Atlanta Beltline - Page 29

smArTaLlone · #**561** Posted **Sep 12, 2009, 10:43 PM**

Heres another park plan that is completed

Boulevard Crossing Park

cabasse · #**562** Posted **Sep 13, 2009, 7:35 PM**

they're really going to have to do something about the damn transmission lines. i wouldn't feel comfortable walking around with those crackling overhead on dry days...

smArTaLlone · #**563** Posted **Sep 14, 2009, 4:04 AM**

I doubt there's anything that can be done with those kind of lines other than making the surroundings as pleasant as possible.

geoking66 · #**564** Posted **Sep 14, 2009, 4:08 AM**

There are wires on Peachtree, I highly doubt they'll remove them here.

cabasse · #**565** Posted **Sep 14, 2009, 4:12 AM**

they go right over the park, what looks like three sets... ugh. i'd love to see how arcane/half-hazard the distribution of power is in this city on a map. i'm sure it's as bad or worse than the road system.

shivtim · #**566** Posted **Sep 16, 2009, 5:07 PM**

September 16, 2009

ATLANTA BELTLINE, INC. NAMES BRIAN M. LEARY PRESIDENT AND CEO

Atlanta, GA – The Board of Directors of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) today named Brian Leary as President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., the implementing entity of Atlanta’s visionary BeltLine Project, which will provide a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor circling downtown and connecting many neighborhoods directly to each other over the next 25 years and beyond.

Mr. Leary joins ABI from Atlantic Station, where he is currently Vice President. He has worked there for 12 years during which he helped develop the former steel mill into a national model of sustainable development and smart growth.

“Brian brings the right combination of technical experience, development success and community engagement for what the BeltLine needs as it enters the next chapter of its evolution,” said Cal Darden, Chair of the ABI Board of Directors.

“Construction has begun for the BeltLine’s first new major park and will soon start on two more; nearly half of the 22-mile corridor is now secure for BeltLine use, and seven miles of interim hiking trails will be open in the beginning of 2010. Under Brian’s leadership, I am confident that the BeltLine’s momentum will continue to forge ahead with the strong team we have assembled,” said Mayor Shirley Franklin.”

“We conducted a national search with the help of BoardWalk Consulting and found the best candidate for the job a stone's throw away. Brian Leary is just the person to complement the fantastic team we have in place at ABI,” said Clara Axam, ABI board member and chair of the search committee.

In addition to Mr. Darden and Ms. Axam, the other members of the search committee were John Somerhalder, Chairman of the BeltLine Partnership and President & Chief Executive Officer of AGL Resources; Joe Brown, ABI board member and Director of Equity/Structured Finance, Centerline Capital Group; and Dr. Carl Patton, former President of Georgia State University.

“The BeltLine Partnership looks forward to working with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.’s new CEO to maintain the significant momentum behind this public-private partnership for Atlanta’s future,” said John Somerhalder, Chairman of the BeltLine Partnership and President & Chief Executive Officer of AGL Resources.

“Atlantic Station has given me a wonderful opportunity over the years,” said Leary, “but there is no greater opportunity to impact the metro Atlanta area’s quality of life than the Atlanta BeltLine Project. Atlantic Station has created thousands of jobs and homes and millions of dollars in new tax base, but the BeltLine has the extraordinary potential to transform the entire city. I am looking forward to getting to work with the BeltLine team and its partners—and to doing a great deal of listening.”

Mr. Leary holds a master’s degree in City Planning and a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Georgia Tech, where he received dual certificates in Land Development and Real Estate. He has been published nationally and teaches each spring at Georgia Tech.

During his tenure with Atlantic Station, Mr. Leary led the marketing efforts to attract corporate residents, national retailers and international attractions to what is now one of the most visited destinations in the State of Georgia. Over the past few years, he has spoken to groups across the United States on Smart Growth, mixed-use development and emerging trends. He has presented on Capitol Hill, the National Partners for Smart Growth, the Real Estate Roundtable, and the Urban Land Institute.

A member of AIG’s Sustainability Committee, Brian is also a member of the Executive Committee of the board of Leadership Atlanta; the Board of Visitors of Emory University; the Board of Trustees of the Livable Communities Coalition; the Board of Directors of the Northwest Community Alliance; the Board of Directors of Georgians for Passenger Rail; and serves as Chairman for the City of Atlanta Public Art Advisory Committee.

cybele · #**567** Posted **Sep 16, 2009, 5:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabasse

they go right over the park, what looks like three sets... ugh. i'd love to see how arcane/half-hazard the distribution of power is in this city on a map. i'm sure it's as bad or worse than the road system.

I don't think we'll see much kite flying in this park!

NativeAtlantan · #**568** Posted **Sep 19, 2009, 2:27 AM**

I was at GT the same time Brian Leary (new Beltline pres) was there....he is very young but has gotten experience quite fast. It's an interesting pick and I wish him the best of luck!

ATLaffinity · #**569** Posted **Sep 27, 2009, 6:37 PM**

ABI proposal for Subarea 6 (Midtown/Ansley Park) area:

naturally, the NIMBY Midtown Neighbor's Association shot it down because Old Midtown is the most precious, delicate flower in the city. They wanted to retain their dead end roads instead of having a grid system. it's all about their property values.

trainiac · #**570** Posted **Sep 27, 2009, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

ABI proposal for Subarea 6 (Midtown/Ansley Park) area:
http://midtownatlanta.org/Files/MidtownA...PlanRecommendationsReport_DRAFT_part1of2[1].pdf

naturally, the NIMBY Midtown Neighbor's Association shot it down because Old Midtown is the most precious, delicate flower in the city. They wanted to retain their dead end roads instead of having a grid system. it's all about their property values.

That link didn't work for me. Is this the same plan?
http://midtownatlanta.org/net/content/go.aspx?s=76984.0.53.35

smArTaLlone · #**571** Posted **Sep 27, 2009, 10:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

ABI proposal for Subarea 6 (Midtown/Ansley Park) area:
http://midtownatlanta.org/Files/MidtownA...ea6_PlanRecommendationsReport_DRAFT_.pdf[1]

naturally, the NIMBY Midtown Neighbor's Association shot it down because Old Midtown is the most precious, delicate flower in the city. They wanted to retain their dead end roads instead of having a grid system. it's all about their property values.

The link doesn't work.

catlike · #**572** Posted **Sep 27, 2009, 10:57 PM**

try this link.

ATLaffinity · #**573** Posted **Sep 27, 2009, 11:04 PM**

sorry. correct link ^

we're not going to have a Beltline if every wealthy neighborhood balks at everything proposed.

every wealthy neighborhood just wants the Beltline to be a nice green park in their backyard. they don't want any density. they want a bunch of one story buildings in the center of the city.

i'm hoping that the NPUs have more sense.

reet · #**574** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 3:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

every wealthy neighborhood just wants the Beltline to be a nice green park in their backyard. they don't want any density. they want a bunch of one story buildings in the center of the city.

Well put. For the the Beltline to make sense as an amenity for the city as a whole, density has to be built around it.

And not just luxury, high-end-market density either. Development along the Beltline should be planned so that people from multiple economic ranges can make good use of it -- otherwise, in most areas it will indeed end up being little more than a moderately-used backyard park for Atlanta's oversupply of low density, single family housing.

I hope someone in the Beltline organization has a good plan for dealing with NIMBY backlash against densification. It's going to get pretty rough.

cybele · #**575** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 1:06 PM**

A lot of people live in Atlanta in part because they don't want density. They prefer low density single family housing and have invested a lot of money and energy in improving and protecting their neighborhoods. We can say that's unwise from a planning standpoint, but still, if that's what they want and what they've worked and paid for, why shouldn't they be able to have it?

RobMidtowner · #**576** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 1:16 PM**

I'm curious about the Home Depot shopping center near the former City Hall. It looks like they're getting rid of the parking lots and replacing with parks and new street connections. Is this plan assuming that shopping center will be redeveloped? I would think this plan kills most businesses in the shopping center since they were originally set up for customers to drive and park and you can't really walk to a place like Home Depot if you're buying a lot of material. I wonder if the land owner is opposed to this.

WestsideATL · #**577** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 1:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybele

A lot of people live in Atlanta in part because they don't want density. They prefer low density single family housing and have invested a lot of money and energy in improving and protecting their neighborhoods. We can say that's unwise from a planning standpoint, but still, if that's what they want and what they've worked and paid for, why shouldn't they be able to have it?

Sure, but they will have to sacrifice certain components of the BeltLine to preserve their low-density single-family neighborhoods. BeltLine Inc needs to go out and talk to these neighborhoods and give them a dose of reality -transit (even streetcars) will not be viable if there isn't the density to support it. If they still don't want the density and the city is unable or unwilling to force their hand, all the BeltLine will be is a nice multi-use trail with several adjoining parks.

ATLaffinity · #**578** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 2:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobMidtowner

I'm curious about the Home Depot shopping center near the former City Hall. It looks like they're getting rid of the parking lots and replacing with parks and new street connections. Is this plan assuming that shopping center will be redeveloped? I would think this plan kills most businesses in the shopping center since they were originally set up for customers to drive and park and you can't really walk to a place like Home Depot if you're buying a lot of material. I wonder if the land owner is opposed to this.

i went to a lot of meetings. these were just examples of development that could occur down the road. and this would be WAY down the road.

i like the idea of a boulevard stretching from Monroe into City Hall East.

i think the current Midtown Place/Midtown Promenade looks like crap. two giant surface lots with no connectivity.

I agree with WestsideATL: the Beltline isn't much a project if it just serves as an emerald necklace for the wealthy. and transit will never happen without density.

cybele · #**579** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestsideATL

... all the BeltLine will be is a nice multi-use trail with several adjoining parks.

Is that really such a bad thing? Suppose we start with the trails and parks, which is much more within the city's means at this time Then, if people start using the trails to travel from neighborhood to neighborhood, demand builds up and transit can be added as needed. In other words, let the growth occur organically.

Just a suggestion.

WestsideATL · #**580** Posted **Sep 28, 2009, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybele

Is that really such a bad thing? Suppose we start with the trails and parks, which is much more within the city's means at this time Then, if people start using the trails to travel from neighborhood to neighborhood, demand builds up and transit can be added as needed. In other words, let the growth occur organically.

Just a suggestion.

Agreed - I think that's the right play. The TAD is not bringing in as much cash as originally anticipated so the BeltLine should focus on what they can afford to do now on the cheap (parks and trails) and not what they might be able to do 20 years down the road (transit). They just need to be sure to lock up the right-of-way now so if and when they decide to move forward with transit, they won't have to deal with the inflated property values caused by the BeltLine's parks and trails.