Gravel > Aspiration and the Atlanta Prison Farm
(ideas. work) It’s been a tough few years for aspirational city-building. With all the intolerance and polarization in our country, combined with COVID-19, many of us are in survival mode […]
FAQ > “why do the police want to train here?”
Q: Why does the Atlanta Police Foundation want to build a Public Safety Training Center at the Atlanta Prison Farm? (faq.work.) A: I don’t know. A report by the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF) doesn’t really offer a reason except that it is free land, and the size of the site […]
FAQ > “what process would we expect?”
UPDATE 9/3/21: Since first announced in May, there have been three Zoom public meetings about the Atlanta Police Foundation’s proposal to build a public safety training center at the city-owned […]
Gravel > all this talk of racist highways.
(ideas.work.) Much has been made recently of the fact that many of America’s highways are racist. It started when USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg told April Ryan in an interview with […]
Gravel > pride & destiny
(ideas.) I hadn’t thought much about flags until I saw a tweet from Marian Liou suggesting Atlanta needed a new one. Following that was a link to a TED Talk […]
Sixpitch > Loving Lake Charlotte
(work.) This post first ran under the headline “Future Earth Days Will Be Different” in the Saporta Report’s leadership blog. I wrote about the City of Atlanta’s acquisition of a […]
Elevator > West End Press Roundup
(press.) Someone told us the project was too hyped up. I replied that West End Atlanta deserves all the hype that it gets. “It’s aspirational because it needs to be,” […]
Next City > “the deep end of the economic development pool”
(press.) I met Oscar Perry Abello at the SOCAP Conference in San Francisco last September where there was a lot of talk about the federal government’s new and controversial “Opportunity […]
Georgia Tech > “twenty years ago this month…”
(press. video.) “Twenty years ago this month, Ryan Gravel submitted a master’s thesis that would transform Atlanta,” begins Georgia Tech’s Stacy Braukman for an article titled “The Man With A […]
AJC > “his life has become interwoven into his dream.”
(press.) A friend of mine saw my name and the byline and thought, “Oh no, he’s going to rip Ryan to shreds.” Bill Torpy is known as a tough columnist at the AJC, but even tough guys love a great story. Thanks, Bill for continuing coverage of this incredible journey […]
GRAVEL > a bigger better loop.
This December marks the 20th anniversary of my Atlanta Beltline thesis (dang!) and, as I’ve said, even with all of its challenges, I’m damn proud of the progress we’ve made. […]
Gravel > 20 years later, damn proud.
(ideas.) Twenty years ago, I never imagined we would actually build the Atlanta Beltline. I just wanted to graduate – which I did. I finished my Beltline thesis in December […]
WABE > transit week
(press.) It was transit week and WABE’s Rose Scott was out on the Atlanta Beltline for a special edition of A Closer Look called “From The Northside Trail To The […]
Sixpitch > South River Under Siege.
(work.) This post first ran in the Saporta Report’s leadership blog: “Along the South River, Large Tracts of Tree Canopy Under Siege.” I wrote about how Atlanta’s South River watershed has been a dumping ground for generations – and even today, crazy things still happen down there. All the damage […]
WFAE > “yes in my back yard”
[press.] Charlotte’s NPR Station came searching for YIMBY advocates – Yes In My Back Yard – people fighting FOR density in their community as a critical approach to addressing the escalating costs of housing. David Boraks found some YIMBYs planning the future of Hulsey Yard on the Atlanta Beltline. “Finding […]
Sixpitch > Atlanta’s Old Prison Farm is the keystone for greenspace expansion
(work.) A version of this post first ran in the Saporta Report’s leadership blog: “Atlanta Holds the Key to Dramatically Increase Needed Greenspace.” It describes how the City of Atlanta’s […]
AJC > West End site to become “a media and technology hub.”
[press.] Scott Trubey took the time to introduce Elevator City Partners and our plan for the West End Mall. Check out his story “Beltline visionary part of team seeking redevelopment […]
National Geographic > “not what the future wants.”
[press.] Robert Kunzig’s cover story for National Geographic’s April issue was this hot take on the future of cities: “These five cities are taking bold steps to rein in sprawl.” Ok, so nobody is surprised to hear that Atlanta is the poster child for sprawl, but it’s a big surprise […]
Gravel > Two Thirds Not Served.
(ideas.) This was never the plan, but two thirds of the Beltline may forever move forward without transit. That’s because MARTA is only committed to one third of the long-promised […]
Saporta Report > “You can see the river disappear under the airport.”
[press.] At the Southface Energy Institute’s Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable on October 6, I joined Hannah Palmer, author of Flight Path, to discuss our books, the future of Atlanta’s southside, and […]
Co.Design > “A place filled with human decency, love.”
[press.] Inspired by the Atlanta City Design’s inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement, Diana Budds pens this thoughtful piece for Co.Design – “Atlanta Is Fighting Urban Inequality–With An Idea From […]
Next City > “A strategic realignment of existing plans.”
[press.] Following the September 2017 unveiling of the Atlanta City Design, Jared Brey covered what it means for Atlanta in this article for Next City. “New Atlanta Planning Book Takes Cue From Martin Luther King Jr.” Excerpt > Atlanta City Design, unveiled earlier this month, is meant to inform and […]
Atlanta Magazine > “The shelves of City Hall sag with grand plans gathering dust.”
(press.work.) It has been an honor to work with Commissioner Tim Keane on this remarkable aspiration for Atlanta’s future. It’s called the Atlanta City Design – Aspiring to the Beloved Community and Thomas Wheatley captured this brief synopsis for Atlanta Magazine. “Ryan Gravel and Tim Keane are sketching a smarter […]
Gravel (live on the TED stage) > We Are the Lives That We’re Talking About.
(ideas.) Here’s the TED talk I did in New York in October 2016. > “When we look today in wonder and disgust at the metropolis sprawled before us, we wonder […]
Gravel > Real Life vs. Reality Life
(ideas.) Nearly three weeks later and I’ve successfully spared you my take on the debilitating results of our national election. I’ve been grappling with the populist sentiment that seems to […]
Gravel > Vote down-ballot for Atlanta transit – literally – all the way down at the end.
UPDATE > GREAT NEWS! Both ballot referenda passed on election day. While there remains a lot of uncertainty about our national politics, at least locally we will have solid resources […]
Sixpitch > Discover Your Hidden Riverfront.
(work.) In early 2016, Sixpitch founder Ryan Gravel completed a collaborative effort with the staff and board at Chattahoochee NOW that culminated with “Vision53” – a document that outlines a […]
Sixpitch > Aspiring to the Beloved Community
(work.) In early 2016, Sixpitch founder Ryan Gravel began working with Tim Keane, Commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Planning and Community Development, on the Atlanta City Design. Supported by urban […]
The New York Times > “Nobody said progress was easy.”
(press.) New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman pens “In ‘By the People,’ Design for the Underserved and Overlooked” – a review of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum’s latest […]
The New York Times > “Full of high hopes.”
(press.) With the tongue-in-cheek headline “A Glorified Sidewalk, and the Path to Transform Atlanta,” New York Times’ Richard Fausset digs into a cultural shift brought on by the Atlanta Beltline, […]
Atlanta Magazine > “History is full of sensible proposals that went nowhere.”
(press.) In anticipation of the release of Where We Want to Live – Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities, Atlanta Magazine published two pieces in their March issue. […]
BOOK LAUNCH SAVE-THE-DATE & LINKS TO BUY MY BOOK.
(work.) We’re counting down the days. After many years, “Where We Want to Live – Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities,” launches March 15! Your first chance to get a signed copy is at the launch event the very next day. On MARCH 16 at 7:00 pm, A […]
New York Times > “American infrastructure is deferred home maintenance on a massive scale.”
(press.) New York Times contributing columnist Allison Arieff, who is also the Editorial Director at SPUR in San Francisco, penned this Op-Ed in early 2015, “What Happened to the Great […]
Gravel > “I learned how to be a pedestrian.”
(ideas.) This text first appeared as a letter in the Terminus issue of Art Papers, (January/February 2016), for which I was a guest co-editor. The original, along with a letter by Art Papers Editor and Artistic Director Victoria Camblin, can be found here. Also check out the entire Terminus issue […]
Blast from the Past.
(videos.) A few weeks ago, as I was digging through a decade and a half of Atlanta Beltline memories, I came across a digital memory of our early movement in […]
USA Today > “on the verge of a renaissance.”
(press.) Nice article by OZY writer Sanjena Sathian – USA Today picked up her story, “The transit makeover of Atlanta” at the close of 2014. Excerpt: “Everyone, from my mother to the mayor to environmentalists to the White House, proclaims that this unlikely city, with its long history of segregation […]
Gravel > “if we learn to see equity as our goal…”
(ideas.) This text first appeared in ideas+buildings. “Equity Through Sports + Art: A Design Dialogue in Atlanta.” Read the whole thing here and watch short video of excerpts from the event. Excerpt: “I think this kind of thoughtful and inclusive transition toward a better decision-making process – beyond just sports […]
Rails to Trails Magazine > “a project explicitly designed to connect us is about as transformative as it gets.”
(press.) This article for Rails to Trails Magazine was written by Rebecca Serna, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. It goes beyond the Atlanta Beltline to describe a culture that is “Transforming Atlanta.” Excerpt: “The BeltLine, as Woolard puts it, “is the one forum where it all comes together: […]
I Think We Should Talk > “in other words, it’s a game-changer.”
(press.) Nice long-form blog Q&A for I Think We Should Talk by Paul Sternberg: “Ryan Gravel.” Excerpt: “In other words, it’s a game-changer for a city like Atlanta. … Ryan and I talked recently about process, which goes well beyond having a radical idea. It’s about going places, seeing things, and meeting people. […]
Atlantic Cities > “it was something they could fight for instead of against.”
(press.) Great update by Rebecca Burns in Atlantic Cities. Link: “Can Atlanta Go All In on the BeltLine?” Excerpt: “I was immediately taken by it; not because I am brilliant but because Ryan’s idea was brilliant,” recalls Woolard. At the time, constituents would call her “constantly” to complain about the […]
Gravel > “planning a more forward southland.”
(ideas.) Gravelblog original. “Planning a More Forward Southland.” Atlanta will open its arms this Saturday for a national gathering of over 5,000 city planners, elected officials, students, consultants, and various […]
Random Rides
Here are video clips from various bike rides. “Spring Saturday Afternoon on the Atlanta Beltline.” (videos.) 2014/04. Video (0:9:19) of an average weekend afternoon on the Atlanta Beltline. It’s mobbed. Runs the full length […]
Gravel > “isn’t this exactly what we wanted?”
(ideas.) Gravelblog original. “The Vulnerability of Car-Dependency.” I spent some down-time during our snowy debacle thinking about how two inches of snow brought metropolitan Atlanta to its knees, leaving thousands […]
Gravel > “we need the Arts to drive the discussion.”
(ideas.) Gravelblog original. “Claiming Space for a World Class Cultural Infrastructure.” As I’m writing my book I am constantly reminded how the Atlanta Beltline came to life through a powerful […]
Go River! (the Los Angeles River is sublime).
(research.videos.) The Los Angeles River is spectacular. It’s sublime in the best sense of the word. I got to experience it first-hand for the first time back in the summer […]
Gravel > My favorite picture in 14 years working on this thing.
(ideas.) I took my kids out for a bike ride on a beautiful day last spring and the trail was mobbed. I was taking pictures with my phone, including this […]
Curbed > “the thesis was the easy part.”
(backstory.press.) Here’s a Q&A update for Curbed Atlanta in late 2013. Link: “A Chat With The Guy Whose Thesis Birthed the Beltline.” Excerpt: Curbed: “So how has your life changed since “the thesis” started to become a reality?” Gravel: “The thesis was the easy part. Since then, I’ve changed jobs several times […]
NationSwell > “the boarded-up, abandoned strip had been transformed.”
(press.) Nice post in NationSwell, a new media outlet that wants to introduce you to people renewing America. Link: “What’s ‘the Country’s Best Smart Growth Project’? You’ll Be Surprised.” Excerpt: “Years later, when he returned to Paris as a graduate student, he found that the boarded-up, abandoned strip had been transformed into […]
Nothing Short of Stunning.
(research.) I got to know Debra Edelson after she moved to Atlanta and was working on the Atlanta Beltline for the Trust for Public Land. In a previous life she worked for CSX as a partner in the effort to build the High Line in New York. In December 2013, […]
Drone Attack!
(videos.) I was struck down by a drone while touring the Atlanta Beltline with Fitz of Photomotion (3:07). Minutes later, we met Danté from “Danté’s down the Hatch.” Amazing day. Thanks to Fitz, who got the tour through a silent auction for the Lifecycle Building Center. >> Ryan Gravel
