A catalyst for urban development

The creation of the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park, at the time the largest urban green space constructed in the USA for 25 years, was the centrepiece of the project to transform the look and feel of central Atlanta.

In addition, new landscaped plazas and promenades were created. Pedestrian access between Olympic venues and key transport links were improved, becoming permanent upgrades for local residents. Two downtown bridges were reconstructed, pavements and street signs were installed in 14 city-centre streets, and a sophisticated regional traffic management system was incorporated. Furthermore, 1,200 streetlights were installed, and more than 10,000 trees planted.

Three inner city parks – Folk Art Park, Piedmont Park and Woodruff Park – benefitted from investment too. The latter is an interesting example. It received a USD 5 million investment between 1994 and 1996 but, in the decade following the Games, fell into disrepair. A second renovation project, conducted in 2006, transformed it into a centrepiece of the area, with live entertainment still taking place in the Performance Pavilion – a space built for Atlanta 1996.

Simultaneously, the Corporation for Olympic Development in Atlanta (CODA) identified 16 “Olympic ring” neighbourhoods for redevelopment. Two of these, Summerhill and Techwood Clark Howell Homes, were singled out due to their location – they both backed on to Olympic venues – and their economic situation. In 1990, 79 per cent of the households in both neighbourhoods had an annual income of less than USD 20,000, while 36 per cent of households earned less than USD 5,000 per year.

As part of the Games-led redevelopment scheme, 76 mixed-income townhouses and 73 new single-family homes were built in Summerhill. Ten storefronts were also renovated. The Organised Neighbours of Summerhill, a local residents’ body formed in 2004, reported in 2017 that the neighbourhood is a stable, affordable single-family residential area.

Techwood Clark Howell Homes has also benefitted from development fuelled by Atlanta 1996. One of the USA’s first federally subsidised public housing projects, it was by the time of the Games blighted by abandoned units and safety issues. It was demolished in early 1996. A year later, 181 new apartment units were completed in the area, which was renamed Centennial Housing. A further 700 mixed-income units were built between 1996 and 2003 in what is now a 60-acre community bordering the well-respected Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology).

However, while some communities in downtown Atlanta benefited from the urban redevelopment schemes, others were adversely impacted, including those relocated to the northwest portion of the city, those who felt that the use value of their homes and neighbourhoods had been reduced through the transformation of the area and those affected by gentrification processes. A third group, the inner-city community groups living in neighbourhoods which had not received an upgrade, expressed discontent for being excluded.

Beyond the urban development projects that reshaped the Atlanta landscape, there was also a significant development of a secure and inclusive environment with the creation of the Ambassador Force.

The full-time public safety group consists of 41 men and women who donate their time to patrol a 220-block section of downtown Atlanta. They give advice and help to anyone in need. Created to improve relations between the business community, residents and Games-time visitors, the red and blue-shirted individuals have become an Atlanta institution.

The Force operates 07:00-24:00 seven days per week, 365 days per year. Members, all of whom possess deep knowledge of the city, are trained to provide medical assistance, and have a direct line to the local police force. Duties include keeping pavements clean, repainting street furniture, giving directions, and maintaining strong relations between residents and visitors.