By Special to the Daily World
Mayor Kasim Reed joined Congressman John Lewis, the State Transportation Board (STB), other officials and private-sector partners Monday, Oct. 31, for the signing of an agreement for the initial development of a Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal (MMPT) and commercial center in downtown Atlanta.
“The Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal will help transform how we move around our city and region,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The MMPT will serve as the focal point for many existing and future transit networks. It is an important part of the overall effort to improve and expand public transportation in metropolitan Atlanta, and it will help our region maintain its competitive edge.”
The Atlanta MMPT will be the hub for existing and proposed transportation networks serving metro Atlanta and beyond, including MARTA rail and bus, regional express buses and the state’s passenger rail network. It may also accommodate future transportation, including high-speed rail, light rail and streetcar services. In addition, it will serve as a catalyst for one of the largest Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects in the United States with expected commercial, recreational and residential mixed-use development.
“This is a moment I’ve worked towards since I joined the Transportation Board in 2003,” STB Intermodal Committee Chairperson Dana Lemon said. “The MMPT underscores the board’s commitment to practical transit solutions for Atlanta. This is our beginning, and it will resonate and bear fruit throughout the metro area for years to come.”
Georgia DOT’s $12.2 million, two-year contract with the consortium will provide a conceptual design of the MMPT and potential funding options. Separate coinciding work over the next two years will make the necessary environmental impact assessment of the project.
“We are very proud to be part of the team selected to develop this large transportation and commercial center in downtown Atlanta,” said Emerick J. Corsi Jr., president of Real Estate Asset Services for Forest City Enterprises. “Our development team, which includes Atlanta-based Cousins Properties Inc. and The Integral Group, looks forward to working in a very effective public-private partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation and other stakeholders.”
The MMPT will be developed for the Georgia Department of Transportation by Forest City/Cousins/Integral, a consortium of private firms and will be located in the long underutilized “Gulch” area near Philips Arena, the Georgia Dome and World Congress Center.
Detailed information regarding the MMPT and the development team is available at: www.dot.ga.gov/informationcenter/p3/projects/mmpt
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