Friends of Memorial Drive Greenway

Friends of Memorial Drive Greenway Memorial Drive Greenway is a proposed linear park connecting the Georgia State Capitol with Historic Oakland Cemetery.

Friends of Memorial Drive Greenway (MDG) works to expand, improve and activate 12-acres of proposed linear park greenspace from the Georgia State Capitol to Historic Oakland Cemetery, reconnecting downtown Atlanta to 5 historic neighborhoods. The parcel unites two iconic Atlanta features and adjacent communities and businesses. The current state of the parcel does not represent the City’s aspirati

ons or the present growth flourishing in the surrounding neighborhoods. There are “placeholder” green spaces interposed with unkempt businesses and derelict structures, barbed wire, litter and graffiti - an unpleasant and untidy entryway to an otherwise promising area. The Georgia State Capitol, Oakland Cemetery and the adjacent neighborhoods require public space
that supports, not thwarts, a positive perception and experience to those who visit, work
and reside there. While some progress has been made in acquiring land for the parcel in recent years, there are no known immediate plans to complete the effort. Friends of Capitol Gateway Park seeks to expedite the planning and development of this important initiative through civic engagement, building partnerships and raising funds. Seeing this vision through would have an instant and lasting impact on the City and surrounding communities - but it will
require planning and conviction. The vision for Capitol Gateway Park is a stately and attractive expanse of lawn and gardens and a practical and appealing entranceway to adjacent communities. This community space would include tree-lined paths alive with art, nature and historic
monuments and common spaces for assemblies, picnics and concerts. Implications would be impactful and instantaneous to surrounding communities.

Address

301 Martin Luther King Jr Drive SE
Atlanta, GA
30312

Telephone

+14044319674

Website

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Our Story

Friends of Memorial Drive Greenway (MDG) is a group of volunteer community, nonprofit and business leaders who actively work to expand, improve and activate the Memorial Drive Greenway. Founded in 2015 to revive and re-vision a more than 40-year-old greenspace proposal, Friends of Memorial Drive Greenway is part of the Friends of the Park program of Park Pride, the only nonprofit organization working with communities all over Atlanta to improve their parks through programs, funding, and leadership.

The Memorial Drive Greenway consists of 12-acres of proposed linear park greenspace along the Memorial Drive corridor to downtown Atlanta, connecting the Georgia State Capitol to Historic Oakland Cemetery. The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation currently owns and manages nearly one-third of the land parcels within the proposed Greenway, which are presently designated as park space. Funds from the Eastside Tax Allocation District (TAD) would enable future acquisitions of proposed park parcels.

The Memorial Drive Greenway is also one of many projects and proposals aiming to heal the gash created by the I-85/I-75 interstate north/south through Atlanta’s Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead neighborhoods. The residential and business communities’ desire to reconnect the city to itself is evidenced by the completed 5th Street Midtown Bridge project, as well as proposals for “The Stitch” Downtown Cap, the Memorial Drive Greenway Downtown Cap, and the Path 400 Buckhead Cap.

Parcels and improvements for the Memorial Drive Greenway are outlined in the community vision for the park, as presented in the 2017 Final Conceptual Plan, developed by Park Pride through its Park Visioning Program.