COMMITMENT AND INSPIRATION
Article by Sean O’keefe , Sue Badldani
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, AMERICA’S BIGGEST CITIES ARE NOT ONLY STRUGGLING WITH WHAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE BUT, HOW THEY EVOLVE. The ongoing, curious dialogue between where you are, where you have been, and where you are going is a common struggle in communities across our great country. Thankfully for all of us, Midtown’s growth, evolution, and urbanization is guided carefully by the Midtown Alliance and, thankfully for the legions of people who choose to live and work in Midtown. Kevin Green is right there, guiding the way forward!
Kevin Green
While Kevin freely admits that he did have fun practicing law, ultimately he was looking for a way to turn his career into something that would make the world a better place and improve the environment. In 2000, Kevin made a “clean break” from law and went to work for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce as Vice President of Environmental Policy. While with the chamber Kevin worked to implement initiatives to improve water resource stewardship and helped to create The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District which continues to govern water supply, water quality, and wastewater issues for more than 5 million people in Metro Atlanta. Kevin also served as the executive director for the Clean Air Campaign, a Georgia non-profit working to improve air quality and reduce traffic, before accepting the position of executive director for the Midtown Alliance.
“Every urban district and neighborhood in Atlanta has its own distinct personality, but Midtown really stands out,” said Kevin. The Midtown Alliance “came together not only to address public safety and cleanliness, but the physical improvements of zoning and developing regulations that would ensure Midtown would thrive and get better as it grows.” Today, the Midtown Alliance is a coalition of leading business and community leaders governed by a 71-member board whose mission is to improve and sustain the Quality of life for those who live in Midtown, Atlanta. ‘There are few organizations that have done more to impact the physical and economic environment of the city of Atlanta than the Midtown Alliance,” said Kevin; “I have the best job in Atlanta’ Midtown is a walker’s paradise and “happy people on foot,” is a key indicator of a successful neighborhood. “We owe a big debt of gratitude to the city planners that laid the Atlanta street grid back in the 1800’s,” said Kevin.
The urban fabric of Midtown is constantly evolving, “you’ve got a residential building next to an office building, next to a hotel, next to an arts and cultural institution next to an urban classroom,” said Kevin. As Midtown continues to welcome new business and residential developments, Kevin and the Midtown Alliance realize that there also has to be breathing room. “With the amount of new development that we are welcoming, we need smaller pocket parks throughout Our district to give people a place to rest, recreate. and come together.”
As we begin to move out of these troublesome times, the future of Midtown is clear because the people who live here continue to rise to the occasion. For Kevin, whether it is the daily 8:00pm salute to our healthcare workers and first responders or our willingness to support local businesses who are working to protect their workers and customers; it is the people of Midtown that make this neighborhood so great! “Even that guy that runs down 10th Street every afternoon carrying a giant American Flag,” said Kevin, “it’s all food for the sour.”
We owe a big debt of gratitude to the city planners that laid the Atlanta street grid back in the 1800’s.
