A small, long-overlooked patch of land in Brookhaven, Georgia, is set to become a public park after the City Council approved buying the site, with most of the cost covered by a donation from the family foundation of a former councilman.
The council agreed to purchase the 0.95-acre property at 1277 Goodwin Road — commonly known as “Goodwin Island” for the way it sits marooned at the junction of North Druid Hills Road and East Roxboro Road. According to the City of Brookhaven, the $1.5 million acquisition was approved at the council’s meeting on 23 June.
The bulk of the funding will come from a donation by the J.J. Gebbia Family Foundation, with the remainder drawn from the city’s Special Service District. Officials stressed that no residential property taxes would be used to pay for the deal.
Mayor Pro Tempore and District 4 Councilman John Funny, who now represents the area, paid tribute to the donor. “We are grateful for Joe Gebbia’s continued collaboration and generosity in helping make this opportunity possible,” he said. “Joe has long demonstrated a deep commitment to expanding parks and recreational opportunities for Brookhaven residents, especially here in District 4.” He described the gift as “a meaningful investment in our community’s future.”
The name behind the donation is a familiar one in Brookhaven. Joe Gebbia, a health-food entrepreneur, was a member of the city’s founding council in 2012 and went on to represent District 4 for roughly a decade, also serving as mayor pro tempore before stepping down rather than seeking a third term, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. Funny succeeded him in the seat. Gebbia is also the father of Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia Jr.
Gebbia said he had been watching the property for some time and hoped to see it turned into a “unifying community space.” Reflecting on the gift, he added: “My hope is that this future park will bring joy and lasting memories to Brookhaven families, just as it was my pleasure to serve them during my time on the City Council.”
The purchase continues a recent pattern of greenspace acquisitions in Brookhaven, a city of around a dozen years’ standing that has steadily added parkland as parcels become available. District 4, which takes in much of southern Brookhaven and the redeveloping Buford Highway corridor, has historically had fewer dedicated green spaces than other parts of the city — a gap the new park is intended, in part, to help address.
