Midtown Beacon by Jamestown

GREEN GUIDE

HOW TO

REPURPOSE RECYCLE REUSE (EVEN IN THE CITY) Volume 4, Issue 3

Fall 2012

Greening Midtown In this issue of the Beacon, we profile people and projects working to make Atlanta greener.

n 2011, the Green Cities Index, published by The Economist, ranked Atlanta near the bottom of the list of the nation's cities for greenness (21 out of 27). For those of us who live in and love this city, that news is probably disheartening, but not shocking. However, there are plenty of things Atlanta is doing to improve its green standing. First, Atlanta has one of the nation's highest percentages of LEED-certified buildings per capita. Furthermore, the Atlanta BeltLine, which continues to forge ahead despite funding setbacks, plans to add 40% more greenspace to the city by the time it is completed. Last but not least, the City of Atlanta is actively promoting urban agriculture by amending zoning codes to legalize farmer's markets and to put processes in place for creating community gardens. In some ways, Midtown has an environmental leg up on other regions of the city because residentially dense urban areas like Midtown tend to have a smaller carbon footprint than low-density suburbs. In this issue of the Beacon, we'll highlight some of the people and projects at work to improve Atlanta's green ranking. On the opposite page, find simple suggestions for things you can do to reduce your own carbon footprint.

green guide It's the Little Things

Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Start small. Practice one new trick consistently for 30 days. It adds up!

ost of us would love to improve the environment. In fact, we try to make good choices every day. We bring our own bags to the grocery store and turn off the lights when we leave our houses. Here are some other simple ways to make a differenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and they'll save you money, too!

Use a Power Strip Consolidate all the electric devices in each room onto a power strip. Use a "smart" power strip, or turn the strip off to conserve phantom power. Skip the Bottled Water Bottled water is not only expensive, it also creates a lot of unnecessary plastic waste. Add a filter at the tap and drink from a resusable bottle. Repurpose and Reuse Don't automatically go out and buy something new. Check first on Craigslist or Freecycle to repurpose lightly used furniture and goods. Buy Smart Avoid buying clothes that need to be dry-cleaned, and consider buying in bulk to save money and cut down on packaging. Meatless Mondays Raising, distributing and transporting meat has a huge impact on the environment. Reduce this impact by not eating meat one day each week. Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies Ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon and soap make great cleaning supplies. They're also cheaper! Llearn more on page 3.

EcoDenizen Find natural resources for eco-conscious citizens right in the heart of Midtown Atlanta at 999 Peachtree's EcoDenizen.

hether you want to consult with an eco-designer on your next remodeling project or just need a green gift, EcoDenizen at 999 Peachtree is your one-stop shop for all things eco-friendly. At EcoDenizen you'll find bags, purses, bamboo housewares, solar backpacks for recharging your electronics and much more. EcoDenizen is Atlanta's only in-town dealer for the "Big Ass Fan" brand of super-efficient Haiku ceiling fans. They also have a great laundry bar where you can bring in your own containers and fill them with all-purpose cleaner, dish soap, glass cleaner and laundry detergent. Or, if you want to try your hand at making your own laundry soap, we've included an easy recipe below!

Make Your Own: Laundry Soap

1. 2. 3. 4.

Boil 2 cups of finely grated bar soap in 1 quart of water until soap is melted. Pour hot soap water into a large, clean pail and add 2 cups of borax and 2 cups of washing soda. Stir until dissolved. Add 2 gallons of water and stir until well-mixed. Once the mixture cools, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Cover pail. Use approximately 1/4 cup for each load. Mixture will gel between uses. Stir to re-mix.

green guide LEEDing 999

Jamestown received LEED Silver status for its 2009 renovation of 999 Peachtree. Here are a few of the changes they made.

ere are just a few of the changes 999 Peachtree has made to lighten its load on the environment:

• Lighting retrofits were completed in both the building and the parking deck. 999's power savings are estimated at $43,000 annually. The parking deck retrofit provides an annual savings of $15,000. • Restrooms were retrofitted with low-flow fixtures, reducing water and sewer usage by 2.2 million gallons annually. Additionally, a water reclamation cistern was added to irrigate the courtyard landscaping. • The HVAC system was upgraded in 2008 to automate start-up and shut-down. MERV 13 rated air filters provide quality air filtration throughout the building. The housekeeping staff uses HEPA rated vacuum cleaners and low-VOC cleaning and construction products. • 999 now recycles paper products, electronics, batteries and fluorescent/mercury lamps. • Alternative Transportation Initiatives include a variety of solutions: MARTA Transit, carpools, vanpools, employer benefits, Zipcar, bike share program and commuter rewards. • Education and awareness are key to optimum results towards 999's sustainability goals. • 999 Peachtree is an Energy Star Certified Building.

T-SPLOST: What's Next? What's next for the bike lanes, road safety improvements and alternative transportation solutions that T-SPLOST would have funded?

espite Georgia's failure to pass T-SPLOST, several Midtown transportation initiatives are moving forward. In October, Midtown Alliance kicked off a 3-year, $3 million project called Midtown Traffic Operations Program (MTOP) to improve traffic conditions in Midtown. The project will inventory the traffic control and communications equipment at 96 intersections in Midtown and upgrade as necessary. Then, in late 2013, Midtown Alliance will begin construction on what will be Midtown’s signature “green” street—Juniper Street from 14th Street to Ponce de Leon Avenue. This project includes a buffered bicycle lane, high-efficiency lighting, new sidewalks and innovative “green” infrastructure that filters and reduces the amount of stormwater sent into the sewer system.

Make Your Own: Difference There are so many ways to get involved in Atlanta's transportation future. Here are just a few:

Encourage your city councilperson to push for a legislative Plan B to T-SPLOST. (citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/ccinfo.htm)

Get involved with organizations like Midtown Alliance (midtownalliance.org) and the Midtown Neighbor's Association (midtownatlanta.org)

Raise funds for causes you support by doing things you love. For instance, runners could support the BeltLine Running Series. (running.beltline.org)

green guide BeltLine Boom

With T-SPLOST funds, the BeltLine could have been completed a decade sooner, but the BeltLine is still booming despite the defeat.

he long-awaited BeltLine Eastside trail was officially dedicated this fall in a ceremony recognizing the BeltLine's generous donors. The Eastside trail begins at Irwin St. in Inman Park and terminates at Piedmont Park's 10th Street entrance. Though the BeltLine isn't slated to be fully complete until 2035, the tremendous local and national support for the project is unwavering. The second annual Art on the Atlanta BeltLine showcase is underway through November. The exhibition is a shining example of how art in public spaces creates the kinds of communities and synergies that make Atlanta unique. Below are two pieces you'll find in this year's exibition, JD Kothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wigwam and Cash Barnesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Take Me to Your Leader.

Angel Poventud: Living Green in the City Even though Midtown's urban density gives it a leg up in the green game, it takes a real commitment to truly "go green" in the city. We met up with Angel Poventud, one of Midtown's greenest residents, and asked him what it really takes to go green in Midtown Atlanta.

ngel Poventud's motto is "When you find yourself with free time, try to embrace it and not be afraid of it." Poventud certainly practices what he preaches. His roster of volunteer projects could fill the free time of four or five "normal" volunteers. His commitment to the environment is as boundless as his energy.

ket to trap heat fro electric heater. He in his light fixtures a electronic devices, alarm clock among a power strip, which when he leaves for uses a bicycle (or h most of his transpo

While most of us content ourselves with not running the faucet while we brush our teeth or bringing reusable shopping bags to the grocery store, Poventud strives to have as little impact on the environment as possible. He lives in a 384-square-foot Midtown walk-up on Piedmont Road. His electric bill averages $17 a month, and his gas bill is only about $30. He achieves these goals without fancy solar panels or a complicated water catchment system. Instead, he is simply frugal. "Take air conditioning," he says. "I have a window unit, but I only have to run it on the absolute hottest days. The rest of the time, I just rinse off before I go to bed. Then I turn my ceiling fan on, and let the moisture evaporate from my skin." In the winter, Poventud partitions his living room with a blan-

Angel acknowledge towners wouldn't b green as he does. "I way I live in terms o "I'm not advocating

Make Yo

Angel is makin a comment at making an imp

1. 2. 3.

Trees At protecti and edu

Atlanta transpo

Atlanta multi-us corridor

om a wall-mounted uses LED lamps and keeps his few a stereo and an them, plugged into h he switches off the day. He also his roller blades) for ortation.

es that many Midbe happy living as I like to think of the of impact," he says. that everyone give

green guide

up their cars, but if we each make small choices every day to reduce our impact on the environment, then it's a start." Scoutmob calls Angel a "Beatific Force of Good," and Creative Loafing profiled him in a 2009 piece on happy Atlantans. He's currently restoring a house on the BeltLine in Adair Park, where he hopes to take green living to the next level. Learn more and help him reach his fundraising goal of $20,000 by visiting indiegogo.com/ angelshouse.

our Own: Impact

ng an impact with these three great organizations. Leave us facebook.com/999PeachtreeStreet to tell us how you're pact.

tlanta (treesatlanta.org): An organization dedicated to ing Atlanta's urban forest through planting, conservation ucation.

Bicycle Coalition (atlantabike.org): Promotes bicycle ortation and use, including advocacy and rider education.

BeltLine (beltline.org): Providing a network of public parks, se trails and transit by reusing 22 miles of historic railroad rs.

Streets Alive! Atlantans took to the streets of Virginia Highland/Inman Park in October for a celebration of diversity, wonder, connection and movement. Streets Alive is coming to Midtown this Spring.

qual parts block party and wellness experience, Atlanta Streets Alive is an event inspired by open streets projects all over the world. Sponsored by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, Streets Alive temporarily closes streets to motor vehicles and opens them to people on foot, bicycles, skates and other means of human-powered transport. The event has two goals: to celebrate Atlanta's neighborhoods and to expose attendees to the vast array of outdoor activities that help build a happier, healthier and more sustainable Atlanta. Streets Alive's 2013 spring event will take place in Midtown on Peachtree Street from Woodruff Park to 17th. For more info, visit atlantastreetsalive.com.

Yumminess Coming Soon! Italian eatery La Tagliatella is opening its first US location at Metropolis (919 Peachtree) in early 2013. With generous portions, high-quality ingredients and more than 400 combinations of pasta, sauce, antipasti, salad, lasagne, cannelloni, pizza and dessert, La Tagliatella is one to watch! Learn more at latagliatella.es.

green guide

Marketplaces Man-about-town George Krauth dishes on the fashions, flavors, designs and décor he discovers as he travels the globe tracking trends in his capacity as VP of Creative and Marketing for Jamestown.

travel a lot, and everywhere I go, I fall in love with products I find. I’ve gotten so inspired, in fact, that I’m bringing some of these goods to a new retail venture, Mixson Market in Charleston. Like Star Provisions in Atlanta or Chelsea Market in New York, Mixson Market will be a hip spot to get quality meat, cheese, coffee, wine and made-to-order sandwiches. More than that, the market will be a community gathering space, a place where people can relax over a cup of coffee or shop for amazing housewares like wool blankets, Herschel Supply Co. backpacks, Falconware enameled plates from the UK, cookbooks and vintage French bread boards. In addition to falling in love with great products, I also relish the unique marketplace communities I find in both small and large towns. That spirit definitely inspires Jamestown’s placemaking. At Warehouse Row in Chattanooga, for instance, we’re working to create an out-of-this-world mercantile food market, starting with local favorites Petunia’s Silver Jalapeño and Southern Burger Company. For more about some of the markets mentioned here, visit mixsonmarket.com, starprovisions. com, warehouserow.net and chelseamarket.com.

Notes and updates from Midtown Alliance | midtownal

lliance.org | midtownatl.com

SHARE THE VISION

South Midtown Improvements Continue! Construction is well underway for a $4 million, multiphased effort to transform the southern section of Midtown, which will significantly enhance and improve traffic flow, pedestrian amenities, handicap access and overall circulation. Improvements are being made at 12 key intersections along Ponce de Leon, North and Linden Avenues to improve traffic movement and pedestrian safety. New streetscaping along Ponce de Leon Avenue between Spring Street and Piedmont Avenue will feature new sidewalks, lights, trees and crosswalks. Big changes are taking place as well at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fox Triangleâ&#x20AC;? plaza at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Peachtree Street. Work is currently wrapping up, and the revitalized space is expected to be open to pedestrians soon, with plants and trees to be installed late in the year.

Midtown Projects Currently Under Construction SkyHouse: Developed by the Novare Group, the 320-unit luxury apartment tower on West Peachtree Street at 12th Street is designed to appeal to young professionals who want a luxury in-town residential experience. 77 12th Street: This 22-story luxury apartment tower will have 330 units and will be anchored by 20,000 square feet of street-level retail. The project is a joint venture by Daniel Corporation and Selig Enterprises and is expected to be complete in Spring 2013. Hyatt Atlanta Midtown: Construction of the Hyatt Atlanta Midtown at 125 10th Street is in full swing. The extensive renovation involves replacement and reconfiguration of the building exterior, full modernization of all building systems, and all-new luxurious interiors throughout the property. The hotel is slated for opening in Spring 2013. Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites: The 0pening of Atlanta's first dual-branded hotel (10th & Williams) is set for the 1st quarter of 2013. Combined, the two hotels will have 228 units and will include meeting and conference facilities accommodating up to 200 people.