Atlanta鈥檚 development boom cleared to continue during coronavirus pandemic
A comma error almost signaled a snag in the city鈥檚 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 industry鈥攏amely movie theaters and concert halls鈥攈as 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 Atlanta鈥檚 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 鈥渆ssential activities,鈥� such as grocery shopping, exercising鈥攂ut not at gyms鈥攁nd maintaining public infrastructure.
The official language (initially) said, 鈥渋ndividuals may leave their residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of 鈥楨ssential Infrastructure,鈥� including, but not limited to public works construction, airport operations, utility, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, railroads, public transportation…鈥� and so forth.
It seemed as if construction sites for private developments had been deemed off-limits. The reality, however, is that had some observers鈥攊ncluding Associated General Contractors of Georgia officials鈥攚ondering if the coronavirus had thrown a wrench in Atlanta鈥檚 growth spurt.
As the pointed out, city officials revised the mayor鈥檚 executive order to include 鈥渁n important comma鈥� between 鈥減ublic works鈥� and 鈥渃onstruction,鈥� thereby giving developers the green light to keep construction projects moving.
An image attached to an AGC blog post entitled 鈥淭he Power of a Comma.鈥�
Furthermore, after Curbed Atlanta inquired about how the first draft of the order published appeared to exclude construction under the 鈥渆ssential business鈥� umbrella, Atlanta鈥檚 Department of City Planning commissioner Tim Keane clarified in an email blast.
鈥淚n the City of Atlanta, construction is one of the essential businesses exempt from the Mayor鈥檚 鈥楽tay at Home鈥� Executive Order of March 23, 2020,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭herefore, construction within the corporate city limits may continue.鈥�
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 they鈥檙e reviewed and cleared by city officials.
The Midtown Union site Tuesday at 17th and Spring streets.
Construction itself isn鈥檛 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:
鈥淚f you鈥檙e 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 it鈥檚 a trade-dependent job. You can set tile, and the next tile-setter could be six feet away. But if you鈥檙e both working to put in a door, and you need someone to help you hold it as you send it in, you鈥檙e going to be a lot closer than six feet.鈥�
It鈥檚 too soon to say what other curveballs the pandemic could throw at the city鈥檚 construction industry. The hammer thwacks of new housing and bustling large-scale construction sites of Atlanta have hardly gone quiet, though.