New Beltline CEO Named

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Atlanta's most ambitious transit and neighborhood development plan has a new leader at its helm. Today Atlanta Beltline Inc. announced that Brian Leary, who engineered the makeover of Atlantic Station, will head the Beltline.

WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

Leary succeeds former Beltline Inc. CEO Terri Montague, who announced her sudden and unexpected departure in May. Jim Durrett of the Buckhead Community Improvement District says that left Beltline supporters worried that the project was adrift:

DURRETT: To me, this is a signal that it's back on track.

Durrett says Leary's experience with Atlantic Station is important:

DURRETT: He's got great relationships with all of the stakeholders with whom the Beltline Inc needs to work to make this happen.

But Leary says the Beltline is a much bigger monster:

LEARY: We're talking about reconnecting 45 neighborhoods, providing affordable housing for over 5000 units, and the greenspace and transit connection cannot be underestimated

Leary's first day in the job is Oct. 12.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.