Should Atlanta consider a "redo" of downtown rather than other projects? (Savannah: hotels, school)

[po-boy]

Originally Posted by ATL Urbanist

I think that if there was a bigger residential population there could be better support for commercial growth. The last few decades have shown us that downtown Atlanta will not thrive if it is treated as a place for only temporary visits by conventioneers, office workers and patrons of attractions. There has to be a solid residential aspect to provide 'eyes on the street' for safety and to patronize local businesses during lags in visitor traffic.

A redo of those streets between Fairlie-Poplar and Centennial Park would be key for making this kind of positive change.

I agree. The big flashy event type things are great for visitors and for boosterism b/c they are easily identifiable, but to really have more of a community feel and higher quality of life, there needs to be more people who actually live and walk around an area. The residents and their interactions with each other are what really give a place vitality.

To me, downtown Atlanta used to be all about business. Now, with Centennial Park, the Aquarium, CNN, Coke, the sports venues, etc and the future plans for the Civil Rights Center and College Football HOF it is about business and tourism/visitors. But it still doesn't feel like a very "alive" place.

[testa50]

To me the problem seems kind of self-reinforcing: no one is there on nights and weekends (particularly south of Dobbs), so the stores and restaurants close. Which makes people not want to live there, and kills the pedestrian traffic during nights and weekends. Which is turn makes it hard for stores to stay open. Rinse & repeat.

There are finally some restaurants that are staying open later and so forth, but it's going to be a long process. Adding more residences is what needs to happen--Midtown has been able to strike the perfect balance, and this keeps restaurants filled with business folks at day and residents at night.

Can somebody bribe someone at GSU to require a greater portion of students to live on campus?

[JPD]

Originally Posted by testa50

Can somebody bribe someone at GSU to require a greater portion of students to live on campus?

I don't know about "requirements", but GSU has been extremely pro-active on this. They just opened a HUGE dorm last year.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by JPD

I don't know about "requirements", but GSU has been extremely pro-active on this. They just opened a HUGE dorm last year.

Yeah, I think they are considering requiring freshman to live on campus, which would be awesome--I certainly don't fault the university here. I just wish the business community would start to open more shops to cater to students. There are certainly legions of them walking around these days.

It would be great to see the law school break ground, too.

[ATL Urbanist]

Originally Posted by testa50

I just wish the business community would start to open more shops to cater to students. There are certainly legions of them walking around these days.

Ditto. I keep waiting for this to happen. There are a couple of little smoky nighttime hangouts that GSU students frequent, but ther ecould be so much more. My fingers are crossed for a strip of businesses open at night that mirror those you usually find in college towns.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by ATL Urbanist

Ditto. I keep waiting for this to happen. There are a couple of little smoky nighttime hangouts that GSU students frequent, but ther ecould be so much more. My fingers are crossed for a strip of businesses open at night that mirror those you usually find in college towns.

Well, I think the issue is partially drinking-age-related. Most of the kids living on campus are freshman, so they can't drink. This also hinders the ability of restaurants to serve them.

Since the makeup of the school is changing away from commuter school so quickly, there might be more demand for drinking establishments in a year or two.

Hopefully they can come up with some way for juniors and seniors to stick around in downtown. It would be cool if the current crop of freshman living on campus was still a concentrated group rather than dispersed everywhere. Maybe GSU can sponsor some apartments managed by the private sector but exclusive to (or discounted for) GSU students? Maybe collaborate with GT on such a thing?

There just aren't a huge number of housing options downtown.

[tonygeorgia]

Downtown is doing ok, a lot better than what it used to be but we still have a long way to go. We got the Streetcar coming, 2 museums (College HOF/Civil Rights), Gulth Redevelopment project, New Football/Soccer stadium, etc

[tonygeorgia]

Now Id rather see Spring St in Midtown from 10th-17th st get redeveloped.....that area is horrible

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by ATL Urbanist

A redo of those streets between Fairlie-Poplar and Centennial Park would be key for making this kind of positive change.

I agree totally.

When I used to live in Downtown, I would often walk from my building on Marietta Street through Centennial Park to get to Fairlie-Poplar for lunch or something.

Those parking lots between Centennial Park drive and Spring Street are just ugly, out of place, and really unnecessary.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Now Id rather see Spring St in Midtown from 10th-17th st get redeveloped.....that area is horrible

I agree the area needs work, but to describe it as horrible is a stretch. It does not fit with the midtown area a block or two east, but horrible?