Residents’ thoughts to be sought on design program around Turner Field

Planners to show the most recent concepts Sunday.

Planners will seek input from residents Sunday during Atlanta Streets Alive on a community design program for the neighborhoods around Turner Field.

Mayor Kasim Reed’s office said Friday that the city planning department, Invest Atlanta and planners at Perkins+Will will meet with residents from 2 to 6 p.m. outside the stadium as part of the latest round in the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study. Planners also will share the most recent design concepts.

The study is playing out as Georgia State University and its development partners Carter and Oakwood Development negotiate a sales contract for Turner Field and surrounding parking lots.

They plan to convert the ballpark into a Georgia State football stadium and build student housing, apartments, senior living, single-family homes and retail. Their plans also call for a baseball field to go in the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and preserving the Hank Aaron home run wall.

That investment — perhaps $300 million or more — will be by far the most the stadium neighborhoods have seen since the Ted was built for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. It also will encompass parking lots that sit mostly empty more than three-fourths of the year.

The Atlanta Braves have used the Ted since the Olympics but will move to a new Cobb County ballpark next year.

The city said more than 1,600 people who live near the Ted have so far participated in study meetings. Final plan recommendations are set to be presented to the community June 7.