Communities across the U.S. are significantly lowering healthcare costs, improving productivity, fostering economic development, and enjoying a higher quality of life through the implementation of Blue Zones Projects. Our team have served over the years as project managers and built environment experts to the Blue Zones National Team supporting communities across the US.

As part of the City of Atlanta’s Healthy Neighborhood Initiative, Urbe Studio supported Blue Zones in delivering a Healthy Neighborhood Assessment Framework, focused on Thomasville Heights—a community undergoing a generational transition after decades of disinvestment. This work aimed to inform city-led interventions that support health equity, mobility, and quality of life.

The project included a comprehensive review of existing planning documents such as the Achieving Fairness of Place (AFP) Framework, the City’s 2025 Comprehensiva Plan update and the recently completed Thomasville Heights Neighborhood Plan to ensure alignment with ongoing efforts. Urbe Studio led the development of a Healthy Neighborhood Assessment Framework and a Healthy Neighborhood Survey tool to help the City of Atlanta evaluate the city’s role in shaping residents’ health and quality of life. The Assessment Framework, which includes baseline indicators aligned with health equity and mobility goals, was designed to guide future investment decisions by tracking conditions related to safety, accessibility, connectivity, land use, and community wellbeing. at the neighborhood level.

The effort included a site visit to Thomasville Heights, which included walking tours and conversations with community stakeholders. The on-the-ground assessment focused on the neighborhood’s physical infrastructure, identifying challenges such as sidewalk gaps, wide and unsafe streets, limited access to parks and schools, and a lack of mixed-use destinations. The team recommended strategies to address these challenges in alignment with the City’s programmatic goals.

This work supported the City’s broader efforts to shape a long-term plan for a thriving and inclusive South Atlanta. Our insights helped lay the foundation for a shared vision of neighborhood transformation—one rooted in measurable outcomes, community voice, and the principles of healthy, equitable urban design. The tools developed as part of this effort will support the City’s ability to track progress, inform policy, and direct resources toward data-driven and community identified priorities.