Georgia Tech quality growth center gets grant to study health impact ofAerotropolis

By Maria Saporta

Georgia Tech’s Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development has received a $143,747 grant to assess the health impact of the planned Aerotropolis Atlanta Brownfield Redevelopment Project.

The grant was one of six awarded through a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

It will permit Georgia Tech researchers to objectively evaluate the potential health consequences of the plan and implementation strategy to convert the former Ford assembly plant into a mixed-use office, hotel, shopping and airport parking business center.

A health impact assessment is viewed as a tool to help policy makers better understand how a proposed project or policy can affect the well-being of people in the community. The information in the assessment will help decision leaders weigh the pros and cons of the development and make practical recommendations on how to maximize potential health benefits.

According to the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, researchers will review the site design and the surrounding transportation facilities and consider how they might impact traffic safety, multimodal travel options to jobs and amenities as well as overall livability.

Aerotropolis, located next to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is a project that is being planned by developer Jim Jacoby, who developed Atlantic Station.

The 122-acre site is located in Hapeville. When the project is built out, it is expected to house 6.5 million square feet of office, hotel, shopping and airport parking facilities. Developers also plan to have a solar energy component as part of the project.

The Center is expected to produce its final report on Aerotropolis in June, 2011.