Vine City Renaissance coming? (Atlanta: sale, rent, house)

[arjay57]

Sounds like Arthur Blank is getting involved in a big way.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has committed about $7 million of the $15 million it has pledged to invest in improvements in the communities on Atlanta’s Westside near the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the commitment to improve the Westside is just getting started.

On May 13, hundreds of associates from Blank’s multiple business and philanthropic entities descended on the Westside to work on seven different projects — including refreshing six existing Habitat for Humanity-Atlanta homes. The effort — called Brush with Kindness — mainly involved repainting people’s homes.

“We have more than 300 of our associates involved in seven different projects,” Blank said while touring the different sites. “It is an opportunity for our associates to roll up their sleeves. We are committed to the Westside. Today we are working on these houses. But this is not a one-day project for us. This is 365 days a year.”

More....Arthur Blank and his team roll up their sleeves to help Atlanta’s Westside

[cqholt]

Rents around MB Stadium increasing nearly double digits

If these figures seem jaw-dropping, consider the rate increases in the seven-month period between December 2015 and July. Rental rates in the three neighborhoods increased by an amount that, when annualized, would range from 16 percent to 27 percent, Immergluck determined. Here are the numbers for the seven-month period:
English Avenue – up almost 14 percent;
Vine City – up 9 percent;
Washington Park – up almost 10 percent.

Want to rent a home near Falcons stadium? Prices up 27 percent on annualized basis, report shows - SaportaReport

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Rents around MB Stadium increasing nearly double digits

Want to rent a home near Falcons stadium? Prices up 27 percent on annualized basis, report shows - SaportaReport

I own property in the area and my property management company has been trying to get us to raise the rent for the past few years. We have held off until this year. One of our long time tenant is planning on moving at the end of the lease in 2017 and we will raise rent by about $200-$300 a month at that time for the next tenant. Mostly because the house needs some upgrades.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

I own property in the area and my property management company has been trying to get us to raise the rent for the past few years. We have held off until this year. One of our long time tenant is planning on moving at the end of the lease in 2017 and we will raise rent by about $200-$300 a month at that time for the next tenant. Mostly because the house needs some upgrades.

Are you noticing a difference around the neighborhood of late? I really hope all this money and attention actual result in some sort of lasting good for the residents and the area.

[arjay57]

I know this post is several months old but that is a beautiful park.

Originally Posted by cqholt

Vine City Park getting upgrade that debuts tomorrow.
Spruced-Up Vine City Park Ribbon-Cutting is Tomorrow - Curbed Atlanta

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Are you noticing a difference around the neighborhood of late? I really hope all this money and attention actual result in some sort of lasting good for the residents and the area.

The area my house is located at in English Avenue really was never all that bad of block in particular. But I have noticed that there has been an increase in cleanliness. It looks better on the street. There is an abandoned house next to mine that was SEVERELY overgrown in the backyard. We had been cutting the grass in the front yard ourselves but the back is gated and the weeds were so high they were growing over and pulling down our wood fence (ivy and other climbing vines). Last time we checked on the property the city had gotten the owner of the property to clean out the backyard. I was shocked !

There has been some improvement with other abandoned homes now as well. I also know that Blank helped to paint some of the Habitat homes in the neighborhood. People don't realize there are quite a few Habitat homes in English Avenue in particular, our neighbor's home was built by Habitat for Humanity. But those homes were already pretty decent looking due to having owner/occupants living in them, but improvement is improvement.

I also noticed they tore down some of the burned out homes/apartment buildings in the neighborhood last time I visited. So there are little things, but not a whole lot of changes.

[tikigod311]

Well, those sound like some good signs overall. Here's hoping the attention from the city and NGOs does not fade after the excitement of the new stadium wears off. Thanks for the insight, as always

[MikeHonchoATL]

That area is disgusting.

[cqholt]

Glad to see foundations help to keep fire/police in the city and focus on areas that can benefit from additional eyes on the streets.

The homes were constructed as part of the Secure Neighborhood effort by the Atlanta Police Foundation. With their neighbors, the new residents will help create a system of community policing in Vine City. Project leaders say the officers will serve as community liaisons, bringing their patrol cars home, attending neighborhood meetings, and becoming allies for positive growth on the Westside.

http://atlanta.curbed.com/2016/11/23...w-homes-police

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by MikeHonchoATL

That area is disgusting.

MikecorndogHonchoATroll really deserves the MVC (Most Valuable Commenter) award for this thread