Mixed-use community brings first-to-market public transportation concept to Atlanta
The Integral Group announces today that it will deploy the first autonomous shuttle in the region at Assembly, the redevelopment of the former GM plant, early next year. This first-to-market concept will connect the new mixed-use destination with the Doraville MARTA station along a designated pathway using cutting-edge guidance and detection systems.
“As our region continues to expand at such a rapid pace, we must remain thoughtful of the connectivity our public transportation system provides. We are eager to be a pioneer of this new technology and to put Assembly and the City of Doraville’s Peachtree/Buford corridor at the forefront of innovation,” said Matt Samuelson, COO of the Commercial Real Estate Division at The Integral Group. “Georgia is the number one state in the country for doing business, and we are dedicated to delivering emerging technologies to support growth and connectivity.”
Assembly is the largest, most sustainable transit-oriented development in Atlanta, and the addition of the autonomous shuttle exemplifies the developer’s commitment toward forward-thinking commuter options. Each driverless clean energy vehicle will hold approximately 12 people and follow a route from Assembly Yards to the Doraville MARTA Station in 15-minute intervals.
“We are so pleased to work with such a talented group of individuals who are truly committed to helping propel the economic development of our city and its connection to the region. The Integral Group is a great partner, and I want to acknowledge their team and my staff for all that they are doing to bring world-class development to Doraville,” said Doraville Mayor Donna Pittman. “This smart mobility option will be a key factor in connecting Doraville and Chamblee. The City of Doraville looks forward to further expansions through joint collaboration with the City of Chamblee.”
The Integral Group is currently in discussions with several potential operators for the driverless vehicle, including French companies Navya and Easy Mile, as well as U.S.-based Local Motors. These autonomous shuttles rely on technology-driven tools like cameras, GPS, radar and laser rangefinders to make driving decisions. Late last year, Navya launched the nation’s first driverless shuttle for public use in Las Vegas.
The Integral Group is expected to announce its preferred autonomous shuttle partnership in the coming weeks.
In addition to the autonomous shuttle, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has acquired ROW at Assembly to create a managed toll lane interchange linking directly to Doraville MARTA, providing an unprecedented regional multi-modal connection. The managed lanes will operate with MARTA and regional buses as BRT, connecting the entire Northern Arc suburbs to the Doraville station.
To further enhance the overall consumer experience at Assembly, the master plan puts walkability at the forefront of the destination, giving pedestrians and cyclists unusually high priority by incorporating innovative infrastructure features like curbless streets and a two-mile reclaimed rail track network that will be rehabilitated into a public pedestrian and bicycle park.
Upon completion, the multi-phased development will encompass 10 million square feet of multifamily housing, creative office space, chef-driven dining, best-in-class retail, and entertainment, including the purpose-built film studio Third Rail Studios which was completed in the first phase. The new 250,000-square-foot Serta Simmons Bedding headquarters will celebrate its topping out this week and delivers in February 2019, plus, an additional 1.3 million square feet of space is anticipated to deliver in the next 24 months.
For more information about Assembly, visit: assemblyyards.com
About The Integral Group
Integral was founded by Egbert Perry in 1993. It is a private, community development and commercial real estate firm, with its headquarters in Atlanta and satellite offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Dallas. Integral’s mission is to create value in cities and (re)build the fabric of communities. Integral is currently developing Assembly Yards, a mixed-use community in Doraville, Ga. that will encompass best-in-class retail, chef-driven dining, entertainment, creative office space, multifamily housing, and a collection of innovative companies that support the film and television production industry. Third Rail Studios, a full-service production facility, was developed in the first phase of the development.
