Site Revitalization Tour

How was Atlantic Station remediated?

Environmental reclamation of the site took approximately two years upon the issuance of the No Further Action (NFA) letter by the EPD in December 2001. Below are the steps taken to ensure proper environmental reclamation and to create an environmentally-friendly neighborhood:Contaminated Soil: 9,000 dump truck loads (approximately 165,000 tons) of  contaminated materials were removed from the site.
Trees: 2,800 new trees have been planted on the property and in surrounding neighborhoods.
Groundwater:  An interception system to collect groundwater was installed on site.  This will monitor and treat (if necessary) intercepted groundwater prior to discharge to the city sewer system.
Stormwater: Detention facilities will reduce the peak runoff from the post-development condition to less than, or equal to, the pre-development conditions.  The design of these detention facilities includes an aesthetically pleasing one-acre pond in the center of the residential development.
Air Quality:  Redevelopment of the site includes a monitoring program (in conjunction with the EPA) consisting of site design criteria and transportation performance targets.  These measures are in place to ensure that Atlantic Station is designed and built with elements that encourage alternatives to single occupancy vehicle trips.
Energy: An environmentally-friendly central cooling system will save building owners more than $35 million in construction costs, while operating more than 25 percent more efficiently than traditional building HVAC systems resulting in lower energy bills for tenants. A two-mile-long network of 36-inch pipes will deliver chilled water from a 50,000-square-foot central cooling plant to office, residential and retail buildings.
Recycled Materials: During the property’s reclamation, concrete building foundations were uncovered, which were broken into smaller pieces and reused as backfill.  This recycled concrete accounted for 132,000 cubic yards of material.  Additionally, the 164,000 cubic yards of granite that was removed in order to create a level building site was crushed and reused as backfill.  By using these large amounts of existing material, Atlantic Station reduced the amount of material that had to be taken to construction and debris landfills and lessened the material that had to be brought in from outside sources.
LEED Certification: To demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, the 171 17th Street building decided to pursue LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. In order to achieve LEED certification, a building must meet requirements for sustainable design, construction and operation. In 2005, the 171 17th Street building was awarded certification, making it one of the first buildings in the Southeast built to LEED specifications.

Go back to page one of Site Revitalization Tour.