Atlanta Advisory Roundtable Recap
September 6, 2023
Speaker: Jack Cebe, Development Manager, The Stitch, CAP/ADID
On Wednesday, September 6th, 2023, The Council welcomed Jack Cebe, Development Manager for The Stitch for an update at our September Atlanta Advisory Roundtable. Thank you Jack for your presentation and vision.
Jack’s message focused on the geographic center of our city – the central bend of the 75/85 interchange – that divides Midtown and Downtown and prioritizes the funneling of cars over the connection of community. He discussed how, since the 1960s, the construction and widening of the Downtown ‘Connector’ has removed buildings, displaced people, and disrupted the physical and social urban fabric of Downtown Atlanta. And recently, in response to this destructive history, the Federal Government has created funding programs such as the Reconnecting Communities program to remediate these past community harms through re-development projects like The Stitch.
The Stitch aims to mend our Midtown/Downtown divide and become Atlanta’s “green heart,” says Jack. His team’s vision is to reconnect, revitalize, and elevate Downtown with a 14-acre park and new transportation connections, creating an estimated 38 acres of new equitable development. These changes would compliment existing assets like historical sites, cultural centers, and seats of government and business.
Jack envisions huge potential for community growth and investment. His team’s preliminary calculations on value creation show greater than a 3:1 ROI potential. They estimate 14 million square feet of development, 3,000-3,400 affordable housing units, 13,000+ construction/permanent jobs, and $2-3 billion in total private investment in the region.
He also explained The Stitch’s phased delivery, timeline, and funding sources. See here for a PDF of his presentation slides.