In most places, Ryan Gravel would disappear into the crowd. In sensible leather sandals and plain collared shirt, the middle-aged architect is as unassuming in his appearance as he is careful in his words. He thinks in full paragraphs, nuanced and detailed, and speaks softly in the measured tones of a librarian. But on the Atlanta BeltLine—a 22-mile loop of trails, transit and parks under construction around the core of Atlanta—Gravel is a rock star.
On a recent sunny afternoon, just a few miles east of downtown, throngs of people had come out to stroll, skate and cycle along this stretch of pavement, the Eastside Trail of the BeltLine, which Gravel helped create. He is widely credited with the success of the project—in what has now become a nugget of local lore, Gravel’s 1999 graduate thesis provided the original blueprint for the massive urban redevelopment plan—and many Atlantans know him by face and by name. “Amazing idea, sir!” a helmeted cyclist proclaims, whizzing by. “I love it, Ryan!” echoes another rider. Continue reading “What’s ‘the Country’s Best Smart Growth Project’? You’ll Be Surprised”