The property, which is located within walking distance of thousands of residences in the Pine Hills neighborhood and the densely populated Lenox Road corridor, is treed with mature stands of bamboo and has a creek running through it. Initial development will be limited to demolition of an existing residential structure, removal of debris and measures necessary to make the site safe and secure. The park will eventually undergo a master planning or visioning process, including collaboration with the community in order to map out future uses and stewardship.
“I’d like to thank Mayor [Kasim] Reed and Parks Commissioner George Dusenbury for this $1.17 million investment,” said Shook, who sponsored the legislation. “This is a huge step forward in our effort to have everyone in Buckhead live or work within a 10-minute walk to a park.”
Dusenbury added, “Purchasing the property on Lenox Road is consistent with the city’s goals of greenspace acquisition, preservation and park expansion. This acquisition also will move Council District 7, the district with the lowest inventory of parkland, one step closer to goals provided in the district’s new greenspace plan. Mayor Reed’s administration, the Office of Parks and the Atlanta City Council is committed to working with the community to collaborate on the park’s design.”
The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit aimed at saving some of America’s special places, purchased the property at 3162 Lenox Road to create a new park. The fund has agreed to sell the property to the city for an amount that does not exceed fair market value. The city’s purchase price, closing costs, environmental due diligence costs and site cleanup costs are estimated to be $1.17 million.
Funding for the property will come from the city’s Park Impact Fee North Fund. In addition to park impact fees, public safety impact and transportation impact fees will fund the additional infrastructure, including parkland.
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