ATLANTA — MARTA is moving forward with its controversial $260 million Five Points station transformation project after the transportation agency and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens agreed to keep one station entrance open during construction.
That will allow for street level and elevator access, as well as bus pick up and drop off, according to a release sent by MARTA on Wednesday.
The new agreement will be a slight modification from what was initially proposed, allowing for ongoing pedestrian access on the Forsyth Street side of the Five Points station during most of the construction period.
The planned renovation sparked some controversy after initial proposals would have essentially shut down the station for several months with no access whatsoever.
Officials argued back in June that MARTA's current plan would negatively affect many in the community who rely on the trains for transportation.
MARTA paused the renovation plans for Phase 1 back in July after transit advocates, and Dickens voiced concerns about plans to close street access during the project.
The newly redesigned Five Points station is expected to be completed in time to showcase for the 2026 World Cup.
More about the Five Points redesign
The main undertaking for the project will involve deconstructing the current brutalist canopy in place at Five Points and eventually replacing it with an open-concept canopy. Several other elements, seen in the rendering below, are involved in the project that will make the site more pedestrian-centric.
The transit authority plans to release more details about the project in the coming weeks, but you can see renderings presented in a March 2023 MARTA board meeting below:
Photos: MARTA Five Points transformation project renderings
How much will the Five Points redesign cost?
The project was spurred by the receiving of federal funds. A cost breakdown by MARTA places the deconstruction and demolition of the existing structure at about $62 million, with the new canopy costing some $46 million and plaza and concourse level redesigns at about $23.5 and $20 million, respectively.
The total construction estimate comes in at about $203.5 million, with another $50+ million allotted for professional service/soft costs and contingency expenditures.
What will construction look like?
A step-by-step of the construction concept lists out the aims of the project:
- Remove the existing concrete canopy structure
- Carve up more openings for light and air below the canopy in the existing plaza, which has limited openings
- Prioritize the new station axis and reconnect Broad Street and the Broad Street plaza extending out of the station
- Program the open space with distinct character and purpose
- New canopy to tie the site together