MECHANICSVILLE
Mechanicsville sits in the shadow of both downtown Atlanta and Turner Field. The neighborhood is bounded by I-20 on the north, the downtown connector (I-75/85) on the east, and the Southern Railway lines on the south and west.

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Mechanicsville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Atlanta. The neighborhood sprung up in the late 1800’s adjacent to several railroad lines just south of downtown. The name "Mechanicsville" comes from the "mechanics" that worked on the railway lines. Mechanicsville was once a vibrant, multiethnic community with working class blacks (many of whom worked on the railroad) and middle class whites, who lived in Mechanicsville to be close to downtown. The neighborhood was once home to several of the prominent merchant families, including the Rich’s.

The neighborhood declined with the urban renewal, migration to the suburbs, and the construction of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium and Interstate I-20 and I-75/85. The city of Atlanta has targeted the area for revitalization.

In 1995, the City of Atlanta worked with the community residents to adopt a Community Redevelopment Plan for the area. The main streets of the neighborhood received decorative sidewalks, lighting and landscaped median sin preparation for 1996 Olympics. Much of the area is designated by the City as a Housing Enterprise Zone, which abates real estate taxes and impact fees until 2008. In 1998, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved nearly $6 million to serve as seed money for revitalization.

The primary neighborhood organization is the Mechanicsville Civic Association. This groups works closely with SUMMECH, the neighborhood CDC, to develop and implement strategies for revitalization of the neighborhood.