ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[Snakebit]

Originally Posted by rds989

Maybe this will hearten you folks re: SPLOST. Or maybe not.

I live in southern Roswell in a (gorgeous, to my mind) neighborhood near the river, although I suppose it is of the type you all love to hate. I'm 37, conservative republican, 3 kids under 10, etc. I commute to midtown on 400 (from exit 6) every weekday.

My wife and I will be voting for SPLOST with enthusiasm, and so will most people in my area. My view is that the proposed tax is (1) reasonable, (2) targeted to important local needs, and (3) neither permanent nor easily repurposed to a politically-oriented slushfund operated by people I don't agree with.

So that's a data point for you. Also, I've been to RA with my wife and we do support in-town restaurants etc. Empire State South is a particular favorite.

I respect people like you a lot. There is nothing wrong with suburbs; your's is a particularly nice suburb (my parents live in Alpharetta). What I and most people on here have a problem with is people in the suburbs expecting the tax payers of Fulton, Dekalb, and the City of Atlanta to support all transportation costs in the city for the region. Also, the thinly disguised racism of the politicians in Cobb County is corrosive to our ears (those evil blacks are going to hop on Marta and steal our TV's and then return to College Park on Marta).

Your justifications for the tax are exactly right. I consider myself a libertarian but I'm no fanatic. TSPLOST is the exact type of thing taxes should be spent on: infrastructure. Generally, federal and state-wide taxes should be lowered and regional taxes should be adjusted to satisfy deficiencies and needs. This is what needs to happen here to solve the obvious traffic problem in the region.

Finally, you should also try JCT Kitchen, Bocado, and Holman & Finch. Thanks for posting!

[boomtown]

Originally Posted by rds989

Maybe this will hearten you folks re: SPLOST. Or maybe not.

I live in southern Roswell in a (gorgeous, to my mind) neighborhood near the river, although I suppose it is of the type you all love to hate. I'm 37, conservative republican, 3 kids under 10, etc. I commute to midtown on 400 (from exit 6) every weekday.

My wife and I will be voting for SPLOST with enthusiasm, and so will most people in my area. My view is that the proposed tax is (1) reasonable, (2) targeted to important local needs, and (3) neither permanent nor easily repurposed to a politically-oriented slushfund operated by people I don't agree with.

Great to hear!
I have a friend who lives in Cobb County and says that his neighbors are all very conservative and have Vote Yes signs in their yards. There is more support outside the City center than people think.

[rds989]

TSPLOST is the exact type of thing taxes should be spent on: infrastructure. Generally, federal and state-wide taxes should be lowered and regional taxes should be adjusted to satisfy deficiencies and needs. This is what needs to happen here to solve the obvious traffic problem in the region.

Finally, you should also try JCT Kitchen, Bocado, and Holman & Finch. Thanks for posting![/QUOTE]


Completely agree with this. And thanks for the restaurant recommendations!

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by rds989

Maybe this will hearten you folks re: SPLOST. Or maybe not.

I live in southern Roswell in a (gorgeous, to my mind) neighborhood near the river, although I suppose it is of the type you all love to hate. I'm 37, conservative republican, 3 kids under 10, etc. I commute to midtown on 400 (from exit 6) every weekday.

My wife and I will be voting for SPLOST with enthusiasm, and so will most people in my area. My view is that the proposed tax is (1) reasonable, (2) targeted to important local needs, and (3) neither permanent nor easily repurposed to a politically-oriented slushfund operated by people I don't agree with.

So that's a data point for you. Also, I've been to RA with my wife and we do support in-town restaurants etc. Empire State South is a particular favorite.

I am too, we need this to pass.

[scania]

Originally Posted by rds989

Maybe this will hearten you folks re: SPLOST. Or maybe not.

I live in southern Roswell in a (gorgeous, to my mind) neighborhood near the river, although I suppose it is of the type you all love to hate. I'm 37, conservative republican, 3 kids under 10, etc. I commute to midtown on 400 (from exit 6) every weekday.

My wife and I will be voting for SPLOST with enthusiasm, and so will most people in my area. My view is that the proposed tax is (1) reasonable, (2) targeted to important local needs, and (3) neither permanent nor easily repurposed to a politically-oriented slushfund operated by people I don't agree with.

So that's a data point for you. Also, I've been to RA with my wife and we do support in-town restaurants etc. Empire State South is a particular favorite.

This is GREAT to HEAR!!!
Also, try STK.

[scania]

Originally Posted by GThomas

Anyone with info on either of these?

This would be nice!

[DonTallPaul]

Originally Posted by scania

This is GREAT to HEAR!!!
Also, try STK.

Yep, go ahead and add Rathbun's and Rathbun's Steak (best steak in town IMHO - go for the cowboy or dry aged for 2 or 3). Second on JCT - had my businesses Christmas party there and was exceptional.

[Dustinto]

I'm curious why there are no threads for the current Atlanta high rises under construction here http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?f=103

77 12th
Skyhouse
Dual branded hotel

[AtlantaMustang]

Simms thoughts on that:

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

And we Atlanta forumers are also gracious enough not to clutter the separate High Rise development/proposal pages on this forum with 15-30 floor apartment buildings, or less. I see so many other forumers posting threads about little dinky 15 story hotels or apartment buildings wherever, including in cities with actual skyscrapers going up, and I always think that maybe we should keep Atlanta development discussion confined so that people can be pleasantly surprised when they visit. Keep us a sort of "secret" and always in the backs of people's minds, rather than tirelessly in front.

I totally agree with this.

[simms3_redux]

Thanks for the report from Roswell. I don't really mask my feelings and even if the suburbs were to vote yes on this thing I won't change my feelings for suburbs in general (though I suppose we truly need them in America due to our horrible inner city schools, if we're going to attract jobs and all).

In Atlanta we truly need this bill to pass in order to attract jobs as much as we need places like East Cobb with great schools to attract jobs, as well.

[sevensixtwo]

Look at this textbook example of gerrymandering in the most recent incarnation of Georgia's 57th House District, which now contains the fabled Midtown Mile.

The Rupublicrats at the Dome gerrymandered this district to pit to strong Democratic incumbents against each other. Pat Gardner from Morningside and Rashad Evans from The West End. I hope the voters of this district, who encompass three distinct urban archetypes, can come to together to reject this "divide and conquer" strategy being hatched in this district. I am the Precinct Captain for Green Party Candidate Kwabena Nkromo, a West End resident. Please be in touch if you are interested in this campaign. The demographics are such that unique opportunities exist.

[simms3_redux]

^^^Pat Gardner, right? I like her, I think

Definitely looks like textbook gerrymandering, though.

In Midtown news Cafe Agora is now open next to Arden's Garden. Also before the lightning storm still going on there were a ton of people out downtown and in midtown for a Monday night.

[sevensixtwo]

Here is some footage of the storm tonight

[sevensixtwo]

I'm sure whoever has traditionally been the representative of Morningside is great. I just prefer to elect someone who is not a republican or democrat. District 57 is overwhelmingly progressive so it is a great opportunity to make a shift away from the corporate dominated Democrat and Republican parties.

[trainiac]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

In Midtown news Cafe Agora is now open next to Arden's Garden.....

That was lunch today for me. Al was down from the Buckhead location. Great guy, great food! The upstairs seating area is really cool too

[scania]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

^^^Pat Gardner, right? I like her, I think

Definitely looks like textbook gerrymandering, though.

In Midtown news Cafe Agora is now open next to Arden's Garden. Also before the lightning storm still going on there were a ton of people out downtown and in midtown for a Monday night.

You are right! There was a lot of people in Midtown this evening. I didn't go venture downtown tho, but it was great to see people out. Midtown has been pretty dead after 7pm for the past few months. It's nothing like its been in the past few years. It's weird because I believe there are more people living in the area. A few of my friends mention that a couple of months ago. Hopefully today is a sign of the activity picking back up.

[hamster]

The former burger king/cottage Ethiopian restaurant at Piedmont Ave and Rock Spring Rd will be turned into a Dunkin Donut. They are already remodeling the space and have the Dunkin Donut coming soon sign up.

It was only a few months ago that the Midtown Place Dunkin Donut location closed and reopened as a Starbucks.... but I think that Dunkin will do well in this Piedmont Ave location. There really is no decent coffee in the vicinity (the nearest Starbucks is at Ansley Mall and there is no Quiktrip, Race Trac, or McDonalds nearby).

http://www.tonetoatl.com/2012/04/dunkin-wants-intown-dwellers-to-devour.html

[hamster]

Originally Posted by Snakebit

I respect people like you a lot. There is nothing wrong with suburbs; your's is a particularly nice suburb (my parents live in Alpharetta). What I and most people on here have a problem with is people in the suburbs expecting the tax payers of Fulton, Dekalb, and the City of Atlanta to support all transportation costs in the city for the region. Also, the thinly disguised racism of the politicians in Cobb County is corrosive to our ears (those evil blacks are going to hop on Marta and steal our TV's and then return to College Park on Marta).

Your justifications for the tax are exactly right. I consider myself a libertarian but I'm no fanatic. TSPLOST is the exact type of thing taxes should be spent on: infrastructure. Generally, federal and state-wide taxes should be lowered and regional taxes should be adjusted to satisfy deficiencies and needs. This is what needs to happen here to solve the obvious traffic problem in the region.

Finally, you should also try JCT Kitchen, Bocado, and Holman & Finch. Thanks for posting!

Good post... I also agree that taxes should be more localized at the lowest level (city/county/metro area) with an offset on state/federal taxes to have the most direct impact on citizens. Since most people live in or near a metro area it would make sense that most of the tax revenue should be geared towards transit infrastructure projects in big cities. However, I have seen many politicians take this state tax money to support rural infrastructure projects in their rural districts without the population to pay for based on their tax base. Metro areas are subsidizing rural areas. Then there is the federal government that keeps borrowing to pay for everything. Let’s just hope that we can keep being able to borrow or we will turn into Greece.

[ATLaffinity]

Originally Posted by rds989

Maybe this will hearten you folks re: SPLOST. Or maybe not.

I live in southern Roswell in a (gorgeous, to my mind) neighborhood near the river, although I suppose it is of the type you all love to hate. I'm 37, conservative republican, 3 kids under 10, etc. I commute to midtown on 400 (from exit 6) every weekday.

My wife and I will be voting for SPLOST with enthusiasm, and so will most people in my area. My view is that the proposed tax is (1) reasonable, (2) targeted to important local needs, and (3) neither permanent nor easily repurposed to a politically-oriented slushfund operated by people I don't agree with.

So that's a data point for you. Also, I've been to RA with my wife and we do support in-town restaurants etc. Empire State South is a particular favorite.

Glad to hear that maybe there's some support for the TSPLOST in the burbs.

Still, admit it. You eat at Applebee's

[ATLaffinity]

Originally Posted by hamster

Then there is the federal government that keeps borrowing to pay for everything. Let’s just hope that we can keep being able to borrow or we will turn into Greece.

Not to derail tall building talk, but we are a sovereign currency issuer and cannot be compared to Greece. We don't borrow money. It's created ex nihilo by the Treasury. The biggest tragedy is watching the Federal govt watch cities and states go bankrupt. Should the Federal govt spend without care? No. But with underemployment at 15%, we have a lot of fiscal space to work within.

Our country has unconscionable unemployment and a collapsing infrastructure. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to put 2 and 2 together.

Back to tall buildings...