Historic Fourth Ward Park

In the late 1980s and early 90s, the city drafted a $40 million plan to dig a massive underground tunnel in order to channel excess stormwater to a processing plant, where it would be cleaned and discharged into the Chattachoochee River.

Smith helped Eisenhauer organize stakeholders, including the Trust for Public Land and the Atlanta BeltLine, who purchased the declining industrial property next to the former Sears warehouse, where Eisenahuer had hoped new park would be housed.

[1] In addition to the new pond, the park also includes landscaped walkways, bridges, observation points, grassy fields, as well as a shaded playground and splashpad to help residents escape the heat.

The transformation of a declining industrial area into this park has increased the amount of green space in the Old Fourth Ward significantly, helping to reduce flooding and manage the urban heat island effect.

The creation of the Historic Fourth Ward park prompted development, including expensive loft apartments (with a small proportion of units slated for affordable housing), high-end realtors, and upscale restaurants.