Atlanta Regional Commission Lauds Midtown Public Space Network
2024 Great Place award given to Midtown Alliance stands out as a shared win.
11/07/2024
Midtown Alliance’s work to build partnerships and create a thriving network of places for people was recognized in early-November at the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) 2024 State of the Region event.
ARC’s Regional Excellence Awards are given annually to communities and organizations in metro Atlanta that employ visionary planning principles to create great places for the people that live and work there.
“When we can bring people together in the heart of the region for exceptional urban experiences - and strengthen the bonds we all share as human beings - it’s a shared win for everyone,” said Ginny Kennedy, Midtown Alliance Director of Urban Design.
Common Ground in the Heart of the City
Midtown’s Public Space Network is located within the 1.2 square mile Midtown Improvement District. Seven unique parks and plazas currently comprise the network, from transit station plazas anchored by art and creative seating to flexible greenspace anchored by a dog park and an outdoor stage. Spaces are listed in order of delivery, beginning with the most recent:
- North Ave MARTA Station Plaza (2024) – SE corner of W Peachtree and Ponce de Leon Ave
- Midtown Art Walk (2024) – Peachtree Walk between 10th Street and 11th Street
- 10th Street Park (2023) – NE corner of Peachtree Street and 10th Street
- Commercial Row Commons (2022) – NW corner of Peachtree Street and Peachtree Place
- Arts District Plaza (2022) – SE and SW corners of Peachtree Street and 15th Street
- Arts Center MARTA Station Plaza (2019) – NE corner of W Peachtree Street and 15th Street
- Midtown MARTA Station Plaza (2018) – Peachtree Place between W Peachtree Street and Crescent Ave
According to ARC's write-up in a press release, “These efforts, combined with bustling street level commercial activity have created a compelling, vibrant place where balanced growth and quality of life go hand-in-hand in Atlanta’s Midtown.”
Publicly-Accessible Open Space: An Imperative for the District
Midtown’s mixed-use identity and rapid growth have meant increased demand over time for more open space … and more invitations for the public to gather. Midtown Alliance has cultivated partnerships with private property owners, the City of Atlanta, the Midtown Improvement District, MARTA, the local arts community, faith institutions and other civic allies to augment the district’s public space inventory by transforming underutilized transit plazas, vacant lots, and parking lots.
Midtown’s network of spaces provides free amenities and creative activities for people of various ages, abilities, and interests to connect and share experiences. Over the course of 2024, Midtown Alliance staff have executed some 120 free community events in these spaces, from live music and spoken word to yoga instruction and movie screenings. Midtown’s strategies for public space and programming have been informed over decades by signature efforts from the original Blueprint Midtown community master plan to the recent Public Life Action Plan.
Public Art Also Defines Midtown as a Great Place
In addition to these public spaces, Midtown sidewalks were reimagined this year as the Southeast’s Largest Outdoor Art Gallery, accentuating Midtown’s robust public art program. Walking between public spaces, people can enjoy more than 200 works from professional and amateur visual artists displayed on street light poles throughout the district.
