PROPERTY OVERVIEW
| Property address | 313 Fairburn Rd, SW Atlanta, GA 30331 |
| Size | 10 acres |
| Current zoning | RG – 3: Residential General District; (for the purposes of our recommended use, may need a “special use permit” to operate the community education center) |
| Current land use | Medium-Density Residential |
| Appraised value | $56,800 |
Source: Fulton County Board of Assessors, 2019
PROPERTY USE RECOMMENDATION
Based on our analysis, the local community would benefit from a cradle-to-career community center with programming for residents across all ages.
Property Selection Rationale
As outlined on the Approach page, our site selection process prioritized vacant properties located in high-need communities. The Fairburn property rose to the top as a potential development site because the cluster schools are projected to remain below full capacity. As a result, the property can be used for non-academic purposes aligned with the needs of APS students and neighborhood residents and reflective of the District’s emphasis on equity as a strategic planning goal.
Community need: The neighborhood containing the Fairburn property has a high need across three of the four indicator categories – housing, transportation, and economics. Almost 50% of residents are rent cost-burdened, meaning they spend 30% or more of their income on housing (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). The median household income in the community is 40% lower than the City of Atlanta average, and nearly 25% of residents are unemployed (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017).
Utilization/Population: The cluster elementary, middle and high school utilization rates are all below the 80% APS high-capacity threshold (Atlanta Public Schools, 2018). The expected population growth is very low.
Current assets: The property is located near a concentration of multifamily housing, senior residences and townhomes. It is accessible by MARTA bus routes, and is ~2 miles from Cascade Promenade, a retail center with a grocery store, restaurants, and a diversity of small businesses.
How the Property Fits into Existing Plans
The Mays Cluster Strategy outlined in the State of Mays presentation in April 2019 noted that increased access to early college and career training is a priority for the cluster. Additionally, project-based learning and increased performance in students’ math and science are prioritized strategic outcomes as well, both of which could be supported by a cradle-to-career education center. We recognize that there will be a strong emphasis on the International Baccalaureate program, which will primarily serve high-achieving students. Our aim is for the education center to have a wider aperture and have programming that serves high school students across levels of academic performance.
Another opportunity for improvement that stakeholders, and Principal Stimpson, noted was to increase access to streamlined support for behaviorally challenged students. Our recommendation to provide behavioral and academic services for middle school students at the community center is a direct response to this need.
Recommendation
The community demonstrates a specific need for adult education programs, and middle school support services. Because a wide age-range of residents would benefit from these interventions, we recommend a cradle-to-career community education center.
Justification
Ultimately, the center will serve different age groups–early childhood, middle school, high school, adults, and seniors–providing support services oriented toward the needs of each age demographic. However, we recommend that programming for each group be phased in overtime, beginning with educational programming for high school students and adults. Only 23.5% of residents 18 and older within 3 miles of the property have a high school diploma, and 28.9% of the population 25 and over within one mile of the site have some college experience but no degree (ESRI Community Analyst, 2019). Given these statistics, there is a clear need for adult education interventions. This center could be an asset for area residents who have career ambitions but have been unable to attain a degree that can be leveraged for employment opportunities. Because local universities already provide GED courses and gap credit courses, there is an opportunity for the adult programming to focus specifically on non-degree contingent career preparation. This could include training on skills like graphic design, coding, UX design, and other technical-based aptitudes.
To encourage high school students to begin career planning, we recommend that the center contain an incubation/makers-space where students can develop, test and refine new ideas and products. With new technology replacing traditional service industries, the next generation of workers will need to be able to innovate and adapt to stay ruvaluable and successful in the labor economy. While many interventions focus on technical or industry-specific training opportunities, investments in developing entrepreneurs is also important and may be more attractive to high school students interested in creative or self-driven career paths. Providing a resourced space where high school students can develop and refine their ideas or create and test new products/technologies, can help provide them with a solid business foundation they can build on during and after high school. Only 1/3rd of residents within 3 miles of the site have an associates degree or above (ESRI Community Analyst, 2019). An entrepreneurship program may encourage students to pursue higher education or provide them with a career path if they decide not to attend college.
Phasing
As noted, while all of these programmatic components would be useful for the cluster, APS could choose to operationalize any combination of these offerings and still have significant impact. We recommend that this proposal is phased in overtime beginning with the incubation + makerspace and adult education programs, as those are the interventions that will serve the most immediate community needs. After those two programs have been established, the center can expand to include child care and/or early childhood education programming and middle school interventions, based on needs identified by Young Middle School. Through conversation with Young Middle School principal Kara Stimpson, we also learned that there is an existing need for academic and behavioral support services for non-traditional middle school students. This center could support non-traditional middle school students, like students who are older than their peers or have children, in addressing their unique circumstances outside a typical classroom setting.
Lastly, it can phase in senior activities, such as community gardening, computer literacy skills and exercise classes as a supplement to the other local senior centers and residential facilities .
Potential Partnerships
APS should leverage existing resources to develop and operate the center’s programs and services. Below are potential partners that could run or facilitate each aspect of the cradle-to-career center:
- Behavioral and Mental Health Support Services: Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Hillside Atlanta, Families First, Mercy Care
- Incubation/Makerspace: Potential partners include Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Invest Atlanta’s Students2Startups, Georgia Future Business Leaders of America, The Gathering Spot
- Career entry programs: General Assembly, New Horizons (Computer Learning Centers), LinkedIn, Fulton County Library
- Senior services: Quality Living Services, Prime Time Seniors (City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation)
Additional Considerations
Because the property size is relatively large (~10 acres), it can provide additional services alongside the cradle-to-career community center. Potential add-on interventions include an ecological reserve. According to an assessment by the City of Atlanta Office of Resiliency, this site contains mature upland forest and soils along the southern edge and deepest core of the property. As such, the site could include a reserve for recovery and important species such as voles and gophers, which help turn the soil and spread seeds, dead organic material which provides the nutrients for new growth. The site is not considered a problem area for air pollution or heat island effect, indicating potential for an ecological usage. Our hope is that the materials used in the incubation space are recycled or disposed of properly to maintain the environmental integrity of the site.