Should Atlanta consider a "redo" of downtown rather than other projects? (college, living)

[residinghere2007]

They are always doing something downtown. I do feel they should focus more on drawing full time residents to the area and doing more to combat homelessness and panhandling, but I feel it should be done city wide and not just downtown. Also there are more pressing places IMO in need of cleaning up/re-development than downtown, which steadily receives new venues, has it's own police precinct now, and has great city services when it comes to keeping the area clean.

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

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?

I ment horrible as in the amount of businesses/foot traffic/etc. Hopefully that stretch will be the same as peachtree st in the future

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

I totally agree that there needs to be some "redo" of existing properties downtown. As a corporate event planner, I am constantly questioned by out-of-town convention and tradeshow attendees about where to shop in downtown Atlanta after each event. Many cannot believe that a city the size (and reputation) of Atlanta does not have more of a "community feel" downtown and blocks of shopping. However, the number one question I asked by frequent out-of-town guests is "what happened to Macy's?"

In a word it is "sprawl". Complaints by tourists during the 1996 Olympics was that Atlanta lacked a "center". Atlanta doesn't have a strong anchor point on which to develop.

It's futile at this point but as I said before, if Atlanta had developed around Stone Mountain, that would be defining anchor, either that or the Chattahoochee. Other places have the advantage of having some natural wonder to build around, something that naturally draws people in.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by RandyWatson13

If it wasn't for GSU downtown would be damn near dead. GSU is really doing a great job expanding and trying to make downtown part of the appeal of going to school there.

The police have done a much better job with the park down there too, it used to be dominated by bums but today tons of people are relaxing in the park etc. The Starbucks on the corner there is always packed with tons of tables to sit outside.

A Cafe Intermezzo also opened downtown.

Shame the Macy's left and is another office.

The Hooters downtown has some beautiful women

You can see tons of people walking around Centennial, the stadiums etc. The hotels seem pretty busy. They seem to be do something to the sidewalk in front the old Golden Buddha which is now closed it seems.

The Glenn is always having something going on. Good food at the restaurant there too.

I honestly think it has potential because of GSU, tourists. Outside of that it seems to be a tough sell.

Maybe if they completely redid the rail area below the stadiums (proposed rail station etc) will it liven up.

Personally, I'd take as much of downtown as possible and turn it into GSU's campus. Sort of a "college town" style of gentrification. Just as UGA dominates Athens, I'd have GSU dominate downtown. Have Underground be for GSU as Tech Square is for Georgia Tech. GSU has over 30,000 students and they probably could push it up to 40 or even 50 thousand. And only about 3,000 students live there now so saturate the area with up to 30,000.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by ATL Urbanist

I wanted to post again and address this separately. The panhandler/vagrant/homeless presence downtown is a major reason that the area gets neglected, I think, when it comes to growth. As unpleasant as the surface parking lots and underused buildings are, there is no greater problem that I encounter as a downtowner than panhandlers and vagrants.

And I HATE calling people a "problem" btw. These are humans deserving of compassion and I immediately began a regular contribution to the Union Mission when I moved down here to be able to help. But there's no doubt that the homeless shelters that draw these people-in-need to this area in such numbers will always be a stumbling block for growth.

The AJC wrote last year that the only 5 shelters in the entire metro that cater to homeless single men are all concentrated in downtown Atlanta. Until that changes, progress on other fronts will continue to be slow.

From my experience in Europe, it seems that the panhandlers migrate to city centers with concentrations of people and public transport. The shelter locations don't help but they probably sprung up there because that is where the need is.

[ATL Urbanist]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

From my experience in Europe, it seems that the panhandlers migrate to city centers with concentrations of people and public transport. The shelter locations don't help but they probably sprung up there because that is where the need is.

True, homeless people/vagrants/panhandlers would not disappear from the area if you took away the downtown shelters that cater to single, homeless men.

Understandably, they'll always have a presence in the center of a big city. In fact, I think it's valuable for homeless people to be apparent and not hidden from view because it keeps us from forgetting their needs.

But I still think that this situation -- where the only shelters for single, homeless men in the metro are all clustered near downtown -- is bad on multiple levels. It's bad that homeless men across the metro all have to travel to this one location to get services. It's bad that drug dealers who prey on homeless addicts have this conveniently-centralized customer base. And of course it's bad for development here.

I know there are many other cities with similar situations and similar concentrations of homeless people. But for this concentration to happen in the historic core of Atlanta for so long seems wrong.

[RandyWatson13]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Personally, I'd take as much of downtown as possible and turn it into GSU's campus. Sort of a "college town" style of gentrification. Just as UGA dominates Athens, I'd have GSU dominate downtown. Have Underground be for GSU as Tech Square is for Georgia Tech. GSU has over 30,000 students and they probably could push it up to 40 or even 50 thousand. And only about 3,000 students live there now so saturate the area with up to 30,000.

Great idea!

[StAubin]

Downtown needs more of a "restoring" than a redo. There are some historical buildings that are run down but would be great if they where restored.
Downtown should try to keep its historical feel to it and build more buildings like the ones you see around underground.

I would take 5 points station and put a Savannah style square on top and have that like a city-center. Also i would like to see the train station have a classic grand-central look to it.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by StAubin

Downtown needs more of a "restoring" than a redo. There are some historical buildings that are run down but would be great if they where restored.Downtown should try to keep its historical feel to it and build more buildings like the ones you see around underground.

Sorry, but I think downtown has pretty much lost its "historic" feel. Preserve what's there but it has lost any historic feel. For example, in 1977 they tore down the old Atlanta downtown library to make way for the "cinder block".



For some reason, I can't find a newer photo of that building.

I would take 5 points station and put a Savannah style square on top and have that like a city-center.

But you'd still have to figure out a way to make the area inviting rather than degrade into what it or Woodruff Park are now. It is possible as we see with Centennial Park, but the park is run by GWCCA. Not sure how they managed it or perhaps they are counting on the undesirable elements to go elsewhere.

Also i would like to see the train station have a classic grand-central look to it.

I would too, but I think it is cost prohibitive. Those grand stations served as gateways to the primary means of transport in the US. Hard to justify them now. Perhaps it could work as a multimodal/mall/office/housing center but even then it would probably be mostly fake.

Sadly, New York tore down their Penn Station and replaced it with Madison Square Garden.


It's still a railway station but underground.

[tomno00]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

In a word it is "sprawl". Complaints by tourists during the 1996 Olympics was that Atlanta lacked a "center". Atlanta doesn't have a strong anchor point on which to develop.

It's futile at this point but as I said before, if Atlanta had developed around Stone Mountain, that would be defining anchor, either that or the Chattahoochee. Other places have the advantage of having some natural wonder to build around, something that naturally draws people in.

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.