The vibes are high in Atlanta
The Urban Connector monthly newsletter looks back on the best of the previous month as well as ways to get involved in the coming month. Please make sure you sign up below to have these delivered straight to your inbox and follow on YouTube, Substack, Twitter, BlueSky Social, and Instagram.
June Content
Netherlands Tour Review – Houten: A look back at my time in the car-lite village of Houten.
Netherlands Tour Review – Rotterdam: A look back at my time in Rotterdam.
Netherlands Tour Review – Utrecht: A look back at my time in the incredible City of Utrecht.
InPhil Designs: Atlanta Penitentiary Site: The potential to add an entire new neighborhood within striking distance of The BeltLine lies in plain sight.
Atlanta BeltLine Full “U” Ride Along: Ride along the entire 17-mile stretch of continuous Atlanta BeltLine trail.
Photos of the Month
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
Downtown is back?! The World Cup has blown away all expectations locally. It’s been amazing to see the energy, the streets full of people, South Downtown, Centennial Yards, and the revamped CTR. One can only hope we can capture some of this positive energy and sustain it after the tournament. Maybe this momentum can finally push forward much needed housing Downtown as well.
Insight into the Penitentiary Site – This one took me a very long time to pull together. From fear of it being too “unrealistic”, too “out there”, or “far-fetched etc. But like I always say, everything starts with an idea and starting a conversation around what is possible. Also, on the plane ride home from Netherlands, I erased nearly half the site and restarted because how I viewed so many things changed. Moral of the story, never stop drawing.
Chosewood Park BeltLine Access – I wrote about this last year but it’s now front and center with the Southside Trail open.
Boulevard sucks to walk on and will continue to even when the complete streets project is complete. We need to make use of the future Boulevard Crossing Park land to create off-street access from the BeltLine in what is one of the longest stretches without access on the entire trail. Half of the work appears to already be done by way of powerline maintenance access.
Developments that Excited Me
RTP 3.0 – The future of Research Triangle Park between Raleigh and Durham may be more than a sprawling office park thanks to the approval of RTP 3.0. This has the potential to be absolutely game-changing over the next several decades for the region that has more than it’s fair share of sprawl.
Centennial Yards Next Phase – The next block of Centennial Yards may be coming soon. They’ve released plans for an apartment complex and retail on the block just South of the Entertainment District. The 288 unit tower will have an increased focused on neighborhood facing retail which is a great thing and sorely needed to balance the initial phases’ focus on visitors.
West End Growth – 3000 units have scored preliminary approval adjacent to the BeltLine, MARTA, and a connector trail in what may become one of the most mobility friendly parts of the City. Also, a parking lot near Lee+White may become more housing. The potential for this area to become one of Atlanta’s densest, car-optional neighborhoods is looking good!
SouthSide Trail – Atlanta suddenly felt more connected last month with the opening of the South Side BeltLine Trail. This has really opened up getting to many parts of the City by bike and even walking from my neighborhood. Now we just need to work on those connections to and from the trail and filling in those empty parcels.
Get Involved, Atlanta!
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 7/6 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 7/13 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 7/15 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 8/3 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
Raleigh folks, I miss y’all! Make sure you’re keeping up to date with the great people at Raleigh Forward, WakeUP, Oaks and Spokes, NC Housing Table, and The Downtown Raleigh Community.
What I’m working on this month (and probably later)
- Netherlands infrastructure deep dives – Amsterdam and rural cycling
- More suburban spotlights
- InPhil Designs ideas
- Urban Thoughts – Cities: Chicago, Orlando, Nashville, London
I’m sure this newsletter will evolve as time goes on. Comments or suggestions? Let me know!
I’ll be reposting my favorite ideas to date plus all new content over on Substack! As always, everything will remain free so hop on over and subscribe!
Phil Veasley, PE, CNU-A, The Urban Connector, is a Professional Engineer with Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates focused on creating safer, more vibrant cities through strategic multimodal infrastructure design. With expertise spanning traffic analysis, hand sketching, conceptual design, and full construction documentation, he thrives on transforming roads into great streets where people of all ages and abilities can flourish. Based in Atlanta, Phil is a passionate advocate for walkable, dense, and equitable neighborhoods. Outside of work, his passion is exploring urban life through sketching infill ideas and navigating cities primarily by bike or foot. His on-the-ground perspective informs his professional work, helping him design transportation systems that are not only functional but also people-centered and inspiring. Phil brings both technical depth and a city lover’s enthusiasm to every project, drawing on the belief that infrastructure and urban form must go hand in hand to support vibrant, inclusive communities where everyone has access to opportunity and quality of life.
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Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
Phil Veasley 