North Ave. to undergo renovations

In recent years, Tech has performed the necessary studies to begin the planning stages of re-developing the Institute’s portion of North Avenue. This year, implementation will begin on that project to go along with this year’s addition of North Avenue’s dining hall.
The studies were originally developed to put into place a plan for campus development along North Avenue and to more fully and formally integrate that area with Tech’s campus.
The results of the studies pointed towards a consistent streetscape of North Avenue beginning at the Downtown Connector and going to Northside Drive, redevelopment of the plaza in front of Bobby Dodd Stadium and a softening of the transition between the street and Tech Tower lawn.
“With this project, we are going to try to open up some of the areas adjacent to North Avenue such as Tech Tower lawn and possibly the green area in front of the Wardlaw Center so as to better integrate it with the street,” said David Bowman, the lead architect for the project.
These improvements have been inspired by a recent push to improve student safety in the North Avenue area, especially with the addition of the new dining hall at NAA.
“With the new 300 seat all-you-care-to-eat dining hall opening in the Fall, we anticipate additional pedestrian movement along North Avenue. The streetscape will provide a much safer environment and will stay uniform with other streetscape movements that have been happening all over campus,” said Howard Wertheimer, the director of Capital Planning and Space Management for the Institute.
According to Wertheimer, The construction will occur in phases, labeled “A”–“D,” which will each be completely separate so as to minimize obstruction and inconvenience to pedestrian traffic. Each of the phases will take about 45 days to complete.
The typical streetscape update that will occur in each section of the build will include a widening of the sidewalk and a special extension of the sidewalk for trees and street lamps.
Future projects in the area include the addition of student support facilities, expansion of the Alumni House and administrative space on the south side of North Avenue.
Even further in the future there is the possibility for modifications to the North Avenue Bridge over the connector, reorientation of traffic on Techwood Drive and the potential re-routing of Tech Parkway to better connect North Avenue and Marietta Drive.