Atlanta non-profit Midtown Alliance is managing the construction of the Midtown Art Walk, a multi-phase public space project to enhance Midtown’s creative identity.

The Art Walk will stretch five blocks between the Midtown MARTA Station on 10th Street and the Arts Center MARTA Station on 15th Street. The project includes five phases, each sequentially located between the streets. Current construction is being focused on Phase 1 of the project, which follows the alignment of Peachtree Walk from 10th to 11th Street and is expected to continue into the second quarter of 2023.

Midtown Alliance Director of Capital Projects, Cladie Washburn, said the Art Walk originally gained traction because of the project’s goal to pursue a green space initiative for pedestrian transport. This concept interested property owners immediately adjacent to the Art Walk.

“We were wrestling [about five years ago] with the reality that we’re limited on green space,” Washburn said. “So, we had a pretty big initiative to study opportunities to preserve or create green space that was accessible to the public, and the Art Walk seemed to fit that. It’s not super green, meaning a park or anything, but it is a space that you move through.”

To make the Art Walk possible, Midtown Alliance has partnered with several private entities, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, to ensure that no issues would arise with construction. 

“The artwork is complicated because we have a couple of different partners – Midtown Alliance is funding part of it, the Federal Reserve is funding part of it and there are pretty significant neighbors along the way,” Midtown Alliance Director of Urban Design, Ginny Kenedy, said. “So, working out the financial agreements and then getting buy-in from the adjacent properties took a lot of coordination, because we had to get easement agreements with those entities. That’s just not a straightforward decision; the more partners you have, the longer it takes.”

Kennedy believes that, though the process has been time-consuming, preparation for the Art Walk’s construction has been positive thus far.

“I think all these partners, like the Federal Reserve, have really come into agreement with what they’re trying to get to in the end,” Kennedy said. “The bank might not have been comfortable initially with the idea of the public moving through their backyard, but I think as the project has developed, they’ve developed a level of trust with us about what we’re trying to deliver, and they’re actually kind of excited about it; it’s not something they would ever do on their own.”

Concerning the project’s construction on Phase 1, renovations will be performed by contractor Astra Group, who is currently only focused on this phase but may bid on construction in later phases.

“We’ve worked with [Astra] on other projects, [and] they’ve been interested in this project,” Kennedy said. “They came on board at about 50% design and helped us with some cost estimating, they stayed engaged, [and after sending] the request for proposal to specific contractors, including Astra, they became our contractor on Phase 1.”

The construction renovations will include new landscaping, lighting and wayfinding elements along the path. Midtown Alliance and Astra Group are in the works of constructing new sidewalks with accompanying pavement markings, new granite curb lines and bollards.

One of the major wayfinding elements is the project’s catenary system of art installations, which are comprised of light spheres 33 feet in diameter. Landscape architect group Sylvatica Studio worked to design the catenary system and the other planning elements.

“The idea is this isn’t wayfinding in the sense of a sign that has words on it and tells you where to go; it’s wayfinding in [the sense] that, ‘I see this really cool sphere, it’s lit in the dark sky and I want to go see what that is,’” Kennedy said. “Or, ‘I’m there and it’s leading me up and down on our walk.’ That type of wayfinding gives you more of a sense of place, and it’s unique specifically to the Art Walk.”

Kennedy furthers that the wayfinding elements are significant to the landscape because of the high incline of the overall Art Walk.

“[The Art Walk] is not like San Francisco, but you’re walking uphill the whole way,” Kennedy said. “So, part of our thought with the wayfinding in the form of these light spheres is to really entice pedestrians to want to keep going. So, it’s sort of a little bit of a “carrot” to keep you interested in walking up the hills.”

Washburn said elaborate elements come with expensive and time-consuming construction. The renovations include relocating the waterline and installing new stormwater piping and structures within the Peachtree Walk roadway in addition to new draining modifications.

“The waterline needed to be moved to the east only three or four feet, but a very expensive three to four feet, and a real pain,” Washburn said. “That was one of the first things we did after construction mobilized. Around the holiday time, Astra was working with the city to relocate a water supply line, but [with this partnership], there are certain things you can touch and can’t touch. So, there’s a lot of coordination, [and] I’d say that whole process, unfortunately, took about two months [when] it should have taken two or three weeks.”

Freshman Cameron Collier runs for Midtown’s cross country and track teams and often runs in the areas where the Art Walk will be located. He said the construction renovations to the landscape will make the current running situation much better.

“I have felt that running in Midtown Atlanta has felt a little off compared to other areas of Atlanta,” Collier said. “The main reason being the sidewalks; sometimes it feels like I’m in an obstacle course instead of on a run. I have to jump around or to the side, sometimes even stepping on the street for a few feet. I’m excited about the construction renovations; this will potentially provide a new place to run and explore … or even just go (to the area) when I’m not running.”

Midtown high-rise Metropolis resident David Blunt* feels that the construction renovations are a necessity and help avoid overlooked streetscape while benefiting residents.

“Upgraded landscape and hardscape is essential to the vibrancy of building a residential community within the city,” Blunt* said. “You really need that vibrancy of people living here 24/7 to attract unique restaurants and other fun retail places. The businesses come during the day and then leave at night, but the residential population [always] provides livability.”

Aside from hardscape construction renovations, the Art Walk’s green space initiatives include the installation of new landscape planter beds and higher-quality oak trees to replace existing invasive lacebark elm trees, which the city no longer allows. Washburn said that the oak trees aim to provide more structure to the landscape.

“[The oak trees] are bigger than what we’re typically able to install,” Washburn said. “We’re planting 45 throughout the entire Phase 1, which is a lot; that’s a lot of tree canopy to be putting in an urban project. We’re getting bigger material, but we’re giving them more room to grow.”

Collier feels as though trees falling in Midtown Atlanta have proved a challenge to him and hopes the work of Midtown Alliance can combat this issue.

“Frequently last year, areas around and in Midtown Atlanta had multiple tree falls,” Collier said. “These completely messed up my routes [and] my entire plan to run for that day, and caused traffic in the areas nearby. I feel the less frequent tree falls will benefit my running by making [areas] more runner-friendly. A more open area with less traffic and obstacles provides a nice and relaxing place to run.”

The project will also include art enhancements, including upgraded crosswalks that feature bands of color in addition to the catenary system with wayfinding elements, which are planned to be installed from 10th Street to 13th Street. Kennedy said these art and construction upgrades are unique.

“The urban framework in Midtown is repetitive everywhere, and it’s sort of like the one exception to that is the Art Walk,” Kennedy said. “Nothing on the Art Walk is standard–the light poles are totally different, the landscaping is different [and] the fact that there’s something overhanging a roadway [catenary system] is really unusual.”

Kennedy furthers that none of the art installations on the walk will be permanent to further support the mission of recurrently attracting people back to the project.

“The idea is that the artwork, whether it’s a mural or a piece of sculpture, will change – nothing on the Art Walk is going to be permanent, at least initially,” Kennedy said. “So, the sculpture will be there for a time and then go away; the murals will be there for a time and then be refreshed with new artwork. We want [Midtown Atlanta] to feel like a place that’s changing so that people will be curious to come back.”

Blunt* affirms Kennedy’s goal of the temporary artwork, and said that the artwork will provide a refreshing break from his typical routine of walking in the city.

“[Temporary artwork] allows us that ever-changing opportunity of living in the same space,” Blunt* said. “[The project] also gives [me and my wife] an opportunity to have different conversations. Those are all part of our lifestyle experience that we get to have without ever having to get in our car and drive anywhere.”

Collier said he would enjoy seeing artwork while running.

“Personally, I don’t run with music, so I look around my environment,” Collier said. “My environment plays a big role in helping me not only keep going but also from not being bored while running. Midtown Atlanta is a popular spot for runners but not necessarily the safest, cleanest or runner friendly. With the new Art Walk, I feel that this will revamp the area and make it more accessible for runners.”

Kennedy said the desire to bring back people to the project’s area is the mission of the Art Work, and she ultimately hopes that the Art Walk can bolster Midtown’s image as a cultural epicenter.

“Midtown does not have a lot of public spaces, [and] the public spaces that it does have sometimes feel like they’re off limits unless you’re there for a reason,” Kennedy said. “The Art Walk is a true public space, and so what I’m hopeful for is that all the people who live and work in the immediate vicinity will think of it as just another place to be. It felt natural and obvious to want to try to dial up [this project] because we feel like Midtown is the heart of the arts.”

* David Blunt is an anonymous name due to a request by the Midtown resident quoted in the article.