Mayor Kasim Reed held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Broad Street Pedestrian Plaza.  Mayor Reed was joined by William Johnson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Commissioner of Public Works, Terri Lee, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of City Planning and Jennifer Ball, VP of Planning and Economic Development, Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District.

The Broad Street Pedestrian Plaza is a newly-converted wood decking system designed to create an outdoor social setting with seating for the adjacent restaurants and spaces for special events. The new plaza represents a $500,000 investment in Atlanta’s Downtown corridor and will establish Broad Street as a vibrant town square that’s comfortable, attractive and accessible.

“The Broad Street Pedestrian Plaza is truly something special. If you look around Atlanta there is nothing else like it,” said Mayor Reed. “This new plaza is designed to be a thriving center of social interaction. Its proximity to Woodruff Park, Centennial Park, Georgia State University, MARTA and the Atlanta Streetcar guarantees that it will always have the kind of bustling foot traffic that attracts new business and supports the restaurants and companies already located here. I want to thank all the partners who have made this project a reality.”

The Broad Street Pedestrian Plaza meets ADA accessibility requirements and maintains access to existing utilities and storm water infrastructure.  It features a quickly assembled and fully adjustable pedestal decking system. Integrated and detached furniture elements will be added to enhance the experience and enjoyment of the new space.

“The Broad Street Pedestrian Plaza is yet another example of the improvements the City of Atlanta is making to help improve our communities and business districts. The newly-constructed deck will allow pedestrians, employees and visitors to take full advantage of the restaurants, shops and amenities in the area. It will be the perfect backdrop for the soon-to-come sculpture honoring champion boxer Evander Holyfileld,” said William Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Public Works.

In 2015, Mayor Reed closed Broad Street to vehicular traffic with the goal to encourage the growth of pedestrian activity and revitalize the storefront market in the area.