Atlantaâs development boom cleared to continue during coronavirus pandemic
A comma error almost signaled a snag in the cityâs growth spurt, it seems
A familiar Midtown scene in recent years.
As elected officials across the globe wrangle with how to regulate day-to-day life in an effort to curb the fast-spreading novel coronavirus, some industries have been nearly forced to a standstill.
In many cities, schools have closed or been shifted entirely online; the entertainment industryânamely movie theaters and concert hallsâhas been crippled; and bars and restaurants have either shuttered or been relegated to takeout and delivery-only operations.
So when Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms enacted a on Monday, it placed a huge question mark behind the immediate future of Atlantaâs years-long development boom.
The executive order called on Atlantans to shelter at their homes, except in cases in which they need to carry out âessential activities,â such as grocery shopping, exercisingâbut not at gymsâand maintaining public infrastructure.
The official language (initially) said, âindividuals may leave their residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of âEssential Infrastructure,â including, but not limited to public works construction, airport operations, utility, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, railroads, public transportation…â and so forth.
It seemed as if construction sites for private developments had been deemed off-limits. The reality, however, is that had some observersâincluding Associated General Contractors of Georgia officialsâwondering if the coronavirus had thrown a wrench in Atlantaâs growth spurt.
As the pointed out, city officials revised the mayorâs executive order to include âan important commaâ between âpublic worksâ and âconstruction,â thereby giving developers the green light to keep construction projects moving.
An image attached to an AGC blog post entitled âThe Power of a Comma.â
Furthermore, after Curbed Atlanta inquired about how the first draft of the order published appeared to exclude construction under the âessential businessâ umbrella, Atlantaâs Department of City Planning commissioner Tim Keane clarified in an email blast.
âIn the City of Atlanta, construction is one of the essential businesses exempt from the Mayorâs âStay at Homeâ Executive Order of March 23, 2020,â he wrote. âTherefore, construction within the corporate city limits may continue.â
Nevertheless, permitting and inspections have been delayed at the planning department, as Atlanta City Hall has been closed to the public and officials strive to practice social distancing.
Keane also noted the city is now accepting private, third-party inspections of projects, as long as theyâre reviewed and cleared by city officials.
The Midtown Union site Tuesday at 17th and Spring streets.
Construction itself isnât always conducive to social distancing, as Mike Durham, CEO of the AGC of Georgia stressed in an interview last week. He spelled out what crews might be facing:
âIf youâre out in the middle of a field pouring a new slab for a warehouse, that kind of work can continue to move forward, as long as your permitting and inspections are done properly… Some tasks lend themselves to keeping that distance, but itâs a trade-dependent job. You can set tile, and the next tile-setter could be six feet away. But if youâre both working to put in a door, and you need someone to help you hold it as you send it in, youâre going to be a lot closer than six feet.â
Itâs too soon to say what other curveballs the pandemic could throw at the cityâs construction industry. The hammer thwacks of new housing and bustling large-scale construction sites of Atlanta have hardly gone quiet, though.