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Rockdale Real Estate Summit provides leads to tax cuts, other benefits ....page 3 DeKalb School District boosts budget surplus to $30.9 million....page 5
SERVING DEKALB, FULTON, GWINNETT, HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES
VOLUME 20 NUMBER 25
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MARTA seeks developers for “Atop rail stations” MARTA is seeking innovative ideas to develop the air rights atop its rail stations as part of its Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program. Imagine picking up lunch at an indoor market above a MARTA rail station or catching the MARTA train directly below your office and enjoying a traffic-free end to your workday. MARTA has formally released a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for air rights development at four rail stations: Arts Center, Lenox, Midtown and North Avenue. These stations are located within two Atlanta business districts and already provide convenient transit access to thousands who live, work and play nearby. MARTA is soliciting Project Vision Statements from local and national developers capable of
MARTA concept station
developing the air rights at these stations into vibrant, mixed-use projects. “We want to attract the best developers, locally
and nationally, to tackle this sophisticated concept of air rights development at active rail stations,” said MARTA GM/CEO Keith T. Parker. “Once complete, these stations will transform their surrounding neighborhoods and make MARTA an even more attractive choice for existing and future customers.” The RFEI will be used to gauge market potential and assess which stations are most suitable for air rights development through an open and competitive Request for Proposals process. Proposals are due to MARTA on Nov. 1, 2014. Inquiries may be directed to: Reginald Bryant, Office of Contracts, Procurement and Material, rebryant@itsmarta.com.
Lego Day brings fun and “master builders” to Decatur By Joshua Smith
Jonah Kolesky spent his 10th birthday doing what he loves: building Lego creations at the DeKalb County Public Library’s central location in Decatur. The Sept. 17 Lego Day event was a first for the library. Kolesky is definitely on a high horse. He already received one birthday present—an 888-piece Lego “Ninja Turtle Hideout” set which he built in a matter of a few hours. “That set was a $100 and I loved building it. I am a master builder. I might be building things at Lego Land when I grow up,” said Kolesky. “I went to California three times for Lego Land. The first time I went I was 3. I love Legos.” The Lego company and their trademark, Lego Lands, have grown in popularity over the years with “lands” in Denmark, England, Germany, California, Malaysia, Florida and Georgia. Between Jonah and his 7-yearold Micah, the young builders have dozens of Lego sets such as The Ninja Turtles, The Avengers, The Hulk, Star Wars, X-Men, Batman and a complete Lego city.
Young “master builders” like 10-year-old Jonah Kolesky (center) came up with different Lego creations before watching “The Lego Movie” on Sept. 18 in Decatur.
Library officials say the Lego Day event gave the kids a chance to show off their inventions but meet others who are fond of building with Legos. “We got the idea from the Northlake branch and it looks like a successful one. We never did this before, but we all had a lot of fun here. These are some very creative and innovative minds we are working with here,” said Mia
Manekofsky, the central branch’s Children’s Librarian. The event served as a time of bonding for father and son building team dad Vance Shofiner and his 4-year-old son, Franklin. “I love the bridge he made. I started with Legos at about the age he is now,” said Vance Shofiner, who himself received his first Lego set at the age of 3. Now at 43, Shofiner still has many of the
Photos by Joshua Smith/OCG News
Father and son Vance and Franklin Shofiner worked together to make bridges at Lego Day at the Decatur branch library.
original pieces at his home. “I have some real throwbacks and Franklin may enjoy them some day soon like I have over the years,” said Shofiner. Along with building pizzas, palm trees, bridges and other unique creations, children also colored Lego characters and joined their parents to watch a screening of “The Lego Movie” starring Will Ferrell, Will Arnett and Chris Pratt.
South DeKalb YMCA, DeKalb unable to reach deal By Valerie J. Morgan
South DeKalb YMCA officials say they will not pursue a public-private partnership with DeKalb County, a proposal DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson had touted as a health benefit to an underserved population in South DeKalb. The plan called for the county to buy the Y for $5 million, using voter-approved green space bonds, and then lease the facility back to the YMCA through the DeKalb County Development Authority for $1 per year over the next 50 years.
Under the deal, the facility would have been renovated and a walking trail and small splash park would have been built on the 18 acres where the Y is located at 2565 Snapfinger Woods Drive in Decatur. YMCA officials announced this week, however, they were unable to come to an agreement with the Board of Commissioners. “Unfortunately, the county’s most recent requests regarding our agreement make it impossible for the YMCA to continue negotiations for a framework that leads to our mutual success and would cause the YMCA
to change the very essence of who we are,” Executive Director Curtis Winston and Board Chair Maurice Evans, Jr. stated in a letter dated Sept. 17 to Y members and the local community. “…This was an extremely difficult decision considering the years of hard work, negotiations, planning and public meetings that have taken place.” Winston recently worked with Johnson to host a series of tours of the Y, hoping to generate See South DeKalb YMCA, page 6