Should Atlanta consider a "redo" of downtown rather than other projects? (Stone Mountain: credit, university)

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by tomno00

good points. there is nothing to trap growth in atlanta... so you have a lot of cheap land, which is what entices a lot of people to move to atlanta. if people wanted to live in a "city," im sure atl wouldnt be anywhere near the top of the list.

Yeah, but why can't we have it both ways?

[BringBackCobain]

Well, Centennial Park has done a lot for Downtown, but as long as "downtown Downtown"--Five Points/Underground area--remains as it is, Downtown will not be fully revitalized. There are three letters that describe that area's future, and really its only hope of ever revilatizing: G-S-U.

My downtown to-do list:

1. Redevelop Peachtree St., in between MLK and Alabama St. The fact that this block is Peachtree is on our main street is embarrassing. It's got some good bones, it just needs to loose the gold teeth stores and "malls." It could be turned into another Broad St., trees and all, serving the GSU lunch crowd, or maybe even a strip of bars (not clubs) for those dorm rats.

2. Cap Five Points MARTA with a private building and move the bus depot underground, allowing cops to separate the bums from the bus riders.

3. Shut down Underground. Give the non-historic, 80s-mallish, above-ground portion of Underground to GSU, and let the historic portion sit idle until the area revitalizes. Also, let GSU take over the Fountains Plaza Park and the old Coke building (which the state owns anyway) and its plaza.

4. For God's sake, kick the bums and panhandlers out of Five Points.

[StAubin]

I would not shut down underground. It has the potential to be something great but it is only living up to about half of that right now. I would like to see some renovation of underground, mabye extend the plaza east to connect better with GSU. And like I said before have a savanna style square on top of fivepoints station.

[koko339]

http://www.hok.com/xml/work/project/GreenLine_RNW/images/1_1_print.jpg (broken link)

A redo like this?
Plans & Initiatives | Green Line Plan

[StAubin]

I personally dont like the green line plan.
It is the opposite of what good urbanism is. they take away good street retail and pedestrian corrordors and turn it in to a roads that are lacking retail.
Also it takes away the Peach Drop tower, which would destroy my new years plans for every year.
It destroys many historic and historic looking buildings and replaces it with glossy sh*t. It takes away what is unique of downtown and turns it into Midtown South, which is not the direction downtown needs to head in. Downtown needs to be its own unique district.

I like the idea of building over the railroad tracks but i think it needs to be done in a better, more unique way.

[aries4118]

If anything, it should be re-named The Green Way or The Greenway.


The green line already runs between the Bankhead MARTA station and the Edgewood/Candler Park MARTA station...

http://www.itsmarta.com/uploadedFile...l-Map-2010.pdf

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by StAubin

I would not shut down underground. It has the potential to be something great but it is only living up to about half of that right now. I would like to see some renovation of underground, mabye extend the plaza east to connect better with GSU.

Yes, it has potential, but its potential will never be realized as long as the surrounding area remains at the status quo. It needs to shut down for a decade or so to let the area revitalize and allow people to forget it's sub-par reputation.

And like I said before have a savanna style square on top of fivepoints station.

That would be nice, but what makes you think such a square will be any different than Woodruff Park? Besides, that area has too much public space, which is probably why it's so popular with panhandlers. Having that much public space in a seedy area is asking for it. Let Woodruff be the park for the area, and let the plazas and Five Points be put to private use.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by StAubin

It takes away what is unique of downtown and turns it into Midtown South, which is not the direction downtown needs to head in. Downtown needs to be its own unique district.

Downtown couldn't be Midtown South even if it tried. Downtown's sole future = college district. It's good that the green line planners understand this.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by koko339

A redo like this?
Plans & Initiatives | Green Line Plan

Way too much public space! Who do they think is going to be hanging out in these parks, GSU co-eds? Or will they be scared off by the never-ending barrage of panhandlers, drunks, winos, loiters, hobos who will live there?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by StAubin

I personally dont like the green line plan.

I've never cared for the green line plan either. It strikes me as sort of suburban-office-parkish.

You and BringBackCobain both make some great points. I'm inclined to agree that downtown's salvation (assuming it comes) will be driven by Georgia State student housing.

It would be nice to see AUC bring its resources to bear, too. AUC is so close!