Campbell High School Class of 1975

Like many parts of metro Atlanta, Smyrna has rebounded from urban decay in the 1990s to become an affluent area.

GB's Place - fine downtown Smyrna dining in the 60's

In 1991, to reinvent its image, Smyrna began a very successful community redevelopment project known as "Market Village" to create a well-defined downtown. Included were a large community center and 28,000 square foot public library. There's also a mixed retail and residential district modeled after a vibrant early 1900s city village, including a square with a fountain. This, and other expansions have revitalized the downtown area and acted as a magnet for further redevelopment throughout the city - including thousands of upscale homes - mostly townhouse and condo communities replacing older neighborhoods. As a result of the redevelopment, and Smyrna's key location of a residential suburb in the center of metro Atlanta, the population has skyrocketed.

Smyrna Market Village (site of the old Post Office downtown)

There's additional mixed retail/residential/office redevelopments around the "Market Village". Ground has broken on Jonquil Village, which is a redevelopment of Jonquil Plaza at the corner of Spring and Atlanta Roads across from "Market Village". Less than a half mile down, the Belmont Hills plaza is going to be redeveloped, at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta Roads. Ground is expected to break on Belmont Hills in 2011. Both these villages, like "Market Village" in Smyrna, and "Market Square" in Vinings are designed to resemble a lively city village of yesteryear with fountains and antique street lamps.

Jonquil Village (under construction)

Some additional work being done in Smyrna are streetscape beautification projects, including a linear park on Concord Road. Additional parkland projects are the Riverview Road trail and the Silver Comet Trail (formerly the Seaboard Railroad line from Atlanta to Birmingham).

Somewhere along the Silver Comet Trail

The Cumberland/Galleria area has continued its growth from the 70's recently with the addition of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (where the old Eastern Airlines building was).

 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre