Walking the walk and talking the talk with Fred Yalouris, the Atlanta BeltLine’s design director by Catherine Fox

Art & Design

Walking the walk and talking the talk with Fred Yalouris, the Atlanta BeltLine’s design director

By Catherine Fox | Mar 16, 2010

Converting a 22-mile railroad loop into the BeltLine, an urban amenity of transit, parks, trails and art that will link 45 Atlanta neighborhoods, is a herculean task. Fred Yalouris, the BeltLine’s director of design, knows “herculean” — and not just because he’s spent most of his life as an archaeologist.

The Maine-bred former college dean arrived here two years ago, on the heels of a decade spent working on the “Big Dig,” a Hydra-headed public works project that took downtown Boston’s highway underground. (He was responsible for the parks, streets and such that now lie on top of it.) Anyone who, upon completing that job, would look expressly for an equally complicated one clearly loves a challenge.

Yalouris – who heads a staff of five and 30 to 45 volunteer professionals, to whom he’s supremely grateful – says he can’t wait to get to work in the morning, so it shouldn’t be surprising that he’s a hands-on administrator. Actually, feet may be the operative extremities: Yalouris, 61, walks the BeltLine all the time.

Knowing the territory is critical to understanding the project. For instance, when Yalouris arrived, the master planning was under way, with 10 teams working on individual sections of the loop.

“At first I thought, why 10 plans? That’s a study in masochism,” he recalls. “But there are 46 nodes with vastly differing conditions (topographical, social, etc.). The only way to progress a plan is to break it up into manageable parts.”

In February, the BeltLine turned a corner in its development. Its selection of the Atlanta office of Perkins + Will and New York firm James Corner Field Operations as leaders of its design team signaled the shift from planning the environment of the corridor to designing the corridor itself.

A work-in-progress, southwest Atlanta

Although the work has barely started, you can expect that coherence will be a core value, one that is both aesthetic and functional. Because the BeltLine is a phased, 25-year project, devising a map for future development is a critical hedge against hodgepodge and builds in efficiency in maintenance. The team will develop a manual of sorts, detailing everything from streetscape standards to entrance path dimensions and soil specifications.

“The BeltLine is going to be built out in a multitude of contracts,” Yalouris says. “We need standards on which to build, so that if we do it now or in 15 years, it’s the same plan.”

Yalouris plans to keep the graffiti.

But he promises there will be room for individuality. Although the structure of the train stations will all be the same (“simple, elegant, I hope, and recognizable as transit stations,” he says), each stop will be a focal point for art, and some elements will be customized to reflect the neighborhood. Artists will participate on the design team and have a hand in creating designs for functional elements.

The BeltLine project encompasses the construction or expansion of nine parks contiguous to or near the corridor. Again, Yalouris’ footwork has given him a fine-grained view of the possibilities. “Atlanta’s topography is amazing,” he says. “We’ve leveled and covered it, but there is still a lot there we can bring back.

“The stream system is one of Atlanta’s greatest assets, but it’s one of the most abused. Proctor Creek, for example, is covered in trash and the banks are concrete, but when you step back and see it, it’s a diamond in the rough. We don’t have the wherewithal to daylight all the streams – it’s very expensive – but we will do what we can.”

This improvised skateboard park in the Fourth Ward will be replaced with a state-of-the-art design.

Yalouris describes himself as “an Olmsted kind of guy.” (Think Druid Hills and Piedmont Park.) He dislikes what he calls “overdesigned” parks but is all for contemporary amenities or improvements. The Fourth Ward Park will include Atlanta’s first skateboard park, and the renovation of Stanton Park in Peoplestown will make it Atlanta’s first zero-energy park.

Says Yalouris, who has spotted possibilities for pocket parks on his many walks: “I like to see the BeltLine as a linear park through which the train will delicately pass.”

Some will take issue with the “delicate” part. Residents of neighborhoods in northeast Atlanta rejected the BeltLine’s proposal for their section; they were particularly incensed by the density of proposed construction at the corner of Monroe Drive and 10th Street. Some disillusioned residents call the BeltLine a real estate project in disguise.

Yalouris maintains that it’s a matter of finding a balance among competing needs, agendas and requirements. “The bigger challenge is to get people to embrace the whole project,” he says. “The BeltLine’s biggest asset is its totality. We need to get people thinking about the collective good.”

One final note. J. William Thompson, former editor of Landscape Architecture magazine and an Atlanta ex-pat, says that touring the BeltLine completely changed his attitude about Atlanta’s future. As an antidote to sprawl and an ingenious way to revitalize the city, it is, he says, “a fabulous opportunity. I hope that Atlanta has the political will and money to complete it.”

Like Thompson, I feel that the BeltLine could be a game-changer for Atlanta. Look for more about the project in future posts.

16 Comments

Mandy

1

This is such a testament to Fred’s incredible passion, spirit, and commitment. Thanks for such a great piece.

16 Mar
Kit Sutherland

2

Hi, Cathy — great article! Thanks for helping to focus attention on this amazing project, which will bring much-needed benefits to Atlanta’s intown neighborhoods.

Kit Sutherland
President, Fourth Ward Alliance (neighborhood group)
Secretary, NPU M
Board Member, Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy

16 Mar
Jeannie

3

Great article. I’m so hopeful knowing that someone is looking at the overall design and putting together a comprehensive design approach to the BeltLine. Mr. Yalouris sounds like a perfect fit. Someone who sees the whole, appreciates Atlanta’s assets, but yet knows he must be familiar with the individual sections. Thanks for the post!

16 Mar
nyboyinga

4

Thanks for the story on the Beltline! I enjoyed reading the exciting news happening in Old Fourth Ward and with the Beltline project. There are so many good things happening in this area. Hope to see more stories like this in the future.

16 Mar
Ellen Dunham-Jones

5

Great piece Cathy – and a project deserving of community understanding.

16 Mar
Catherine Fox

6

Thank you for your enthusiastic response. I do plan more stories on the subject.
I hope that those of you who have a different perspective on the BeltLine or whatever, will share those thoughts. We’d like this to be a forum for all points of view.

16 Mar
Artisan

7

I hope there will be many opportunities for “Local Artists” to be involved in public Art projects including bus shelters, paving and sidewalks, fountains and neighborhood driven visual art.

16 Mar
No Street Spam

8

The Beltine has a great opportunity to change the face of Atlanta and become a leader in what public art can do for community pride and enjoyment. I hope they can turn around the current public art policy, which is basically “We Buy Houses” , “Carpet Cleaning” and illegally placed campaign signs littering the parks, right of ways, greenspaces and on off ramps of our city. Hopefully the next Beltline art project will not be a bunch of eyesores tack up on utility poles around the city. Step it up folks!

16 Mar
Eli

9

“Eyesores”? really? I absolutely love both Beltline Art projects. It’s a constant reminder to me of the presence of the Beltline all around the city. The chance for ANYONE to design a piece of public art was unique and empowering. Yeah they may not all be priceless masterpieces, but art is whatever you want it to be. There’s no way misplaced campaign signs and unsightly billboards should be mentioned alongside the Beltline Art Project. Plus much larger scale art projects that will PAY ARTISTS are in the works as I type!

Thank you Wonderroot, Beltline, Fred, and Angel for all that you’ve done and continue to do as proponents of art, greenspace, and progressive transit our home!

16 Mar
No Street Spam

10

Thanks Eli. My apologies to the artists involved in the first project. Didn’t mean to poo-poo the art, I think the use of utility poles perpetuates the disrespect for sign ordinances. I do join in your praise for the Beltline team efforts to join art, greenspace and transit.

16 Mar
Lisa Tuttle

11

Surprised this article didn’t mention the temporary art project “Art on the Beltline” that is planned for this summer?

16 Mar
Catherine Fox

12

Lisa, The Beltline arts fest will get its own post. I didn’t want to bury it in a longer article.

16 Mar
Tony Casadonte

13

Cathy, Thanks for the great article. Fred Yalouris is an asset to the city. I hope the Beltline maintains, and gains momentum. I truly believe if the project is done correctly it has the potential to change the DNA of our city. I am also confident with current Beltline leadership the vision gets closer to reality everyday!

16 Mar
emily wells

14

Hello Mr.Yalouris

Beltline would be a great access to all communties & Carver Hills Community . Proctor Creek in my Community has turned into a trash dump. My Neighborhood & friends aren’t nice to nature. Can’t wait to see a cleanup come and help us, help the Beavers & there friends.

16 Mar
mya

15

you are cool and good too i like you

16 Mar
mya

16

do you have a cat do you know how many cats i have i have 3 cats.And i have
3 dogs too.And i am funny too we are both funny.i love you
you are great.

16 Mar

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