Marietta Plans $770,000 Renovations to Atherton Square

Plans are underway on a $770,000 renovation of Atherton Square, between the Marietta Visitors Bureau and Cool Beans near Marietta Square.

When complete some of the improvements will include brick sidewalks leading to Atherton Square, replacing the Visitors Bureau's roof and making the restrooms in the Visitors Bureau handicapped accessible.

Construction, which is funded by a federal grant through Georgia's Transportation Enhancement Program and city funds, is expected to begin in June 2014. The city selected Roswell-based BDG Design Group to design the project.

Visitors to the Square often relax and enjoy a break from the heat in Atherton Square, but it's currently hard to find. When complete, improvements will help visitors find Atherton Square easier and help create a Southern garden feel while highlighting the Visitors Bureau's importance as a train depot.

The Atherton Square project was able to receive federal funding because the Marietta Visitors Bureau was once a train depot.

City staff held the first in a series of public meetings June 27 to kick off the design of the project and receive feedback from attendees.

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