A public signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding approved by the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission taking place Wednesday afternoon.
The agreement between the Athens-Clarke County government and the Athens Housing Authority was approved at Tuesday night’s regular voting session.
Mayor Kelly Girtz says the North Athens Project will see the redevelopment of Bethel Village. Bethel Midtown Village would include a mixture of housing types, land uses, and density as part of a mixed-use/mixed income development.
“We want the northern downtown area to continue to be a place where those who don’t have a lot of money can live, but also a place where retirees can live, where working class folks can live, where research professionals or others can live,” Girtz said.
The mayor says the process will take months before any construction takes place.
“We anticipate that the planning will be the rest of this autumn and this winter, potentially into the spring. Obviously we’re going to have to coordinate with the school district and others and we don’t expect any movement, any physical movement, until next fall, fall of 2020.”
As part of that process, both residents of the village and Athens at large will be included.
“It’s going to involve a lot of discussion with current residents and lot of conversation with the community at large.
Girtz says rent will not increase for currents residents. The signing is Tuesday at 4 o’ clock at the Dougherty Street Government building.
