Direct Invest Development is proposing to build several high-rise buildings on 12 acres of land along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive owned by Clark Atlanta University.
Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos has introduced legislation to rezone the property so Direct Invest will be able to build multiple towers, two that could be as high as 22 to 24 stories, seven 16-story buildings, six 10-story buildings and five 7-story buildings. The rest of the land — eight parcels — would keep the zoning at five stories, which is what is currently allowed in the city’s zoning ordinance for those 12 acres.
But the rezoning proposal, publicly released in the last two weeks, is dramatically different than what Westside communities envisioned for the area. Led by the Westside Future Fund, the community underwent a two-year planning process that resulted in the Westside Land Use Framework Plan, which was unanimously approved by the Atlanta City Council on Dec. 4, 2017. Then the city changed the zoning for the area to conform with the community vision.
“It’s a big departure,” acknowledged Carlton Brown, principal of New York-based Direct Invest, about how the rezoning proposal compares to the community’s vision. He then said the rollout of the current rezoning proposal was not handled in the best way, acknowledging many Vine City and English Avenue residents were upset when they saw the proposal.
Brown added that he does believe the building heights will exceed 18 stories, and most will likely be between eight and 12 stories.
Direct Invest has a 99-year lease agreement with CAU to develop the land.
The property, known as Diamond Hill, also is one of the most historically significant areas in Atlanta. Standing at the crest is Gaines Hall, which was built in 1869 as part of Atlanta University. It is where W.E.B. Dubois was living when he wrote the game-changing book “The Souls of Black Folks” in 1903.
Eli Phillips, CAU’s chief operating officer, said at a Jan. 10 community meeting that Direct Invest’s development will not include Gaines Hall, which will remain in the university’s hands. CAU has said it wants to restore Gaines Hall, which has been damaged by several fires in the last eight years.
But Direct Invest’s lease does include two other historically significant structures — Furber Cottage and the Herndon (Morris Brown) Stadium. Development plans call for tearing down the stadium and redeveloping it as residential towers. And when asked whether Direct Invest would preserve Furber Cottage, Brown replied: “Probably not.”
David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, would like to see all the structures, including the stadium, preserved.
“Gaines Hall is one of the oldest and most significant structures in Atlanta today. It’s everyone’s responsibility to save it,” said Mitchell, who believes the Alonzo Herndon Stadium and the Herndon family are vital to Atlanta’s history.
CAU President George French, in a text exchange Monday evening, said the university has not seen any “solid plans” from Direct Invest.
“I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize our community relationship,” said French, who has described Diamond Hill as hallowed grounds. “Meetings of the community are still being held.”
News of the rezoning proposal already has sent ripples in the community.
“We are talking about skyscrapers,” said Rev. Winston Taylor, an architect who owns property on MLK and English Avenue. “It does not meet the people scale of the community.”
Even more outspoken was Dhiru Thadani, the urbanist who worked (alongside APD Urban Planning) on the Land Use Framework Plan from early 2016 to late 2017 — holding monthly community and neighborhood meetings.
“It is completely the wrong scale,” Thadani said in a phone interview. “There’s no reason for this area to have that kind of high-rise development.”
The Framework Plan called for a maximum height of buildings at 55 feet with the exception of Northside Drive, where zoning allows for 10-story buildings.
“It would completely ruin the neighborhood,” Thadani said. “This proposal flies in the face of what the community said it wanted and spent years coming up with a plan. There’s simply no recognition to the historic fabric of the neighborhood. These buildings would cast a shadow on all those houses.”
Mother Mamie Moore, an English Avenue resident who worked tirelessly on the Framework Plan, said the community spent nearly two years designing its vision for the area, and then it was rezoned.
“I don’t see what [the Direct Invest development] is going to look like,” Moore said. “This is an ass-backwards way to do this. Councilmember [Amos], are you ready to take this off the table?”
Shadé Yvonne Jones, chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit-L, also wanted images of what the development would look like before having a rezoning discussion.
“The whole thing is so massive,” she said at the community meeting in Vine City. “Before you make any decision, we need to know the impact it will have on this community. We need more information.”
Some residents in the community support the rezoning proposal.
Leonard Watkins, a Vine City resident who became vice chair of NPU-L earlier this month, said his concerns have been addressed.
“I support it as it stands right now, but I think there needs to be some tweaking so it can get more support from the community,” Watkins said in a phone call. “I don’t think anything should be set in stone.”
Brown said he is a believer in “equitable and sustainable” development, and Direct Invest needs the proposed density so it can provide 40 percent of its units with deep affordability — 20 percent at 30 percent area median income (AMI), and 20 percent at 60 percent AMI.
If Direct Invest can’t build at the higher density, Brown said there would have to be trade-offs, such as fewer affordable units.
John Ahmann, president and CEO of the Westside Future Fund, defended the community input of the Westside Land Use Plan and the need to incorporate that vision going forward.
“These adopted plans have informed everything from our land acquisition strategy to our design standards,” Ahmann said. “Leading Westside Future Fund and living in the historic Westside has given me a holistic perspective on the importance of centering the community’s voice in the future of these legacy neighborhoods.”
I don’t see how Direct Invest gets its money out from this. This would be like taking out Midtown HS and its Stadium for high rises. The objections to that would be huge, even though the numbers work better. Before screaming NIMBY I want folks in VaHi to think about how they would feel if Hines made that kind of proposal.
It’s sad the way their stabbing residents in the back in Vine City and English ave. They know the Diamond Hill Project will not benefit the residents in these Communities shame on our Leadership to even think this is for us, shame on them for standing and making bad discussions. I’m upset and sadden about this I’ve been working though these Communities for over 20 yrs. been of resident of lil bit over 30 and I’ve seen with my own eyes where these projects lead to I’ve seen families and Seniors put on the streets . I’m compassion about what I do in these Communities but this will hurt more renters and again we will be on the scale of Homeless cause no Leader see nor listen to the people it’s all about of dollar and not about the people greed have took so many minds. So I ask who is getting something out of this deal again who will benefit from it.it seems like they already made of discussion sad and shame on them. Look at us now once called of City of Love and Hope Now called of City of shame and Hate for Low Income Families this is shameful.
This is a typical land grab. The community has made it crystal clear what they want for their community. Yet here come a bunch of New York investors flashing money and public officials just rollover.
As for affordable housing. What does that really mean? Affordable for who and for how long? Seems this is just another rental property.
We need more affordable housing for PURCHASE so folks can own a piece of the American dream, build up equity resulting in intergenerational wealth. Otherwise the renters become modern day sharecroppers with nothing to show for the rent paid over a lifetime and nothing to leave their families. Meanwhile the already wealthy owners increase their wealth and pass on even more to their heirs.
So tell me again, who really benefits from this project and others like it?