Atlanta, Georgia – Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, working with Atlanta Urban Development (AUD), has started a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify development partners for the renovation of Gun Club Park in a major step to rejuvenate a long-vacant park in the Westside of Atlanta. Unused for over 20 years, this park is about to become an energetic mixed-income community with lots of facilities.
“Announcing this RFQ is a significant step in our extensive community planning initiative, aimed at bringing new families and facilities to this key area of the Westside,” said Mayor Dickens in a news release.
“Situated near the Westside Reservoir Park—now Atlanta’s largest park—and the Proctor Creek trail, this plan exemplifies ‘Trail-Oriented Development,’ prioritizing access to top-tier recreational amenities while fostering a vibrant mixed-use community. Our commitment includes more than 200 units of permanently affordable housing, contributing to our goal of building or preserving 20,000 affordable housing units.”
Expected to take place in several phases, the redevelopment proposal covers an impressive 44.1 acres. It follows the guidelines established in the Gun Club Park Small Area Plan, which was authorized last year, and suggests an appropriate balance of rental opportunities and homeownership. This covers a range of housing styles from “missing middle” duplexes and tiny apartment buildings to single-family homes on small lots. Forty percent of rentals and twenty-five percent of homes for purchase will be affordable, with prices aimed at households between 50 percent and 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).
AUD and city officials are seeking a development partner who can work in harmony with city agencies and community stakeholders such as Invest Atlanta. The goal is to link the new construction to surrounding parks, trails, and green areas while seamlessly including it into the current urban fabric. Plans also call for maintaining local biodiversity by retaining 40% of the current tree canopy, therefore improving the natural attractiveness of the community.
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Interested developers have till February 14, 2025, to provide their credentials. Detailed on the AUD website, the submission procedure calls on prospective partners to show their capacity to fit the city’s objective for a community-centric, inclusive development.
“AUD is proud to present the Gun Club Park development opportunity on behalf of the City of Atlanta. This project embodies a transformative development for Atlanta’s Westside, focusing on creating diverse housing options that cater to residents across the income spectrum, particularly larger units for families,” said John Majors, president and CEO of Atlanta Urban Development.
AUD will go over all of the entries after the RFQ time closes and then interact with the most qualified responders to guarantee the success of the project.
Under Mayor Dickens, this project is a component of a more comprehensive plan aiming at building or conserving 20,000 affordable homes by 2029. Through AUD, the city uses public land to promote projects that not only satisfy housing requirements but also enhance neighborhoods by providing affordable, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing living options.
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Visit the Atlanta Urban Development website for more details on the RFQ or to find out about alternative cooperation prospects with AUD.
Learn more about Mayor Dickens’ affordable housing agenda, click here.
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