NEWS RELEASE / CONTACT: CHRISTI BURTON, MARKETING@HGOR.COM

Atlanta, May 18, 2022

In pursuit of advancing environmental stewardship, HGOR received TWO Awards of Excellence, highlighting significance of sustainability and resilience in public place design.

2022 Atlanta Urban Design Commission (UDC) Award of Excellence: Sustainable Design

Two of Atlanta's most adored public places faced a challenge. Design-build team HGOR, master planner and lead landscape architect, Winter Construction, and Smith Dalia Architects developed cutting-edge solutions producing the world's first triple-certified project, receiving LEED, SITES, and Parksmart Certifications. 

Project Tasks: 

• Improve pedestrian safety

• Develop plan accommodating increased traffic at Atlanta's BeltLine and Zoo Atlanta

 A state-of-the-art, people-centric, environmentally acute solution resulted in Grant Park Gateway at historic Grant Park.

Grant Park Gateway delivers a 2.5-acre green roof covering a semi-underground parking garage with 1,000+ parking spaces minimizing vehicular interference. Nearly nine acres of additional green space showcases a plaza, restaurant, water feature, grand lawn, and terraced seating. An entrance gateway bridge, direct ADA circulation, and improved pathways overlooking the stormwater pond provide pedestrian circulation improvements.

Sustainability infrastructure involved removing mature trees replaced by native species ensuring long-term canopy health. Transportation is encouraged through bike parking, access to a nearby bike-sharing hub, EV charging, and the garage's biophilic design strategies. Ultimately, the project removed an existing parking lot, replacing it with green space benefiting end-users and the environment.

2022 Atlanta UDC Award of Excellence: Resilient Infrastructure 

Design-build partners HGOR, Reeves Young, and CERM transformed the under-developed Westside Park into Atlanta's largest gathering space. A design and engineering feat, the park's unique attribute, a 35.5-acre quarry-turned-reservoir implemented by Atlanta Watershed Management, is now Atlanta's major emergency water source, increasing city drinking water to 30+ days. 

Supporting Social Connectivity: 

• Five miles - ADA-accessible trails

• Links Proctor Creek Greenway with Atlanta BeltLine

• Opportunity zones planned to ensure park sustainability

Green infrastructure and sustainability initiatives were significant factors in the park's design and development. Surrounding park features include a 2.1-acre parking area with vegetated swales and bio-detention cells, EV charging stations, a visitor's center appropriated as an emergency shelter, and the integration of LEED Silver Certified energy and water efficiency facilities illustrate significant resilience efforts that enhance water quality and groundwater infiltration. 

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ABOUT HGOR

HGOR is an Atlanta-based planning and landscape architecture firm that provides holistic design approaches backed by decades of experience in cross-disciplinary innovation. Founded in 1992, HGOR exceeds client expectations by developing people-centric, innovative, cost-effective, and strategically planned design solutions.