SoNo (Atlanta)
Encyclopedia
SoNo is an urban sub-district of Downtown Atlanta
, Georgia, part of Midtown
. Much of the area originally consisted of slum areas such as Buttermilk Bottom
, which were razed for urban redevelopment projects in the 1960s. In 2005, Central Atlanta Progress
renamed the area SoNo in order to better establish an identity for the area and give it a hipper image.
Ongoing urban renewal efforts in the new neighborhood seek to establish a chic cultural identity for the underdeveloped area, as well as reunite the Midtown and Downtown commercial districts (which have remained mostly divided since the construction of the Downtown Connector
through the heart of the city), including a proposed "interstate cap" over the highway that would extend Mayor's Park south along Peachtree Street
to Baker Street.
SoNo is home to several attractions, including Emory University Hospital Midtown
, the Atlanta Civic Center
, Shakespeare Tavern
and the Bank of America Plaza
, the city's tallest building. It also is home to the historic Baltimore Block
and Rufus M. Rose House
. SoNo's centerpiece Renaissance and Central Parks were also the site of Atlanta's annual Music Midtown
festival, which was last held in 2005.
Public transport
ation is provided by the MARTA
Civic Center station
.
slum area. In 1963 the city designated Buttermilk Bottom an urban renewal zone, "Bedford Pine" and the Atlanta Housing Authority
began acquiring property there. The name comes from the intersection of Bedford Place (now Central Park Place) and Pine Street at the neighborhood's heart.
Due to "bureaucratic bungling", as the Atlanta Constitution called it, most of the land remained empty, with a few exceptions such as the Convention Center (built 1967), now the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center
. Still, in 1982 Bedford Pine was described as "the most ambitious public-private development partnership in the city" which could "have a more enduring positive effect on the inner city than any other effort in its history" (with the exception of MARTA
). FInally, in the mid-1980s new, mostly mixed-income projects were built on the land. Some of the land was used for today's Renaissance Park
and Central Park
.
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
, Georgia, part of Midtown
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
. Much of the area originally consisted of slum areas such as Buttermilk Bottom
Buttermilk Bottom
Buttermilk Bottom, also known as Buttermilk Bottoms or Black Bottom, was an African-American neighborhood in central Atlanta, centered around the area where the Civic Center now stands in the Old Fourth Ward side of in the SoNo area. It was considered a slum area, having unpaved streets and no...
, which were razed for urban redevelopment projects in the 1960s. In 2005, Central Atlanta Progress
Central Atlanta Progress
Central Atlanta Progress , founded in 1941, is a private, not-for-profit corporation that strives to create a robust economic climate for downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. The Board of Directors includes business leaders from the Atlanta area...
renamed the area SoNo in order to better establish an identity for the area and give it a hipper image.
Ongoing urban renewal efforts in the new neighborhood seek to establish a chic cultural identity for the underdeveloped area, as well as reunite the Midtown and Downtown commercial districts (which have remained mostly divided since the construction of the Downtown Connector
Downtown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
through the heart of the city), including a proposed "interstate cap" over the highway that would extend Mayor's Park south along Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street is the main street of Atlanta. The city grew up around the street, and many of its historical and municipal buildings are or were located along it...
to Baker Street.
Emory University Hospital Midtown
Emory University Hospital Midtown is a 511-bed acute care teaching hospital located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia, and affiliated with Emory University. The hospital's COO is Dane Peterson...
, the Atlanta Civic Center
Atlanta Civic Center
The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center is a theater and fine arts venue located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia located on Piedmont Avenue Northeast. The theater, which seats 4,600, regularly hosts touring productions of Broadway musicals, concerts, seminars, comedy acts, and high...
, Shakespeare Tavern
Shakespeare Tavern
The Shakespeare Tavern is an Authentic Elizabethan Playhouse located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The Tavern is home to the Atlanta Shakespeare Company and Chef for a Night catering, which offers food and beverages before each performance...
and the Bank of America Plaza
Bank of America Plaza (Atlanta)
Bank of America Plaza is a skyscraper located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia. At the tower is the 53rd-tallest building in the world. When it first opened, it was the 9th tallest building in the world, and 6th tallest building in the United States...
, the city's tallest building. It also is home to the historic Baltimore Block
Baltimore Block
Baltimore Block is a series of eight rowhouses in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia. Rowhouses of the kind that are abundant in Baltimore are an unusual housing type in Atlanta, where duplexes or semidetached housing, such as shotgun houses, were more common forms of high-density housing. Built...
and Rufus M. Rose House
Rufus M. Rose House
The Rufus M. Rose House is a late Victorian, Queen Anne style house located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia. Occupying a narrow lot on Peachtree Street, the house was built in 1901 for Rufus M. Rose...
. SoNo's centerpiece Renaissance and Central Parks were also the site of Atlanta's annual Music Midtown
Music Midtown
Music Midtown was a large music festival held in Atlanta, Georgia from 1994 to 2005. It is once again resurrected for 2011.The festival ran on one weekend each year from 1994 to 2005. The event drew in excess of 300,000 attendees per year during its peak years. Music Midtown started as a two-day...
festival, which was last held in 2005.
Public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
ation is provided by the MARTA
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
Civic Center station
Civic Center (MARTA station)
Civic Center is an elevated metro station on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system. It is located in the SoNo district of Atlanta...
.
History
The area between North, Boulevard, Highland, and Piedmont was the Buttermilk BottomButtermilk Bottom
Buttermilk Bottom, also known as Buttermilk Bottoms or Black Bottom, was an African-American neighborhood in central Atlanta, centered around the area where the Civic Center now stands in the Old Fourth Ward side of in the SoNo area. It was considered a slum area, having unpaved streets and no...
slum area. In 1963 the city designated Buttermilk Bottom an urban renewal zone, "Bedford Pine" and the Atlanta Housing Authority
Atlanta Housing Authority
Atlanta Housing Authority is organized under Georgia law to develop, acquire, lease and operate affordable housing for low-income families. Today, AHA is the largest housing agency in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, serving approximately 50,000 people.-AHA model:In 1996, AHA created...
began acquiring property there. The name comes from the intersection of Bedford Place (now Central Park Place) and Pine Street at the neighborhood's heart.
Due to "bureaucratic bungling", as the Atlanta Constitution called it, most of the land remained empty, with a few exceptions such as the Convention Center (built 1967), now the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center
Atlanta Civic Center
The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center is a theater and fine arts venue located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia located on Piedmont Avenue Northeast. The theater, which seats 4,600, regularly hosts touring productions of Broadway musicals, concerts, seminars, comedy acts, and high...
. Still, in 1982 Bedford Pine was described as "the most ambitious public-private development partnership in the city" which could "have a more enduring positive effect on the inner city than any other effort in its history" (with the exception of MARTA
Marta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
). FInally, in the mid-1980s new, mostly mixed-income projects were built on the land. Some of the land was used for today's Renaissance Park
Renaissance Park (Atlanta)
Renaissance Park is a park in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. The land was originally part of the Buttermilk Bottom slum which was razed in the 1960s....
and Central Park
Central Park (Atlanta)
Central Park is a 17.37 acre park in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. It was known as Bedford-Pine Park prior to 1999. The open space was created as a result of the Great Atlanta fire of 1917. The Music Midtown festival was held here in the early 2000s....
.