Atlanta Parks

[newuserbuckhead]

I've gone to the park a few times, but not recently. Each time I went I was thoroughly bored with it. Both Piedmont and Grant Parks have a lot more to see and do. It felt like there was just one trail to walk down and that was it. I suppose more will be built in the future, but today, there's no point in making a special trip to it; unlike the other two parks.

Given it's size, I just expected 'more' from it.

[shivtim]

Hard disagree. It's an amazing park. The infrastructure is great - a multi-part playground, the reservoir/city overlook with descriptive signs, several bathroom facilities, leveled sport and recreation fields, two monumental sculptures (the "whale bones" and the metal phoenix from downtown Atlanta) and large wooded areas. There are even signs describing native plant species, and well marked trails with maps all over the park. I'm not sure what more you want?

[bryantm3]

I wish I could get trained on how to make renderings and I'd show you what more could be done. I don't really have an issue with the areas they've actually *done something* with— what you're not showing in the photos are all the areas just out of view that have just been left the same since it was a quarry.

The number one issue is the kudzu and quarry debris. "Wilderness" and letting everything grow up in vines is kind of a Western idea. Native Americans knew how to tend to the land to encourage healthy growth— it may look "wild" to the untrained eye but a lot of effort is put into keeping a forest healthy. We do need some kind of conservancy to do this work.

[shivtim]

I think this is just an "agree to disagree" thing. I've walked and biked all parts of the park and I think it's world class. Nice balance between the very programmed/manicured parts, and the wild/natural parts (that you describe as "letting everything grow up in vines").

[Julien]

Here is Westside Park growth in action. Parks like westside are LOOOOOOOOOOOONG term investments and will add to ATL's Quilty of life value for decades. Criticizing the Park for what it's NOT yet is very shortsighted. Sure I want it to be mature as Pediment is NOW but sadly we have to accept that its true value will be more appreciated by future generations. But it is still a nice addition over a parking lot or a sewage plant like was planned for Pediment's southeast meadow >30 years ago.

https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/w...0bab-199680402

[Julien]

Such a wasted effort on a poorly designed and uninviting "public space".

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

Originally Posted by Julien

Such a wasted effort on a poorly designed and uninviting "public space".

It is like they wanted the benefits of a public space without any of the negatives. So they created something visually pretty but completely uninviting to activate and sit in the space. It's giving more anti-homeless bite off your nose to spite your face that has been going on across Midtown in the last 10 years or so. These days you are lucky to find any benches anywhere in the public right of way.

[smArTaLlone]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...land-swap.html

Atlanta Botanical Garden swapped land with Public Storage, a major step toward creating nearly 8 acres of new greenspace with a direct link to the BeltLine’s Northeast Trail.

To make room for the expansion, the cultural institution plans to demolish a self-storage building tucked between Westminster Drive and Piedmont Avenue. ABG recently purchased the 1.4-acre parcel for $40 million, according to Fulton County property deed records.

In return, ABG sold 2 acres along Monroe Drive to Public Storage for $13.5 million. The California-based company will place a new self-storage building on the site, once used by furniture store Cantoni and lighting business Illuminations across from Park Tavern.

The 7-acre expansion will add a “more walkable, bikeable and livable urban environment" to the area, an ABG spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Expected to be finished by 2026, the new greenspace will have an entrance accessible via the BeltLine with a visitor center, exhibition areas and garden spaces.

[shivtim]

I know this came up when the plan was initially announced, but wouldn't the Beltline zoning overlay preclude a self-storage facility from being built on Monroe at the Eastside trail? I can't imagine the NPU would be in favor either.

EDIT - Saporta report info

[Julien]

This does lead to a few questions. Is Westminster Dr being removed (looks missing in plan)?

If so there is a Piedmont Park equipment depot that needs access (blue arrow).

There are 3 or 4 other businesses located on Piedmont (in red square) and they seemed to be MIA in the plan. So are they part of the land deal?

Is there any status update on the land/shopping center the City bought on the corner of Piedmont and Monroe (green square). It was supposed to be incorporated into the park but seems in limbo. Also its vacancy rate is up and should the city reman in the shopping center business?

[megalopolis]

I found this from an earlier article regarding the ABG expansion. "All of the properties, except the self-storage, already had a single owner, James B. Cumming. The Garden bought them all in October 2019 for a total of about $6.8 million, according to Fulton County property records."

I really doubt they'll keep Westminster Drive there. I'm sure the PPC can find another access point for their maintenance facility.

Another article search reveals that the ABG purchased the old Agnes & Muriel's at 1514 Monroe in June of 2020, and then they tore it down. I'm speculating here, but they will probably sell or donate it to the City to add to the Park expansion. The PPC says they're still formulating a plan and timeline for the park expansion with the City.

The gas station and Octopus Kitchen remain in private hands. Maybe the PPC and City are waiting to acquire those two properties before they move forward with a master plan. It makes sense to have that entire corner.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by shivtim

I know this came up when the plan was initially announced, but wouldn't the Beltline zoning overlay preclude a self-storage facility from being built on Monroe at the Eastside trail? I can't imagine the NPU would be in favor either.

EDIT - Saporta report info

No. There was an error in a previous update of the city code that allowed the Botanical Garden to move forward with storage facility deal. The error has now been corrected but it will not affect the Botanical Garden project since they had already filed plans and gotten approval for the project in March. New warehouses, self-storage buildings and distribution centers are now banned within 500 feet of the BeltLine.

[bryantm3]

I think I read somewhere that the 2 story shopping center is leasing through 2027.

I am fine with them taking the storage facility, but I hope they keep the brick "Boy Next Door" building at 1447 Piedmont. It would make a really nice store or restaurant space for the north end of the park.

[AtlantaMustang]

So this part specifically will be an expansion of the Botanical Garden removing businesses along Piedmont in favor of... a blocked off park you have to pay to get into? I guess I don't fully see in what way will this add a “more walkable, bikeable and livable urban environment" to the area? While the gardens themselves are nice inside, it has always felt like a dead zone of the city to me, maybe I'm alone in this opinion.

The Piedmont Park expansion on the other hand seems great.

[testarossa50]

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

So this part specifically will be an expansion of the Botanical Garden removing businesses along Piedmont in favor of... a blocked off park you have to pay to get into? I guess I don't fully see in what way will this add a “more walkable, bikeable and livable urban environment" to the area? While the gardens themselves are nice inside, it has always felt like a dead zone of the city to me, maybe I'm alone in this opinion.

The Piedmont Park expansion on the other hand seems great.

Not alone in the opinion, it's arguably a lose-lose situation.

My hope is this raises the ABG's profile as an attraction and also is a focal point on the new EST segment. It will take good design and public engagement, which tbh I haven't seen much evidence of thus far. And it has a big hole to climb out of before it's a net positive, since it's putting self-storage on a pivotal block in the city to make all this happen.

[shivtim]

Counterpoint - the ABG is currently very car-focused in terms of entry. This will add what will hopefully be a world class bike/ped entry, and hopefully create an amazing new section of the Beltline. It will also remove the horrendous land use of the current storage facility. While the new one shouldn't be built, it at least sounds like a large improvement over the current one as it will have ground-floor active use, an office component, and windows.

[Sojourner_Terminus]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Counterpoint - the ABG is currently very car-focused in terms of entry. This will add what will hopefully be a world class bike/ped entry, and hopefully create an amazing new section of the Beltline. It will also remove the horrendous land use of the current storage facility. While the new one shouldn't be built, it at least sounds like a large improvement over the current one as it will have ground-floor active use, an office component, and windows.

Gotta agree with Shiv on this one. Being able to walk up to the BG as a tourist/Atlantan pedestrian from the beltline just makes sense. Any other big city would have built it that way in the first place, but we're catching up.

Also, i do hope they keep the Boy Next Door building. Shame its so close to the street, but it could be concessions/restrooms or something.

[shivtim]

Fresh visuals, details emerge for Atlanta Botanical Garden expansion (Via Urbanize)

According to designers, the Garden expansion is on pace to open sometime in 2026, becoming the city’s first cultural institution with a direct Atlanta BeltLine connection.

[Sojourner_Terminus]

Looks like we will be losing the Boy Next Door building. Overall, i think it looks world class. I'd like to see more ground level renderings, but I'm feeling confident it will be executed to a high standard based on the Botanical Gardens previous expansions.

[shivtim]

Botanical garden moving forward with planning permits.

"To create a cohesive development and vision, existing zoning designations of C-1, C-2, I-1, and RG-3 shall all be rezoned to R-4. This enables the new Garden expansion to have setbacks and offsets matching the neighboring Piedmont Park and the existing Botanical Garden. As the development intends to provide open space, a Special Use Permit is submitted alongside rezoning. Please consider this impact analysis as part of the application."