The Midland Greenway and Tax Allocation District (TAD), together, recently earned Gainesville the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta’s “Development of Excellence in the Public Realm” award.
The Awards for Excellence program highlights “new and innovative” developments from across Georgia that represent advancements in real estate development throughout the full development process.
ULI Atlanta described the Midland Greenway, a walkable greenway on a 300-acre former CSX rail corridor in downtown Gainesville, as a “transformational” urban revitalization effort.
“Spearheaded by the City’s investment in master planning, creation of Gainesville’s first TAD, land acquisition and infrastructure delivery, it has paved the way for over $175 million in adjacent private development,” ULI Atlanta states. “Though it’s already resulted in a thriving neighborhood with trails, green space, thousands of square feet of commercial space and over 600 new residential units, Gainesville continues investment in Midland, adding a dog park, renovating the northernmost segment, funding stormwater management via pond systems and natural landscaping, and more.”
Gainesville City leadership received the award at the biannual ULI Atlanta Awards for Excellence, attended by roughly 500 real estate industry leaders and innovators.
“It goes without saying that this recognition is an absolute honor for our community,” said Gainesville City Manager Bryan Lackey. “We couldn’t have achieved all that we have in Midland Gainesville through this particular project without our talented partners: developers, Norhaven Partners and Terwilliger Pappas; architect, Dynamik Design; and general contractors, Fortune-Johnson and Summit Contracting Group. We appreciate them for helping to bring the City’s vision to life.”
“A jury representing various expertise, perspectives and skill sets across the built environment … evaluated nominated projects based on market acceptance, execution and leadership, as well as how it has impacted the broader community,” ULI Atlanta states.
“As I understand it, of 40 projects submitted from across the state of Georgia, 15 were selected as finalists and only seven received recognition…” Lackey said. “There are obviously some great things happening in various Peach State communities, and it’s exciting that what we’re doing here in Gainesville is not only grabbing the attention of others, but inspiring other development projects. The recognition isn’t just validating – it energizes us to keep the momentum and smart growth going for the benefit of residents.”
About ULI Atlanta
ULI Atlanta is a District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). As the preeminent, multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULI is a nonprofit education and research group supported by its diverse, expert membership base. Its mission is to “Shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.” ULI Atlanta has over 1,300 members throughout the Atlanta region and the broader geography, which includes the entire state of Georgia. ULI Atlanta is one of the largest and most active District Councils in the United States.