Southwest Atlanta Shines at UrbanPlan Academy
On the last Saturday in June, community advocates from across Atlanta gathered at Atlanta University Center’s Roosevelt Hall for the intensive all-day UrbanPlan Academy Workshop hosted by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in collaboration with the City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning. Representing NPU-T were Secretary Dave Mardis and longtime advocate Karl Barnes, a mainstay of the community with deep roots in Southwest Atlanta’s civic landscape.
The event, part of ULI’s ongoing effort to demystify urban redevelopment for community leaders, invited participants to step into the shoes of real estate developers tasked with transforming a neighborhood in the fictitious city of "Yorktown". The challenge? Create a multi-block redevelopment plan that generates tax revenue, attracts investment, provides affordable housing, and champions sustainability—all while responding to a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for the “Elmwood District.”
Attendees were placed into development teams, each assigned specific roles like Financial Analyst, Site Planner, or Neighborhood Liaison. For Dave Mardis, who served as his team's Financial Analyst, the experience was eye-opening. “What I learned today gave me enormous insight into how projects like these come to be,” he said. Karl Barnes, a returning participant, took on the role of Neighborhood Liaison on his team and brought invaluable perspective and heart to the table.
Composed entirely of participants from Southwest Atlanta NPUs and guided by facilitator Rosheata “Ro” McClain, the team Dave was matched with called themselves the New Vision Developers. The team consisted of Dr. Faye Floyd (Chair, NPU-P), Tracy Bates (English Avenue), T. Dolores Lee Furlow (Chair, NPU-I) and Stacey Kate Accad (NPU-I). Their winning proposal, “The Green Heart of Yorktown,”impressed the mock City Council with its thoughtful integration of affordable housing, net-zero buildings, and vibrant community spaces—all while delivering a solid return for both the developer and the city.
“The Green Heart of Yorktown” prioritized mixed-use development, walkability, and community resilience. The team carefully negotiated between market demand and civic priorities, incorporating key features like green-certified buildings, workforce housing, and job-generating retail spaces—all while exceeding the RFP’s financial and equity goals. They succeeded by holding true to their ULI facilitators’ advice not to lose sight of their vision. By always circling back to the “green heart”, they refused to settle on simply meeting the project’s mandated thresholds if doing so didn’t also satisfy their own personal priorities for sustainability and equity.
Rosheata “Ro” McClain, the team’s facilitator, reflected on the day with pride: “I was so inspired by your tenacity, creativity, and determination to learn, grow, thrive—and WIN—all in a single day!”
The workshop wasn’t just a win for his team—it was a win for community empowerment. “On top of teaching me so much,” Dave said, “it helped me build meaningful connections with like-minded community members from nearby Neighborhood Planning Units. Also we got to play with legos, so what’s not love"?”
The UrbanPlan Academy is a powerful reminder that community members are not just bystanders to change—they’re critical partners in shaping the neighborhoods they call home. Congratulations to Team New Vision, Karl, and all the participants who took a day out of their busy schedules in order that they might become more informed advocates for their communities.