Below are minutes for the July 8, 2003, meeting of the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association, held at the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library. Notes were written by ADNA Secretary Wendy Darling.

Welcome & Introductions

ADNA President Dorthey Hurst welcomed residents from many different Downtown buildings, including 123 Luckie, the Healey, the Metropolitan, 90 Fairlie, Museum Tower, Centennial Tower, the Landmark, and others. We were also pleased to have guests from Georgia State University Police, Atlanta Police Department, the City of Atlanta, The Story newspaper, and Central Atlanta Progress. We also had presentations from representatives from two businesses speaking before us about business plans which will affect the neighborhood.

Committee Reports

ADNA includes several committees and a number of them made reports to members:

• Planning, Zoning and Land Use Committee
  Caleb Racicot offered a brief update. This committee did not meet this month because of schedule conflicts. He did follow-up with The Mark and discuss with them their improvement plans, of which he approved. He would like to have meeting the first Tuesday of the month but in August he will be in Vermont so there will be another date set -- details to follow. In the meantime Caleb will continue to work on any matters that come up.

• General ADNA Announcements

  • Happy Hour @ Charlie & Barney's
    Don't forget the Downtown Dweller Happy Hour this Friday (6/11) at Charlie & Barney's on Peachtree Center Ave. (just north of International Blvd.). Time is 6-8 p.m. There will be door prizes, beer specials and free pool.

  • Volunteers for Weed Attack!
    This Saturday (6/12), ADNA is volunteering at Centennial Olympic Park to do weed pulling. Time is 9 a.m. - noon. Meet at the Visitor's Center. Contact Susan Roe for more info at susanroe@mindspring.com.

  • Building Representatives
    We're looking for volunteers form each building to be ADNA "building representatives. Some duties we envision for rep's are: 1) posting ADNA notices in their building, 2) communicating building residents' concerns to ADNA, 3) helping to raise ADNA's profile in the building, and 4) helping to recruit new members in their building. Information meeting will Monday, July 21 at 7 p.m. in the courtyard of 123 Luckie lofts (or if it rains, at Patrick Busko's place, #2412). If interested, place contact Patrick Busko at pbusko@busko-davis.com.

  • ADNA Accomplishments
    ADNA is compiling a list of historical accomplishments we've made as an organization. This will be a way of helping people know what we do and why it's important to be involved in ADNA. If you have any ideas for things to add to our list, email downtownatl@hotmail.com.
    

Getting On A Committee / Getting Active
Everybody is welcome to join up to any committee. To lead a committee, you need to be an ADNA member. To sign up, email downtownatl@hotmail.com.

Police & Public Safety Issues

• Atlanta Police Department
  • Represented by Sgt. Willis of Zone 5.
  • Shared quality-of-life crime statistics for 3 month period in Downtown area: 176 panhandling arrests, 934 other quality-of-life issues. Also gave out a lot of parking tickets.
  • Problem of "recycling": People arrested won't stay in jail low and will come back, reappearing in some other neighborhood. It's always somebody's problem.
  • Mark Clark stressed that it's important to differentiate between panhandlers and homeless. He also talked about how every conventioneer he meets Downtown says they are NOT coming back, the panhandling is out of control and very bad for business.

• GSU Police Department
  • Represented by four officers.
  • Said Downtown now has a lot bigger visible police presence.
  • GSU Police has been working with local businesses to deal with problems caused by transients, also working with Ambassadors.
  • GSU campus is visibly a lot cleaner and safer.
  • GSU Police now has a Community Policing Team, working 3-11 p,m., outreach to community.
  • Contact for GU Police Department: Errol F. Wooten Jr, ewooten@gsu.edu, 404-651-2100 x 2131.

Central Atlanta Progress / ADID

Cooper Holland offered an update on some of the various public improvements CAP / ADID has been working on:

• Will be installing bike racks and doing a whole program to promote and facilitate biking Downtown. Program includes not only 45 new bike racks, but working for showers for bike commuters, a "5 Days 5 Ways" transportation promotion, and working with Atlanta Bicycle Campaign.
• For In Bloom program, have installed 180 hanging flower baskets and by next week all 200 will be up. They want to keep flowers through winter and funding goes until next spring. They are looking for future funding.
• Let's Do Downtown is going well and there have been improvements at Woodruff Park.

Businesses Seeking Permits

• Sheraton Atlanta Hotel (165 Courtland Street)
  Sheraton General Manager Paul Breslin had a lot of updates on plans for the hotel as well as efforts the hotel (and Downtown hotels as a group) are making to improve Downtown.
  • Began by talking about Honey's, which the Sheraton does not want to get a license and is fighting along with others; there is a hearing July 15th that will need people to speak against it.
  • As immediate past chairman of Downtown Hotel Council, he says for hotels #1 issue is crime, sanitation and safety. In order to work with ADNA, wants his hotel to become member and will help get other hotels.
  • Hotel planning to have a big ($6.4 million) upgrade. Parking lot at Courtland and Ellis will be site of additional new 33,000 sq. foot conference center, to include a ballroom, conference area with four break-out rooms, and pre-function space. They are filing permits tomorrow, want to start work by August and finish in March. Looking for support on project and possible HUD money arranged via the City of Atlanta.
  • More information: Paul Breslin, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel General Manager, 404-659-6500, pbreslin@sheratonatl.com.
• Level 3 (maybe renamed)
  Nate Smith appeared with attorney to present a new business venture for the former Level 3 space at International and Peachtree. He'll be purchasing the space and starting a new concept. With a $1 million kitchen exists, wants to make it a full-service restaurant upstairs, seven days a week for breakfast and dinner and Sunday brunch. Lower 2 floors are for entertainment, banquets. Plans R&B Sundays aimed at 25-45 age group target. Says they will not be renting to promoters and are trying to avoid hiphop crowd. For building, wants to improve curb appeal by making exterior improvements, making it more inviting to pedestrians. Contact: natesmith@mindspring.com.
  

Recommendations were approved for the both businesses; ADNA will be working with both of them as they proceed in their redevelopment plans, submit architectural plans, etc.

Debi Starnes

City Councilwoman Debi Starnes did a 30-minute Question & Answer session, addressing numerous issues. Here is what came up:

• Dead-beat property owners. Has been asked about possibility of taxing them if they sit on property for years on end, taxing at potential value rather than simple appraised value. Maria Balais spoke up and said we should be going more for incentives than punishments.
• Mention of RITZ ordinance, which provides financial breaks and incentives to businesses locating Downtown.
• Discussion of parking issues, especially as they relate to issues handled by Sandra Jennings, head of City's parking & transportation. Suggestion to make presentation before her to present the residents' viewpoint.
• Complaints about "refugee camp" at Mills and Spring on land belonging to DOT. Residents at Centennial House can see it and say it's come from a migration from Peachtree & Pine area, which has been cleaned up lately.
• Peachtree & Pine shelter has cop cars out there night and day keeping the area clean -- costing taxpayers money but shelter could not function as it had been, causing huge problems in the immediate neighborhood. According to Debi, the shelter is losing a lot of its financial support. Urges people to "stay engaged" and active in expressing concern about area. Suggestion made by Maria to come up with a template letter for residents to write the shelter board, funders, City Council, etc. Perhaps ADNA will also write a letter as well.
• Various residents have idea for Downtown "Dirty Dozen" to put pressure on certain landlords and property owners to clean up their act.
• Contact Debi at dstarnes@atlantaga.gov or 404-330-6038.

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