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Committee recommends considering sale of Kelly Diversified tract as Accenture reports progress on Arena District
Summary
The Arena District Steering Committee unanimously recommended considering sale of the Kelly Diversified tract and heard Accenture report that stakeholder feedback is positive, utilities have capacity for Phase 1 and Phase 2, and outreach to UGA Innovation District and bio start-ups is underway.
The Arena District Steering Committee on May 29 unanimously recommended that the Mayor and Commission consider sale of the Kelly Diversified tract and received a progress update from Accenture, the city’s development facilitator for the Arena District project.
Mayor Kelly Girtz, committee chair, entertained the motion to recommend considering the sale — either in its entirety or with land reserved for future residential development — which Commissioner Allison Wright moved and Commissioner John Culpepper seconded. The committee approved the recommendation without discussion. Accenture will draft a letter conveying the committee’s recommendation to the Mayor and Commission.
Accenture told the committee it has held multiple meetings with stakeholders and staff, and that feedback so far suggests the project is moving in the right direction. The firm reported a recent design meeting with Gensler and a separate conversation with Thomas Hollingsworth about parameters for a potential sale of the Kelly Diversified site; the sale was described as permissible with Mayor and Commission approvals but not essential to the project.
The consultant also described outreach with the UGA Innovation District and said there could be opportunities to attract larger bio start-ups seeking office space. Accenture said it will continue conversations with Derrick Everhart and Chris Rhodes to facilitate introductions to a set of bio companies and to contacts at Johnson & Johnson.
On infrastructure, Accenture reported that Public Utilities confirmed sufficient capacity to support projected needs for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of development. The team also said it has met with the Athens Downtown Development Authority and plans additional stakeholder meetings with Jamie Childers, Paul Cramer, the Rebel team, transit staff and nearby hotel owners. The committee recommended further coordination with Commissioner Taylor, David Boyd, Levy and OBG.
The committee approved routine procedural items earlier in the meeting, set the next meeting for Friday, July 17 at 8:30 a.m., then adjourned at 9:30 a.m.
