Quote:
Originally Posted by L41A
I don't like rising water rates either but to say Mayor Franklin hasn't done much to fix it is not true. Why do you think Peachtree (in the exact location that's in question) along with all other streets all over town was torn up not so long ago? Answer: It was sewer repair work.
While it is true that not all criticism of "black owned business that happens to have some black clientele is a racist insinuation" - your commending of cynical and racial (note: I didn't say racist) comments doesn't add much credence to your position. I say the likes of RobMidtowner and AtlMidtowner are more credible advocates of the opposition to Vision.
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Most of the opposition from the neighborhood within 3 or 4 blocks of the new Vision/Spi comes simply from a
fear of the repeat of problems associated with Vision. As a caucasian NOT married to a caucasian, race is irrelevant. Most of us moved to this neighborhood because of the park, the landscaped urban environment, the walkability, the restaurants and the bars and active night life. The people that live here like most of the availability of bars. We like to laugh when we see groups of surburbanites or students of suburbanite backgrounds walk in a restaurant or bar. They are so easily identifiable....its part of the fun of living in Midtown.
When the W opened, 14th and Juniper were quite crowded at night. Quite frankly, I didnt mind because I actually felt safer being outside at late night with more people around. The valets were actually the chief cause of problems because they loudly whistled at the taxis which could be heard late night in many of the condos across the street.
The concentration of bars on Crescent 13th and 12th is not yet excessive, but when Spi opens, and seems to be at a greater scale than Vision,
our neighborhood residents will be able to look forward to trash, food scraps, flyers, urine and vomit. Every single Friday, Saturday, Sunday and still lingering on Monday, I literally will have to watch my step while walking down my daily walks on Juniper, Peachtree and Crescent. I guess I get to look at flyers with half naked women, so that will be entertaining. And who will clean it up? Not Spi, not the city, but the residents and paid HOA employees and the dogs will eat the vomit and lick the urine.
It is true, when I walk by Opera, at least 50% of the time there is vomit somewhere within 50-150 feet from the building so I usually avoid walking with my dog directly in front of Opera on Crescent. But when Vision existed, vomit, urine and trash were scattered
for blocks because the volume of people was so high and so many cheapstakes preferred to park illegally in the firelanes of the highrise buildings and vomited or just threw their trash on the streets. People like myself and my wife, and my neighbors who actually live here and actually WALK this neighborhood 2 to three times PER day will have to put up with this. I used to laugh at the neighborhood complainers in Buckhead, because back then, I went to the bars in Buckhead, but DIDNT live there. But even there, the bars were ALL together, not in the MIDDLE of a residencial developments
I totally welcome a bars like Opera or the old Velvet Room. It brings vibrancy to the neigbhorhood. The Whiskey Bar was not a mega bar, just VERY popular for the first few months. Even though it was a zoo at first, it was totally ok for me. The W is so MUCH better than the dieing Sheraton! These bars arent excessive mega bars.
Legally, I dont think there is anything the neighborhood could have done against Vision/Spi and since Franklin is not running for mayor or Senate, I think she will approve the bar. I dont think they asked for any rezoning, so they have the right to open their business. I just wonder if we can hold them responsible for the vomit and trash. If they were really smart, they would hire a clean up crew to go around the neighborhood, even though legally, I dont think they have the obligation. If they violate ordinances, there will be pressure to close. But even at Vision, they worked hard to not violate ordinances. When they first opened Vision, often I could here the deep bass beats almost 400ft up in my penthouse while trying to sleep. They must have spent a fortune in soundproofing, as after a few months, I could no longer could hear it.
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. I just don't think it fits the street anymore w/ its oversized capacity and undersized parking lot. If you've been out to Velvet on a busy night you know parking is a mess and there's a lot fewer people that actually live in that area. I definitely don't like any of the idiots that cruise in front of clubs bumping music but I don't believe that's the club's fault other than poor urban planning. BTW, those jackasses can be of any race...go out to Gwinnett and you'll see Asians, Whites, and Hispanics all doing the exact same crap. My neighbors and I simply pay too much to this city to be subjected to the whims of a few for a very big net negative for Midtown.
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