20 Years Later: the Redevelopment Legacy of the Atlanta Olympics

It's been 20 years since the city of Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. The city's National Public Radio station is exploring the legacy of the games.

1 minute read

July 20, 2016, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Centennial Olympic Park

4kclips / Shutterstock

Stephanie Stokes writes an article as part of the "Atlanta Remembers: The 1996 Olympics" series about the redevelopment of the city's oldest public housing project.

The story details the history of Techwood Homes, the former public housing project, and its replacement, Centennial Place. According to the article, Techwood Homes was an example of a change in policy toward public housing as the city prepared for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

The article relies heavily on the testimony of Renee Glover, who directed the Atlanta Housing Authority, beginning in 1994 and during the 1996 Olympics. One of Glover's largest planning projects was called the Olympic Legacy Program, which guided the redevelopment of the city's public housing projects, starting with Techwood Homes. The article concludes by examining the tough question of whether the project was worth the cost of displacement.

By our count, WABE's series commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Atlanta Olympics already has 12 articles posted online.

Friday, July 15, 2016 in WABE

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