CAP/ADID Announces Hire of New Woodruff Park Project Manager
May 15,2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2017
Media Contact: Paige Sullivan
404-658-5981
psullivan@atlantadowntown.com
CAP/ADID Announces Hire of New Woodruff Park Project Manager
Ansley Whipple joins ADID staff to support park revitalization efforts
ATLANTA – Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) are pleased to announce the hire of a new Woodruff Park Project Manager, Ansley Whipple.
Ansley comes to ADID with extensive experience in the field of social impact design as a director, connector, producer, strategist, communications expert, storyteller, researcher, and fundraiser. She received a MA in the History of Decorative Art and Design from Parsons The New School for Design and a BS in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
As the assistant executive director of the Pratt Institute | Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator, she oversaw all aspects of running this hub for ethical fashion and design. Other previous positions include: programs director for Worldstudio Foundation/Design Ignites Change, assistant director of exhibitions for AIGA’s New York chapter, teaching assistant at Parsons the New School for Design, communications assistant at desigNYC, and director of operations at the Museum of Design Atlanta.
“Woodruff Park is on the cusp of an exciting new chapter, so Ansley’s appointment comes at the perfect time,” said A.J. Robinson, President of CAP/ADID.
For decades, Woodruff Park has served as a Downtown gathering place for both large-scale special events and smaller groups. The Park remains a diverse community space that offers respite in the middle of a bustling city center and attracts a daily population representing a broad cross-section of the community. Woodruff is also at the center of $255 million worth of recently completed and planned real estate redevelopment projects.
Since 2005, when a Memorandum of Understanding was established between the City of Atlanta and ADID and a subsequent master plan was developed for the Park, CAP/ADID has worked side by side in collaboration with the City of Atlanta to complete improvements in the Park. Many enhancements identified in the plan have been realized, and with the improving economy, return of a strong real estate cycle, and a Heart of the Community grant awarded by Southwest Airlines in 2016, Woodruff Park is primed for revitalization through expanded place making, activation and programming efforts.
Ansley will be CAP/ADID’S point person for the Park with regards to planning and strategy, budgeting and financial management, programming, special events, operations and maintenance, and capital projects. The Downtown community will soon benefit from a robust programming schedule and improved amenities and infrastructure, thanks to her efforts. These accoutrements will make their debut this summer.
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About Central Atlanta Progress / Atlanta Downtown Improvement District: Central Atlanta Progress, Inc., is a Downtown business association with approximately 240 members. Its mission is to champion a vibrant community with strong leadership and sustainable infrastructure that is safe, livable, diverse, economically viable, accessible, clean, hospitable and entertaining. The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable corporation created by CAP to make Downtown safer, cleaner and more hospitable.
About Woodruff Park: Originally known as Central City Park in the 1970s, Woodruff Park was created through a generous donation from Robert W. Woodruff, former president of The Coca-Cola Company. Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) maintains stewardship of Woodruff Park. ADID is responsible for the park’s daily upkeep and programming, as well as securing and implementing funding for future development. The park offers visitors a variety of recreation stations and facilities scattered throughout its beautifully manicured six acres.