Mall West End, the suburban-style shopping enclave built in the 1970s that, like many traditional malls, has struggled in recent years. Its demolition will pave the way for One West End, a $450 million mixed-use development with retail, grocery, local boutiques, and mixed-income rental and student housing.

Promoting Safety: Nicole Hall, West End CID administrator. Photo credit: Brandon Clifton

Amenities will include a public green space, fitness center, resident lounge and bicycle parking. The project will break ground this year with completion of Phase 1 slated for 2028. “This is the largest single property in our district, so the redevelopment is very important to the West End’s economic future,” says Hall.

The West End CID has also launched a public safety initiative based on feedback received from property owners in surveys and focus groups. “Our focus is on making sure the district is safe for businesses in the district and their customers, as well as visitors to the World Cup next summer,” says Hall.

Hartsfield-Jackson’s Centenary

The World Cup isn’t the only thing causing a buzz in the region. This year marks the centennial anniversary of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the main economic engine driving the South Metro Atlanta region. The airport’s economic impact on Metro Atlanta is nearly $35 billion a year and 63,000 people work on-site.

The ATL Airport CIDs (AACIDs) have as their mission “creating a safe, vibrant and economically successful community near the world’s busiest airport.” To accomplish this, the CIDs focus on beautification, public safety, transportation infrastructure, transit, and signage and wayfinding.

AACIDs are comprised of the Airport West CID and the Airport South CID. Each CID remains its own entity and retains its own board leadership under the administrative lead of Executive Director Gerald McDowell.

Last year, the AACIDs approved and implemented a strategic program plan to assess the district’s current and future needs in each of its focus areas. Program Director Krystal Harris says several big projects are in the works, such as the Northwest Clayton Livable Centers Initiative. “There’s a lot of industrial and warehouses in this area, but still some open areas for good development,” says Harris. “The Northwest Clayton LCI update includes a list of recommended projects to give the area more of a community feel.”

The goal, says Harris, is to transform the Northwest Clayton area into a diverse, vibrant, mixed-use community with a range of housing options, employment opportunities and amenities accessible to residents. “When we met with residents, they were very vocal about the kinds of improvements they wanted to see – things like more sidewalks, parks and green spaces and ways to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.”

High Priority Issues: The goals of the ATL Airport CIDs’ litter program are to are to reduce illegal dumping and clean up trash. Photo credit: contributed

The litter control program is another initiative. “Litter and illegal dumping are high-priority issues,” says Harris. The AACIDs are tracking the number of bags of trash collected weekly to help identify litter hotspots, determine if more resources are needed to manage litter in specific areas and gauge the effectiveness the trash-reducing efforts. Police are also using cameras in areas with a lot of illegal dumping to catch perpetrators.

One thing that struck Harris when she joined the AACIDs in 2019 was the lack of any kind of signage identifying the district. “A monument was critical to building awareness and getting our brand out there,” she says, adding that the first monument was erected in April at the Interstate 285 and Camp Creek Parkway diverging diamond interchange and there are plans for several more throughout the district. “These help the community feel like they’re part of something special,” says Harris.

Renewing Fulton Industrial

Boulevard Community Improvement District is another CID that prioritizes wayfinding signage and placemaking to help people find their way around more easily.

Intentional Management: Boulevard CID Executive Director Gil Prado. Photo credit: Joann Vitalli

“We also want the signage to reflect the district’s brand and unify its look and feel,” says Boulevard CID Executive Director Gil Prado. For example, artist Bruce Landis created the Stella Nova sculpture, which sits at the Interstate 20/Fulton Industrial Boulevard interchange. “Bruce named it Stella Nova to represent new beginnings,” says Prado. “The CID gateway signage adjacent to the sculpture tells visitors that they’re entering the largest industrial corridor in the eastern United States.

“Having murals, sculptures and other art available to everyone encourages creativity and supports our CID as a special place to enjoy continued success,” says Prado. “This interchange is our gateway entrance, and this signature art piece lets everyone know that they’ve arrived in a unique and intentionally managed district.”

Continued Success: Rendering of conceptual improvements at Great Southwest Parkway and Fulton Industrial Boulevard, near the site of The Atlanta Gateway sculpture, built in 1967 and still one of the largest examples of modern geometric sculpture in the world. Photo credit: contributed

Boulevard CID was formed in 2010 by commercial property owners who wanted to take an active role in revitalizing the contiguous 11-mile Fulton Industrial corridor, which is home to more than 1,000 businesses employing more than 26,000 workers.

“We’ve always been proud of the ‘industrial’ in Fulton Industrial Boulevard,” says Prado. “It’s a thriving district with amazing companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Quaker Oats, Frito Lay, UPS and Amazon. But the area around the I-20/Fulton Industrial Boulevard interchange has long been a sore spot with a lot of crime and run-down businesses.”

New Beginnings: Rendering of proposed streetscape improvements at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Fulton Industrial Boulevard. Photo credit: contributed

Renew the District is a $180 million public-private redevelopment effort launched by Fulton County to attract commercial investment and revitalize this area. As part of the five-year initiative, the county has purchased seven blighted properties, including five vacant and dilapidated hotels, with plans to redevelop. Two of the hotels on Industrial Circle were demolished last summer and the county is currently considering bids from prospective developers for the 8.1 acres.

The Boulevard CID has also launched a comprehensive clean energy and logistics plan for the Fulton Industrial District that focuses on providing charging infrastructure for electric and alternative-fuel vehicles.. “While there is some existing EV charging infrastructure near the corridor, there’s limited charging for residential communities,” says Prado. Resources for truck parking and clean fueling stations in the area are relatively limited, so the plan will build out a stronger network.

The Stella Nova sculpture created by artist Bruce Landis. Photo credit: contributed

One of the driving issues behind the CID’s formation was reducing crime in the district. It has invested more than $2 million in public safety programs and initiatives to reduce crime, including funding 6,300 hours of extra police patrols in 2024. The CID also employs 34 automatic license plate readers throughout the district and 11 high-definition cameras in at-risk locations, which allow nearly district-wide observation by a single officer.

As a result of these public safety initiatives, crime rates in the district have fallen by 81% since 2016. Prado says that reduction has been pivotal in the district’s revitalization.

Supporting Infrastructure

South Fulton County’s bread and butter is warehousing and transportation, with Fairburn’s CSX Intermodal Facility at the heart of the district. So it’s no surprise that a primary focus of the South Fulton CID is supporting the critical infrastructure needed to power the region’s logistics link to the world.

A long-awaited major transportation project in the region finally broke ground early this year, says South Fulton CID Executive Director Joddie Gray. “Reconstructing the [Interstate] 85 at the State Route 74 interchange is a project I’ve been working on for 20 years,” she says. “This interchange is a gateway to one of the largest logistics corridors in the Southeast, while SR 74 is a significant commuting corridor for Fayette County. The reconstruction will have a major impact on this area.”

The interchange will be rebuilt into a partial cloverleaf design with loop ramps, and turn lanes will be added at the ends of the exit ramps. Traffic signals will also be installed. The eastbound and westbound Route 74 bridges over I-85 will also be replaced with one widened bridge with turn lanes, and 1.4 miles of the road will be widened, to add a concrete center median and bike lanes.

Logistics Corridor: Joddie Gray, South Fulton CID executive director. Photo credit: Daemon Baizan

Gray is hopeful for another critical infrastructure project in the district: construction of a new interchange at I-85 and Gullatt Road. “This would open up a lot of land currently zoned for warehousing or agricultural, and it’s another gateway to the CSX intermodal facility,” she says. The project is currently undergoing feasibility review. “In the meantime, Oakley Industrial Boulevard is being extended to Gullatt Road to provide additional connectivity to the proposed interchange,” says Gray.

Gray is also excited about a freight and sustainability plan for which the CID is issuing a request for proposal this summer. “We are refreshing our previous freight cluster study by looking at it through a sustainability lens,” she says. “We want to explore the types of both public and private projects that will make the area more economically viable, livable and sustainable – everything from EV charging to improving employee commutes.”

South Metro Atlanta is a vibrant part of the state, attracting world-class events and providing easy access to the world’s busiest airport. The CIDs in this region not only help maintain vital trucking corridors and logistics hubs but are crucial to keeping the region safe and clean so business and tourism can continue to thrive.