Envisioning a Future Downtown for Avondale Estates

Discussing visions for a future downtown Avondale Estates is the topic of a meeting being held tonight at the Avondale Community Club at 7 pm.

Sponsored by Second Century Avondale, the event is a community forum about the possibilities, trends, and economics of urban redevelopment and revitalization.

A panel of three experts will give short presentations, and the mayor and city commission will also be on hand.

Here’s the panel:

Ken Bleakly is president of Bleakly Advisory Group, an Atlanta-based consulting firm that specializes in market and financial analysis, public finance and the implementation of public-private partnerships. Ken has assisted more than three dozen Georgia communities – including Avondale Estates – create tax allocation districts. Ken is an author and frequent speaker on urban and community development issues both regionally and nationally.

Pratt Cassity is director of the Center for Community Design and Preservation in the College of Environmental Design at UGA. In addition to teaching, research and consulting, Pratt is one of the leaders of the Downtown Renaissance Partnership – a collaborative project of the CED, the Carl Vinson School of Government, the Georgia Municipal Association, and the Georgia Cities Foundation – that provides technical support to cities large and small seeking to revitalize their downtowns.

Jack Honderd is a developer with special expertise in mixed-use projects. His company, NewStreet Development, LLC, has developed award-winning projects in Brookhaven and at East Decatur Station. A future project under his guidance will be near Talley Street in Decatur.

David Deiters, moderator, has lived in Avondale for the past 25 years and recently retired as president of the North Highland Company, a global management consulting firm. His 33-year consulting career was highlighted by building collaborative solutions and valuing diverse perspectives.