Developers met in downtown Atlanta to share details on the master plan for The Stitch, a project that would cap parts of Interstate 75 and 85 with a 14-acre multi-use greenspace.
The project is designed to connect Atlanta’s Midtown, downtown, and Old Fourth Ward neighborhoods. Historically, the area was once a Black neighborhood called “Buttermilk Bottom,” which was cleared to create the Downtown Connector.
The Stitch is planned to be constructed over a 0.75-mile-long stretch of the Connector, spanning from Ted Turner Drive to Piedmont Avenue.
(Amanda Andrews/GPB News)
Developers involved in the project like Michael Green, the CEO of Sophy Companies, said this project is a chance to create the community those residents were initially promised.
“We’re in conversation with the Atlanta Public Schools to be able to build a new school on the site and really be able to support that community building effort,” Green said.
Schools, businesses, and affordable housing are all part of the vision for The Stitch project and the surrounding community development.
During 2025, project leaders will establish a nonprofit to oversee the park, seek more public and private funding, and continue community engagement. Stitch Development Manager Jack Cebe said they’re working with officials on local, state, and federal levels to ensure the long-term success of this project.
“That funding source is secured so that Day 1 after construction, we have the resources we need to make sure it’s programmed with all the community uses that the community said is important to them — that it’s high-quality, that it’s safe and well maintained,” Cebe said.
Funding for this project comes from private and public sources, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The final project includes an amphitheater, open lawns, a skate park, and access to MARTA.
Green said they’re intentionally incorporating mass transit options to keep housing affordable near The Stitch.
“As you build more parking, that makes the overall cost of the project go up, which therefore makes the price that you must charge for residents to stay there — that makes that go up as well,” he said.
Walking tours of the future sites of The Stitch are available through Dec. 14. Construction will begin officially in 2026 following the World Cup.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
