City Council votes to return deeds on 10 schools

By Collin Kelley

The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously last month to turn over deeds it has held on nine vacant school properties to Atlanta Public Schools. The vote came after January’s agreement to hand over the deed to George W. Adair Elementary School in southwest Atlanta.

APS wants to sell off the property for redevelopment. The city and APS have been wrangling over the school properties for years, with the issue eventually winding up in court. Last year, Mayor Kasim Reed said he would not turn over the properties until APS adopted the affordable housing policy similar to the city’s own.

The issue of ownership dates back to 1973, when the city created the Atlanta Board of Education to maintain and operate its public schools.

The properties approved for quick claim deed include Adair, Anderson Park Elementary, Preston Arkwright Elementary, Milton Elementary, West Atlanta Elementary, Rosalie H. Wright Elementary, Claire Drive Facility, Daleview Drive Facility, Adamsville Primary School and Frederick Wilson Benteen Elementary.

“I am pleased that we are coming to a resolution on the future ownership of these properties, most of which are vacant properties,” said City Councilmember Joyce Sheperd, sponsor of the authorizing legislation. “If we can develop a viable economic development plan for these properties in conjunction with the surrounding communities, APS and potential buyers, it will certainly be a winwin outcome for all of us.”

Last May, the Atlanta City Council adopted an affordable housing policy for the purpose of promoting opportunities for mixed-income housing developments throughout the city and promoting housing affordability to minimize the number of households that must pay more than 30 percent of their income in rent or mortgage payments and to encourage the development and preservation of mixedincome residential areas.

A developer has already released plans to redevelop the historic Adair property in the Adair Park neighborhood. The school has been closed since the early 1970s. The developer is proposing to convert the circa-1911 school building into a mixed-use facility that will include artist studios and retail on the ground floor with housing for artists on the top floors.

Shepherd said the developer is committed to “restoration” in addition to renovation, concentrating on preserving the historical character and context of the building and affordable housing.