A new Community Improvement District on Atlanta’s westside is looking to re-brand the Howell Mill corridor that stretches from Georgia Tech up to Collier Road, taking on the title of the ‘Upper Westside.’
The CID hopes to follow in the footsteps of similar groups that have sprung up in recent years and have found wild success in their own neighborhoods, including the Cumberland CID and North Fulton CID. A Community Improvement District is a group of commercial property owners who group together to help plan out and fund local infrastructure improvements in their communities. Drawing official power from the Georgia Constitution, CID’s also partner with local entities such as the Council for Quality Growth or the Atlanta Regional Commission to further their cause.
The new Upper Westside CID is at home in one of the fastest growing stretches of Atlanta, where a seemingly unending string of construction projects has transformed the area into one of the city’s most trendy spots for millennials. Mixed used retail and apartment buildings have sprouted up all along Howell Mill and entertainment options in the form of restaurants and bars have followed close behind.
With all the new investment it made sense that the Upper Westside got its own CID, as local infrastructure lags behind its explosive population growth. Already a string of projects are on tap from the organization, including bike lanes on several stretches of road, an $8 million “Complete Street Project” on Howell Mill, and an expansion for Huff Road, which is “experiencing growing pains” as it sees more and more traffic.
Headed by President Chris Faussemagne of Westbridge Partners and a board that includes Atlanta City Councilmember Felicia Moore, the Westside CID has wasted no time in securing state aid in improving its infrastructure. With an impressive list of community partners including the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Tech, and Renew Atlanta, the CID has jumped headfirst into the fray as it looks to secure funding for much needed infrastructure upgrades to facilitate its ever growing populace.
