Clifton Community Partnership Update March 2010
Contents: Mellon Foundation Grant Strengthens Humanities at Emory, Marathon Rolls through Clifton Community, Progress Made to Lullwater Roundabout, Emory Named Tree Campus USA University, The Impact of Universities on Communities, Planners Seek Input for LCI, Commendations for Emory Staff, Exploring Transit Connections for W. DeKalb, Children's Invests $75Million in Research Centers, Five Questions: Pamela Papner
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March 2010
Mellon Foundation Grant Strengthens Humanities at Emory
Emory University recently received a grant of $2.4 million from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support the reassessment, reconfiguration and strengthening of the humanities across the University.
Emory is anticipating hiring a new generation in the humanities who will have both deep training in the humanities and broad training in other areas.
As an example, Earl Lewis, Emory's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, cites the interdisciplinary collaborations surrounding February's opening of the Salman Rushdie archive, much of which was born digital material. Read the complete article Marathon Rolls through Clifton Community
 The marathon is sponsored by Emory's Center for Rehabilitation Medicine (CRM) and will take place on Sunday, March 21. Just as in years past, the Druid Hills Civic Association will be sponsoring a cheer zone at Emory's main entrance (North Decatur Road and Dowman Drive). At the 16th mile of the race, Clifton Community residents will don their orange apparel to cheer their friends and neighbors along the course.Read the complete article
Progress Made to Lullwater Roundabout
The roundabout enhancements are being funded by DeKalb County, who are working closely with the neighborhood and have established a plan to alleviate the large vehicle drive through problem. Last month, In Bloom installed:
A three-foot strip around the periphery of the roundabout of stone pavers which have been planted with liriope, making the pavers invisible. In Bloom opted to use pervious pavers in lieu of concrete to decrease the impervious area and increase green space;
Internal boulders to discourage vehicular traffic; New perennials and annuals to provide additional color; and Existing plant material in the area of the stone pavers was transplanted. Emory Named Tree Campus USA University
Emory University was recently honored by the Arbor Day
 Foundation as a 2009 Tree Campus USA University for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. Emory is the fifth university in Georgia to be named a Tree Campus USA University.
Emory University met the required five core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to receive Tree Campus USA status. Those standards are establishing a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.
Read the complete article
The Impact of Universities on Communities
 Last month, Emory's President Jim Wagner spoke to the Atlanta Rotary Club about the role of universities and how they impact communities in which they exist. Below are some excerpts from the speech. For the full text, go here."...According to data compiled by ARCHE (Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education) and published most recently just in May of 2008, our Atlanta area colleges and universities have performed remarkably as economic engines. They have employed over 55,000 people; expending annually nearly $6 billion in operations, and $1 billion for research -- all of which places Atlanta among the top 10 cities in each of these economic categories..."
Read the complete article
Planners Seek Input for LCI
Development planners in North Druid Hills are seeking community input on how to improve traffic and vital junctions within the area.
The North Druid Hills Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study area is located in Atlanta with several major transportation facilities traversing the area, including I-85; North Druid Hills, Briarcliff, and Clairmont roads. Since North Druid Hills Road serves multiple transportation purposes, traffic congestion is a major concern for both commuters and residents. Currently, planned improvements in various stages of completion are being implemented in the area including key intersection improvements, signal timing improvements and traffic control upgrades.
Read the complete article
Commendations for Emory Staff
 Kent Alexander, senior vice president and general counsel, received special recognition by the Georgia General Assembly as a founder of Hands On Atlanta. Alexander and other founders were commended with a resolution in the state House of Representatives and invited to appear before that legislative body.Susan Cruse, senior vice president of development and alumni relations, has been selected as a "2010 Most Powerful and Influential Woman of Georgia" by the National Diversity Council. Cruse will receive the award at the National Women's Conference on April 30.
Read the complete article
Exploring Transit Connections for W. DeKalb
The Clifton Corridor is one of the largest activity centers in metro
 Atlanta without convenient access to the interstate system or MARTA rail connections. These conditions have created high levels of traffic congestion on a limited number of roadways. The Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association (CCTMA) and MARTA have created the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative to identify opportunities for better transit service and connectivity in western DeKalb County.
Read the complete article
Children's Invests $75 Million in Research Centers
The research partnership between Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta gained strength this month when Children's announced it will invest $75 million in eight research centers of excellence over the next five years. The funding is part of the new research focus for Children's and its academic partners first announced in 2008.
Last November, Children's received $30 million from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, including $25 million to help fund a new pediatric research building on the Emory campus.
Read the complete article
Five Questions: Pamela Papner, President of Virginia-Highland Civic Association
 1. Virginia-Highland is one of the most livable communities in America. How does the Virginia-Highland Civic Association (VHCA) fund community improvement projects? The VHCA has two primary fundraisers to support our community. Summerfest is an art and music festival held the first weekend in June. The Va-Hi Tour of Homes, held in early December, features tours of local homes with food tastings by local restaurants. In January, we also held our first silent auction at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center to benefit the Orme Park and New Highland Park projects.
Proceeds from those events are spent on many things, including loan payments on the New Highland Park, safety initiatives like neighborhood patrols, flowers/doggie bags for local parks, year-end grants to organizations that support our community like local schools, our public library, PEDS, Trees Atlanta and others.
2. Where is Orme Park located and what are the plans for redevelopment?
Orme Park is tucked inside quiet residential streets in the northwest section of Va-Hi. We began raising funds to upgrade two acres of the park, extending along Brookridge Drive from the entrance near the bridge to the entrance past the playground area. The enhancements are in line with the Master Visioning Plan approved by the VHCA and NPU-F in 2007 and will retain Orme's woodsy look and feel. This project is being performed under the auspices of the City of Atlanta Parks department, which owns the property.
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