ABSTRACT
Starting in the 1970s, private and public leaders worked jointly to develop and put in place strategies to enhance and grow Downtown. Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. (CAP), the Downtown business association, has been the prime driver of planning due to the business community's strong association with elected officials. Central Atlanta Progress, the Downtown Atlanta Community Improvement District, and Invest Atlanta have led Downtown's progress through many comprehensive plans and various public-private ventures that facilitated considerable investment. Adding to Downtown's progress alongside the work of CAP, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, Inc., and Invest Atlanta were Olympic-era improvements and Georgia State University's expansion that complemented work happening in other quarters of Downtown. The Central Atlanta Action Plan kicked off in 2002 with a summit that resulted in a vision for Downtown. The plan was notable for its attention to quality-of-life issues, the growing importance of Downtown's residential community and surrounding neighborhoods, and issues affecting the city's homeless population.
