Quarry Yards Explained

Quarry Yards is a mixed-use development under construction in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. First proposed in 2018, the development would be located in the Grove Park neighborhood, next to Bankhead station, Westside Reservoir Park, and Proctor Street Greenway.[1]

History

Plans for the development were unveiled by former Major League Baseball player Mark Teixeira on February 28, 2018. Teixeira was part of a development team that also included Urban Creek Partners and Pollack Shores Real Estate Group, which announced that they would be responsible for the development's residential portions. Initial plans for the development saw it covering approximately 70acres of land near Bellwood Quarry, and would include 850 residences, a 300-room hotel, and over 500000square feet of office space. Construction was expected to start by the end of 2018.[2] However, by September 2018, the expected start for construction had been moved back to the second quarter of 2019.[3] That same month, it was announced that the first phase of construction would cover 27acres at a cost of $400 million and would see the adaptive reuse of two preexisting buildings at the site. The first phase would see the creation of 50000square feet of office space and 32000square feet of retail. By August 2019, the expected groundbreaking had again been pushed back to November of that year.[4]

In July 2019, the developers elicited some controversy over a brochure created for the project that showed a group of only white Americans in a conference room with "A Community Created For The New Atlanta" overlaid.[5] The ad was criticized as a depiction of gentrification, with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stating that the brochure was "poorly executed."[6] Following the controversy, the developers revised the brochure.[7]

On September 1, 2020, Teixeira and the developers sold the development for $127 million. Teixeira announced that the new developers would likely incorporate more affordable housing into the project.[8] While the identity of the buyers was initially kept undisclosed,[9] the buyers were eventually revealed to be affiliated with Microsoft but not with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Residents in the neighborhood expressed some surprise and concern over the sale and the intent of the new buyers with the property.[10]

On February 11, 2021, Microsoft announced that they have purchased 90 acres at Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills, including committing 25% of the space to "the construction of affordable and empowered housing and other local community services and needs".[11]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Green. Josh. September 24, 2018. The present state and possible future of Quarry Yards, Atlanta's latest big idea. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111181809/https://atlanta.curbed.com/atlanta-photo-essays/2018/9/24/17897062/quarry-yards-mark-teixeira-development-grove-park. November 11, 2020. August 29, 2020. Curbed Atlanta. Vox Media. en.
  2. Web site: Trubey. Scott. March 1, 2018. Ex-Brave Teixeira unveils plans for Quarry Yards project. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920102924/https://www.ajc.com/business/brave-teixeira-unveils-plans-for-quarry-yards-project/J51HRGUMYLOussATfKZDvM/. September 20, 2020. August 29, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  3. Web site: Godwin. Becca J. G.. September 26, 2018. Major Quarry Yards project in Atlanta slated to break ground next year. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200921184233/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/major-quarry-yards-project-atlanta-slated-break-ground-next-year/EbgByJz3MsuRn5Nd6LxxxM/. September 21, 2020. August 29, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  4. Web site: Wenk. Amy. August 26, 2019. Momentum rising for Quarry Yards, developer eyes November groundbreaking. subscription. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027075054/https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2019/08/26/momentum-rising-for-quarry-yards-developer-eyes.html. October 27, 2020. August 29, 2020. Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals.
  5. Web site: Richards. Doug. July 9, 2019. Project's pitch for 'new Atlanta' distresses longtime residents in northwest side. August 29, 2020. WXIA-TV. Tegna Inc.. en-US.
  6. Web site: Deere. Stephen. July 9, 2019. Developer's brochure re-ignites gentrification debate in Atlanta. August 29, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  7. Web site: Deere. Stephen. July 10, 2019. Developer's brochure revised after social media flap. August 29, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  8. Web site: Peters. Andy. Bluestein. Greg. Trubey. J. Scott. September 10, 2020. Microsoft behind Quarry Yards purchase. September 10, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  9. Web site: Sams. Douglas. September 8, 2020. Pivotal site of Westside project Quarry Yards sells to mystery development group for $127M. subscription. September 10, 2020. Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals.
  10. Web site: Walker. Grace. September 10, 2020. Grove Park Neighborhood Leaders Respond To Reports Of Quarry Yards Sale. September 10, 2020. WABE. en-US.
  11. Web site: 2021-02-11. Investing to grow in and with Atlanta. 2021-02-11. The Official Microsoft Blog. en-US.

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