ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[ls1z28chris]

Originally Posted by sevensixtwo

Yes, outlying centers could work for a while. In my doom and gloom view though, even that will be too costly. Right now we have fewer poor, desperate people crammed into dense urban neighborhoods. This is amenable to policing. As demographic inversion continues these traditional 'ghettos' will become gentrified and poor neighborhoods will migrate toward the burbs.

As the multiple crises evolve there will be more of these poor people, now spread out over a large, low density unpoliceable area. And when the crises reach the tipping point, we'll have wasteland suburbs with roaming bandit hordes. At this point the outlier cities will become easier targets for resource raids. So I think in the long run, most positive growth will occur in well fortified megacenters. I am not kidding. Cheap renewable energy will probably not be invented. Without an overabundance of cheap energy, the Earth cant provide food to 7+ billion people.

In your apocalypse is Obama still the anti-christ?

[ls1z28chris]

Originally Posted by tdawg

I think that if the city of Atlanta is to continue it's recent population growth, something serious has got to be done about crime in the city. I felt less safe in Atlanta recently than I have in my 10 years in New York.

That is going to require some major civic changes: A competent Mayor, a city council that isn't filled with racists, a police chief who actually responds to complaints about criminality rather than saying the citizens need to toughen up, ending the police furloughs, etc.

good question. my hope is regional transportation becomes the top priority for the next governor's election. transportation has been politically neglected and overlooked for so long now and i'm not talking about making 85/75 and 285 fourty-eight lanes wide. i think the northern arc is needed, but the metro needs more options that are not auto dependant.

We'll see. From interviews done with Atlanta mayoral candidates by the Sunday Paper, it looks like they all recognize that the two major concerns are transportation and crime.

As far other state leadership goes, I'm not so sure. I just got a mail-out from my state representative (Terry Johnson, district 37). All he wants to talk about is cutting taxes and school choice. I don't pay taxes and I'm in college. Way to focus on the broad needs of your community. I'm going to contact his campaign and ask about his transportation policy, but I don't expect to get much substance.

All anyone talks about regarding the gubernatorial race is he fact that Roy Barnes is running.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by scania

Dude, maybe you get hard-on for Midrown, don't forget that I live at Plaza Midtown, I also have the funds to basically live anywhere in the city.

[ATLmangum]

People PLEASE do not post something unless it has to do with CONSTRUCTION! This is a forum regarding the construction of buildings and skyscrapers, not the census or the Atlanta mayoral race. If you want to bitch and wine about what's going on in Atlanta, find a forum about Atlanta that is not created to talk about construction projects. I understand that there are only about 2 projects going on right now and many of you are looking for something to rant about. Well, go somewhere else.

[sevensixtwo]

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[bwolfe71]

Did not know if anyone has commented on this but it appears Inman Park Properties is in it deep. Looks like there are about to be a lot of well known in-town buildings put on the foreclosure auction block. The Clearmont is just the tip of ice berg.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshlo...t-foreclosure-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/

The CRE implosion is going to get real ugly.

[nature's calling]

It would be very foolish to tear down the Clearmont. Why not turn it into a boutique hotel or condos.

[shivtim]

12th and Midtown update from the evening of 6/25/09:

[wjc]

I was driving through Lindbergh and saw that the Cosmo Condos are going to have their own auction so I decided to drive through the complex and saw that Eon has the front doors chained together!!! Just something that I thought was very interesting.

Also, if you want to see some dated photos of Buckhead, check out the Tower 100 website, http://www.towerplace.net/100floorplans.htm, and look at the views that they offer. These pics were taken even before AIU was built - and there has been a ton of development since then!!! Seems like they would want to update those pictures because they are INCREDIBLY misleading.

[alleystreetindustry]

the thing that worries me most is future growth in the suburbs. commuter rail is great, but the principal in which suburban residents use it (and the way in which they live) would be scary. a majority would most likely use it for work and the occasional recreational activity. but with rail, comes even more development. and the gridlock may get even worse in the long run.

there is no comparison between the traffic that would be relieved than brought on by commuter rail. its just that atlanta has a habit of continuously developing every new project around the car, even though there could be no demand for a vehicle (a good example would even be buckhead. is it because rich people in atlanta dont walk?). building a subdivision next to a train station isnt productive.

i am all for commuter rail! dont get me wrong. im just worried that the new development centered around commuter rail wont be done the way it should. and on top of that, atlantans are too stubborn to give up their car.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by alleystreetindustry

is it because rich people in atlanta dont walk?

It may not be rich people only but we're not a big walking town. I've lived in several intown neighborhoods and the vast majority of people drove to work, shopping, school and nearly everywhere else. Same in the suburban neighborhoods. I'd wager that most people who work in the city's three big commercial districts still drive to work, even though they've all experienced tons of TOD.

Despite metro Atlanta's traffic hassles cars are still the handiest way to get around for most people.

[tech]

Originally Posted by cybele

Despite metro Atlanta's traffic hassles cars are still the handiest way to get around for most people.

True, I could walk and be at my work in Midtown in 15 minutes, but I drive because it only takes about 3 minutes. Plus, it allows me to come back home for lunch, which would be pointless if I walked. I don't feel terrible though, considering many people drive 40 miles to work everyday polluting and I'm just driving about 3 miles. Hopefully, with more density (and more skyscrapers- trying to stay on topic), we will have more viable public transportation and I can leave my car at home.

Shots of 12th and Midtown look great - has the office tower reached its top level?

[jew4life4948]

Originally Posted by cybele

It may not be rich people only but we're not a big walking town. I've lived in several intown neighborhoods and the vast majority of people drove to work, shopping, school and nearly everywhere else. Same in the suburban neighborhoods. I'd wager that most people who work in the city's three big commercial districts still drive to work, even though they've all experienced tons of TOD.

Despite metro Atlanta's traffic hassles cars are still the handiest way to get around for most people.

I remember meeting with planners at the Urban Collage (Flat Iron Building), and I asked them about their personal travel habits. Even the one who lived in Candler Park, within walking distance if MARTA, still drove to work. Straight shot down Dekalb Ave.

[jew4life4948]

Originally Posted by tech

True, I could walk and be at my work in Midtown in 15 minutes, but I drive because it only takes about 3 minutes. Plus, it allows me to come back home for lunch, which would be pointless if I walked. I don't feel terrible though, considering many people drive 40 miles to work everyday polluting and I'm just driving about 3 miles.

Not to be a Debbie Downer but cars pollute the most during the first 5 minutes of the transmission being turned on.

[alleystreetindustry]

Originally Posted by cybele

It may not be rich people only but we're not a big walking town. I've lived in several intown neighborhoods and the vast majority of people drove to work, shopping, school and nearly everywhere else. Same in the suburban neighborhoods. I'd wager that most people who work in the city's three big commercial districts still drive to work, even though they've all experienced tons of TOD.

Despite metro Atlanta's traffic hassles cars are still the handiest way to get around for most people.

yeah, i agree with the travel habits. but i was speaking in general. a majority of the people i know [that live intown, of course] still walk to run errands, for general recreation, use marta for work, etc.... but they also drive, most of the time. its a mutual relationship between ones car and ones feet.

however, it seems to me that almost every single citizen of buckhead still neglects to walk (other than the typical jogger). but i also dont spend enough time in the neighborhood to act as if i know from experience. so maybe its not my place. its just what i observed, 95% of the pedestrians are low/middle wage workers from the malls and hotels, tourists, or the couple of white collar workers that cross the street during lunch break.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by cybele

It may not be rich people only but we're not a big walking town. I've lived in several intown neighborhoods and the vast majority of people drove to work, shopping, school and nearly everywhere else. Same in the suburban neighborhoods. I'd wager that most people who work in the city's three big commercial districts still drive to work, even though they've all experienced tons of TOD.

Despite metro Atlanta's traffic hassles cars are still the handiest way to get around for most people.

Which should come as no surprise since the vast majority of infrastructure investment and development in Atlanta has been designed to make cars happy. Its no secret that we have a long way to in the area of pedestrian friendliness.

[pdpmishap]

Originally Posted by wjc

I was driving through Lindbergh and saw that the Cosmo Condos are going to have their own auction so I decided to drive through the complex and saw that Eon has the front doors chained together!!! Just something that I thought was very interesting.

Also, if you want to see some dated photos of Buckhead, check out the Tower 100 website, http://www.towerplace.net/100floorplans.htm, and look at the views that they offer. These pics were taken even before AIU was built - and there has been a ton of development since then!!! Seems like they would want to update those pictures because they are INCREDIBLY misleading.

Cosmo had its auction and prices were surprisingly low even for this economy...as in 120k for a 1bdr. Looks like it wasn't able to carve out luxury living in that area on Sidney Marcus after all.

As for Eon, the developer went bankrupt so those will probably hit the Accelerated Marketing Partners(company that did Element, Aqua, and Cosmo) auction block sooner or later.

[Snakebit]

Some good news biz news:

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/29/story6.html?b=1246248000^1851707

P&G to start carwash biz based in ATL

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/29/story1.html?b=1246248000^1851483

Kraft to build new warehouse in ATL area

[kamden99]

Originally Posted by Snakebit

Some good news biz news:

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/29/story6.html?b=1246248000^1851707

P&G to start carwash biz based in ATL

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/29/story1.html?b=1246248000^1851483

Kraft to build new warehouse in ATL area

Close to 200 new jobs! That's great!!! Finally some good news!

[cybele]

Originally Posted by alleystreetindustry

however, it seems to me that almost every single citizen of buckhead still neglects to walk (other than the typical jogger). but i also dont spend enough time in the neighborhood to act as if i know from experience. so maybe its not my place. its just what i observed, 95% of the pedestrians are low/middle wage workers from the malls and hotels, tourists, or the couple of white collar workers that cross the street during lunch break.

Well, I doubt that the people in Buckhead are different from folks anywhere else in the city. Buckhead is a big area that runs from Deering to Brookhaven and there are wide variations in its walkablility. It's generally pretty good along Peachtree and other major cross streets but it diminishes as you get out into the residential neighborhoods. You see lots of walkers within those neighborhoods but as smArTaLlone says, nearly all of the city's residential areas were built with the car in mind.