04 Nov KB and partners engage with the community
On October 23, KB Advisory Group and team members Sycamore Consulting, Gaskins, and TSW joined the Bowen Return to Community Event host, Atlanta Housing (AH), at the former John Carey Elementary School.
The event’s purpose; engage with area residents and reconnect AH as part of the ongoing Bowen Transformation Plan process. Most attendees were former Bowen Homes residents and Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant community members from Carey Park and NPU-G. It was a beautiful day with fun for all!
Geoff Koski is standing with Jen Price of Sycamore Consulting, Inc., our Bowen partner.
One of the Bowen Return to Community planning activities involved ping-pong balls! The tents behind provided shade for participating community members.
A look at some of the folks gathered at the Bowen Return to Community event.
KB Advisory Group staff (left to right): Phillip Carnell, Cameron Jones, Liza Mueller, Gabby Oliverio, with President Geoff Koski
Return to Community
Feedback activities invited engagement and opportunities for attendees to share ideas about what they want to see in the Bowen Transformation Plan. Equally important, participants spoke with and asked the Bowen Team questions. Additionally, those who dropped learned how to get involved in Round 2 of the Focus Groups. What’s more, participants could fill out the Community Needs Assessment Survey. Finally, Longline Holdings and Urban Oasis Development, neighborhood revitalization partners, shared updates on their Carey Park Redevelopment project.
An Atlanta Housing staffer is standing in front of a planning kiosk.
KB’s Cameron and Phillip were on hand to assist with the Community Needs Assessment Survey.
The Bowen Choice Neighborhood Community
The Chair of NPU-G, Ms. Ola Reynolds, and other NPU leadership attended. A former Bowen resident, Sharon Bourgeois, led the arts and crafts workshops, and Shaneeka Parks, another former Bowen resident, volunteered at the Welcome Tent. Likewise, Disha Gaitor, the proprietor of NPU-G’s 2 Pieces of Toast, a minority, woman-owned business, provided delicious food for all.
Sharon Bourgeois, to the right, is a former Bowen resident.
Other Activities and Attendees
There was entertainment too! CrossFit Midtown had physical activity for kids of all ages. Live Thrive Atlanta, a sustainability partner, arranged a visit by goats and shared important recycling information. Thanks to Concrete Jungle, everyone went home with delicious fruits and vegetables. Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore, City of Atlanta District 9 Representative Dustin Hillis, and Atlanta City Council Post 2 At-Large Member Matt Westmoreland stopped by supporting the Bowen Choice Neighborhood effort.
An attendee reviews handouts at Live Thrive’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) table.
NPU-G leadership, Joel Dixon of Urban Oasis Development, Nick Johnson and Katherine Moore (President) of the Georgia Conservancy, Dustin Hillis, Matt Westmoreland, and a furry friend.
The Bigger Picture
The October 23 event was part of the $450,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant awarded to AH by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Bowen Transformation Plan process will take two years. It includes the Bowen site and the Carey Park neighborhood. Also, some portion of the Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway business corridor in NPU-G.
LINKS for more information
For more on KB’s work with Atlanta Housing, CLICK HERE.
Bowen Choice Neighborhood: Help Us Plan the Reimagined Community
Bowen Choice Neighborhood Needs Assessment Survey
Photos courtesy of Gregg Hudspeth and Gabby Oliverio