ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

The amount of activity in the City of Atlanta isn't "small potatoes" amongst peer cities (though it's nowhere near the activity in the TX cities, CA cities, Seattle, Miami, Boston, Chicago, etc), however it's not as significant in terms of driving momentum and shifting the urban landscape because the city, and therefore the construction zones, are very spread out. If you had the level of investment you have deployed to development in Buckhead, on the Eastside, on the Westside, Downtown, and Midtown all deployed to 1 confined district, which also happened to include the existing office, residential, hotel, and retail components scattered amongst these districts, I'd be surprised if you wouldn't already have one of the most vibrant downtowns/urban districts in America.

However, even amongst these individual areas there is low density, empty lots, and too much space between transit points. Very incremental change in Atlanta as a result, no matter how much stuff goes up.

Atlanta's also a secondary market that seems to perpetually be in "recovery mode", as opposed to boom mode. The spread out nature doesn't help this fact nowadays. Hopefully the city begins to invest in more infrastructure to connect all of these nodes, and aggressively forces development around transit infrastructure while limiting new development in the suburbs.

Atlanta as a metro I think was 5th in construction. The problem is so much development going to Buckhead and Perimeter. Hopefully the energy shifts to the central city. You're right. Had all development been focused on Midtown, it'd be almost built out by now.

[thebigATL]

Well its this is great ,especially 1125 going up 50 stories that will be great density, but they question is, when are all these due dates/completion due dats

[thebigATL]

EVERYONE GIVE CREDIT TO smArTaLlone: He found the final Images that was released today of the FALCONS NEW STADIUM!!!!!!
http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=203401&page=13
THIS STADIUM IS SEXYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!















I think Atlanta is About to go into a ''BOOM BEAST MODE'' YOU GUYS THINKS SO +WITH THESE TOWERS

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

TX cities, yes. But nonetheless the point I was making there was not about confinement, but about level of development in peer cities. In Boston aside from a few smaller surrounding townships, virtually all new development is in the greater downtown area, whether in the financial district, Seaport, Back Bay, or "further out" in areas like Cambridge or Longwood Medical District. Do I need to elaborate on Chicago, Seattle, the CA cities, or Miami? Miami has a ton of towers that in my opinion are drastically hostile to urban functionality, however, virtually all towers and new buildings going up are downtown. Some of the residential stuff being built there includes high-rise rentals with no parking and street level retail.

I'm not coming on here to bash Atlanta...but you guys have to be the most sensitive thread on this entire forum. Plus some folks posting here seem borderline illiterate... I was just in town, too. Got trapped because cab companies didn't even service the area I was staying in (in the perimeter). Overall a horrible visit...but I did see a lot of the construction and had an awesome meal + drinks at Top Flr

Why do you always seem to feel like you need to tell us that Atlanta isn't as dense as it should be or something to that effect? Believe me, we have all heard everything you posted before. It isn't new information so you don't need to harp on it.

Your posts aren't usually constructive...if they were you might get a different kind of reaction. Think about it.

[MNT]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

Um, you mean you don't use Uber yet? This isn't the 2000s anymore...cabs are obsolete.

Yeah; exactly... I've used Uber in the Perimeter area many times. Seems like he'd know about it?

[themaguffin]

The State Farm news is really disturbing. Perimeter is a mess. The "improvements" that they have done have done nothing to impact the congestion there and the fact is most State Farm employees will be driving to work. I'm all for improving areas like this, but there are more fundamental changes that should happen first.

[gttx]

Originally Posted by MNT

Yeah; exactly... I've used Uber in the Perimeter area many times. Seems like he'd know about it?

Über is awesome. I live in NY so I can catch a cab right outside my apartment....but I was concerned with getting around Atlanta when I visited a few weeks ago. I tried uber for the first time and it was super easy and the drivers were even friendly. Might have waited five minutes max for a car.

Anyway, my only concern with the 12th and midtown news is that Selig is replacing the planned office tower on peachtree with residential. Would be nice to see more office development around the 14th street core, or at least a balance of uses. Otherwise it's fantastic news for Atlanta.

Now to get Allen Plaza moving again....

[ATL_J]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

The State Farm news is really disturbing. Perimeter is a mess. The "improvements" that they have done have done nothing to impact the congestion there and the fact is most State Farm employees will be driving to work. I'm all for improving areas like this, but there are more fundamental changes that should happen first.

Not that I disagree, but how would you go about fixing it? A lot of the land there is developed, so it's not like you can just run a road through a building / development to break up the mega blocks. So I am wondering, how would you go about fixing it? Anyone else can add their opinion too, I'd love to hear people's thoughts.

I'm of the opinion that it's beyond fixing and they'll just have to choke on it. They'll struggle to get more relocations / developments like this as people look to other, less congested areas.

[Terminus]

The comments above on the State Farm project, and on Curbed Atlanta regarding the 14th Street project remind me of something. Namely, that some people like to complain about everything.

They complain that MARTA doesn't go enough places, but then when a developer proposes something next to existing stations (which, quite honestly, is the best we can hope for in this region), they complain about traffic.

I hate to tell you all, but the only way to *really* make transit (and walking, and biking) work, is to provide alternatives facilities that are a heck of a lot more convenient than driving. Congestion will do that.

If you don't want congestion, go to Detroit.

EDIT: Congestion also forces people and businesses to think more closely about where they locate. When Auto Trader was being shown the office space in Perimeter, they asked the building owner if there were apartments within walking distance. The owner took them to the window, and pointed out several hundred units under construction nearby. According to the owner, that sealed the deal. Auto Trader recognized that transit access and walkable housing were important to a good portion of their employers, and acted accordingly.

[scania]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

Why do you always seem to feel like you need to tell us that Atlanta isn't as dense as it should be or something to that effect? Believe me, we have all heard everything you posted before. It isn't new information so you don't need to harp on it.

Your posts aren't usually constructive...if they were you might get a different kind of reaction. Think about it.

Well I have to say, when Simms lived here in Midtown, most people on this forum praised him...especially because he always had positive things to say about Midtown. People on here praised him when he would trash Buckhead. But interestingly enough, now that he has moved to SF, and he consistently has something negative towards Midtown, now some people on here see him as a problem. I feel that most people on this forum are very sensitive and hypocritical.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by scania

Well I have to say, when Simms lived here in Midtown, most people on this forum praised him...especially because he always had positive things to say about Midtown. People on here praised him when he would trash Buckhead. But interestingly enough, now that he has moved to SF, and he consistently has something negative towards Midtown, now some people on here see him as a problem. I feel that most people on this forum are very sensitive and hypocritical.

The problem with Simms is that he has racial issues, pure and simple. THAT is his primary problem with Atlanta, in my opinion.

His post history reveals all.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by scania

Well I have to say, when Simms lived here in Midtown, most people on this forum praised him...especially because he always had positive things to say about Midtown. People on here praised him when he would trash Buckhead. But interestingly enough, now that he has moved to SF, and he consistently has something negative towards Midtown, now some people on here see him as a problem. I feel that most people on this forum are very sensitive and hypocritical.

Okay...everybody else is at fault. LOL!

Anyway, I don't really want to discuss his negativity. Let's move on.

[scania]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

Okay...everybody else is at fault. LOL!

Anyway, I don't really want to discuss his negativity. Let's move on.

Clearly you didn't comprehend what I said. All I'm saying is that most of you didn't have a problem with Simms statements until it was something that was negative towards specifically Midtown.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

The problem with Simms is that he has racial issues, pure and simple. THAT is his primary problem with Atlanta, in my opinion.

His post history reveals all.

Exactly.

People may imply non-flattering things about Atlanta all day and its their opinion and you may hear nothing from me and from most peep. But for me with Simms, he pulls racial stuff out of his a** (well air) - I lost all respect for anything he may have to stay. And I take whatever he says with his past racial posts in consideration.

[themaguffin]

he comments above on the State Farm project, and on Curbed Atlanta regarding the 14th Street project remind me of something. Namely, that some people like to complain about everything.

They complain that MARTA doesn't go enough places, but then when a developer proposes something next to existing stations (which, quite honestly, is the best we can hope for in this region), they complain about traffic.

I hate to tell you all, but the only way to *really* make transit (and walking, and biking) work, is to provide alternatives facilities that are a heck of a lot more convenient than driving. Congestion will do that.

If you don't want congestion, go to Detroit.

What an ignorant statement. Yes some people like to complain about everything. Once you drop that straw man and think about Perimeter, you might see what I'm talking about. Maybe you are unfamiliar with the area. i work in the area.

Yes, there's going to be congestion and traffic, but nothing of significance has been done to help.

Mainly, the ramps to 285 WB are essentially blocked everyday by 285 traffic heading to 400 North. The DDI made it worse as it eliminated exit lanes, forcing cars into other directions and in the mornings, traffic is on the wrong side of the road, a big issue of one works at Ravinia and has to cross 3 lanes of traffic in an extremely short distance.

The new 400 ramps at Hammond did nothing to help this as Hammond EB is still backed up and of course would never resolve anything regarding 285 at 400.

If one wants to "get around" the Ashford Dunwoody issue, their choice is hammond which hits a wall at Ptree-Dunwoody (and more of a train wreck at Roswell Rd).

There's a newer bridge before Ptree Dunwoody, but unfortunately, the hospitals are on the other side, so it's basically trading which side of 285 one wants to sit on with cars trying to get to 285 and 400.

Nobody expects magic or traffic to go away, but it's not unreasonable to expect what is now the region's biggest office market to actually work on issues in a big way. You can't have 100,000 workers with PLUS additional traffic blocking a key interchange with a system that can only handle a small portion of such traffic.

[Curious Atlantan]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

What an ignorant statement. Yes some people like to complain about everything. Once you drop that straw man and think about Perimeter, you might see what I'm talking about. Maybe you are unfamiliar with the area. i work in the area.

Yes, there's going to be congestion and traffic, but nothing of significance has been done to help.

Mainly, the ramps to 285 WB are essentially blocked everyday by 285 traffic heading to 400 North. The DDI made it worse as it eliminated exit lanes, forcing cars into other directions and in the mornings, traffic is on the wrong side of the road, a big issue of one works at Ravinia and has to cross 3 lanes of traffic in an extremely short distance.

The new 400 ramps at Hammond did nothing to help this as Hammond EB is still backed up and of course would never resolve anything regarding 285 at 400.

If one wants to "get around" the Ashford Dunwoody issue, their choice is hammond which hits a wall at Ptree-Dunwoody (and more of a train wreck at Roswell Rd).

There's a newer bridge before Ptree Dunwoody, but unfortunately, the hospitals are on the other side, so it's basically trading which side of 285 one wants to sit on with cars trying to get to 285 and 400.

Nobody expects magic or traffic to go away, but it's not unreasonable to expect what is now the region's biggest office market to actually work on issues in a big way. You can't have 100,000 workers with PLUS additional traffic blocking a key interchange with a system that can only handle a small portion of such traffic.

He probably was referring to the fact that there îs a Marta line in the Perimeter area. If there îs congestion on the roads, maybe more people will ditch their cars and chose public transit. If the goal is is to densify the area to make it more appealing there is no way to do that by just expanding the roads and auto infrastructure...

[clexmond]

Originally Posted by Curious Atlantan

He probably was referring to the fact that there îs a Marta line in the Perimeter area. If there îs congestion on the roads, maybe more people will ditch their cars and chose public transit. If the goal is is to densify the area to make it more appealing there is no way to do that by just expanding the roads and auto infrastructure...

I would encourage anyone interested to seek out and read both Sandy Springs' and Dunwoody's master plans and how they deal with Perimeter Center. You'll find that Sandy Springs ignores it almost completely and while Dunwoody addresses it and makes the right noises about pedestrian friendliness, there's little to nothing in either that addresses the traffic problem. I suspect one of the problems is to truly address perimeter the two cities would have to collaborate, something that doesn't seem to be happening at the moment.

[daharris80]

Originally Posted by clexmond

I would encourage anyone interested to seek out and read both Sandy Springs' and Dunwoody's master plans and how they deal with Perimeter Center. You'll find that Sandy Springs ignores it almost completely and while Dunwoody addresses it and makes the right noises about pedestrian friendliness, there's little to nothing in either that addresses the traffic problem. I suspect one of the problems is to truly address perimeter the two cities would have to collaborate, something that doesn't seem to be happening at the moment.

You mean they should do something like this: http://www.perimetercid.org/index.html

[clexmond]

Originally Posted by daharris80

You mean they should do something like this: http://www.perimetercid.org/index.html

Thanks for pointing that out. There does seem to be some push to address the superblock problem, but my concern is that none of this seems to make it into the city's master plans (except for a couple sidewalk and bike lane improvements here and there). Furthermore, it's worth recognizing that the extent of the additional street grid plan extends exactly to Dunwoody's border and doesn't include an inspection of Sandy Spring's super blocks.

[micropundit]

Curbed Atlanta has compiled a list of the current proposed Midtown towers-note that in the comment section , 2 more are noted: The 26 story Georgia Tech tower and the 5th and Peach condos- and states that" If our calculations are accurate, roughly 400 stories of new residential, office, hotel and retail space have been proposed in the last few months, promising a true vertical jolt to the Midtown skyline — if the projects actually come to fruition".

http://atlanta.curbed.com/archives/2014/...er-bonanza-continues-in-midtown.php#more