Is Atlanta's Eyes Bigger than its Stomach? (Smyrna, Alpharetta: apartment complexes, hotel)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

But as you know Streets of Buckhead was stalled as well. I'm just worried that what it did was kill off something "organic", the Buckhead nightlife, and replace it with a sterile "big project". This is a scorched earth approach to remake something that wasn't really broke.

I don't think that's what happened. The 3-4 blocks where the redevelopment project is going in is only a small part of Buckhead. It hadn't been touched in over 50 years and was begging for an update. To me that seems totally organic.

And of course the rest (i.e., the bulk) of the Buckhead Village has continued to percolate along organically, developing parcel by parcel. There's no "sterile big project" -- it's hundreds of individual lots spread out over probably 30 blocks.

There has never been any wholesale revamp of Buckhead, unless you count the SPI-9 zoning. But that's simply an effort to institute some guidelines as the area continues to evolve.

In my opinion, that's greatly preferable to an attempt to redevelop Buckhead all at once.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I don't think that's what happened. The 3-4 blocks where the redevelopment project is going in is only a small part of Buckhead. It hadn't been touched in over 50 years and was begging for an update. To me that seems totally organic.

And of course the rest (i.e., the bulk) of the Buckhead Village has continued to percolate along organically, developing parcel by parcel. There's no "sterile big project" -- it's hundreds of individual lots spread out over probably 30 blocks.

There has never been any wholesale revamp of Buckhead, unless you count the SPI-9 zoning. But that's simply an effort to institute some guidelines as the area continues to evolve.

In my opinion, that's greatly preferable to an attempt to redevelop Buckhead all at once.

To me, doing this much at once



is not an organic approach. Parcel by parcel and allowing the area to develop a character illustrates organic growth better than one unified theme. I mean, that area was pretty cool and felt "human". That rendering looks nice like Atlantic Station but even AS feels a bit sterile. To me, a significant piece of Buckhead's character was lost to the wrecking ball.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

To me, doing this much at once



is not an organic approach. Parcel by parcel and allowing the area to develop a character illustrates organic growth better than one unified theme. I mean, that area was pretty cool and felt "human". That rendering looks nice like Atlantic Station but even AS feels a bit sterile. To me, a significant piece of Buckhead's character was lost to the wrecking ball.

I totally agree. Very good points--and so true.


Sigh.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Are big projects getting built in other cities?

Actually things are starting to pick up again....in most of the NYC region...

[dleops]

Originally Posted by sab1024

I am moving to Dallas for a number for reasons, mostly since the job market in Atlanta is one of the worst in the country. Their economy is steady and growing and they have created the most jobs in the past 10 years. Sure past performance is not an indicator of future results, but they have just elected a businessman mayor (Pizza Hut) and he is a proponent of small business, again no guarantees. We shall see. But they will challenge ATL on many fronts. I think Atlanta developed a bit faster than DWF in the 2000s but this decade may well belong to Dallas, the 4th largest city in US. They are building a park over the Woodall Rogers Freeway to link downtown to uptown that will create a very vibrant urban center; also building a scaled down but a signature bridge by Santiago Calatrava over the Trinity River, and the river is being developed (not without controversy). They want to become one of the top convention cities, they are now #6 and guess who is #5. If Atlanta does not create jobs, there will not be demand for these new developments. I think ATL will have to play catchup when the economy does start to get more consistent. Don't think that will happen until the 2012 election as things are very uncertain. Also I hear that ATL is increasingly not showing up in companies short list of relocating companies, mostly to do with traffic congestion. I don't ATL can come up with a quick enough fix to the traffic issue. This tax referendum is truly a joke and will have no real impact on the traffic. ATL now has to deal with the problem that the go-go growth of the last 20 years created.

Nail on the head. Dallas also built that new staduim and it's light rail is all over the city. Projections for Atlanta are to recover in 2014. But several states are already in recovery, and as you know including TX.

It's funny people dare mention the streets of buckhead. Atlanta is so screwed up that the developer re-named it "buckhead" because they do not want it to be anything like what was originally planned.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

To me, doing this much at once

is not an organic approach. Parcel by parcel and allowing the area to develop a character illustrates organic growth better than one unified theme. I mean, that area was pretty cool and felt "human". That rendering looks nice like Atlantic Station but even AS feels a bit sterile. To me, a significant piece of Buckhead's character was lost to the wrecking ball.

I can't see it that way. What you're really talking about is (a) replacing one block of dilapidated old lowrise buildings with new lowrise buildings, (b) replacing another half-block of dilapidated lowrise buildings with new lowrise buildings and (c) replacing 3/4 of another block of old lowrise buildings with a midrise office and a couple of apartment buildings. That's good stuff but hardly equivalent to something like Atlantic Station or the redevelopment in Hapeville or Ft. Mac. These Buckhead buildings cover what, maybe 8 or 9 acres? That's less than 1/10th the size of Atlantic Station.

The new buildings are being slotted in among existing structures of various ages, styles and uses. Some are new and will likely stay put. Some are way out of date and underutilized, and will likely be replaced in due course by other developers. A number of others will most likely be rehabbed or otherwise re-purposed.

The vast majority of the Village is unaffected and held by many different property owners. A lot of it has already been rezoned and designated for future projects, and it will continue developing organically as it has over the past century.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by sab1024

I am moving to Dallas for a number for reasons, mostly since the job market in Atlanta is one of the worst in the country. Their economy is steady and growing and they have created the most jobs in the past 10 years. Sure past performance is not an indicator of future results, but they have just elected a businessman mayor (Pizza Hut) and he is a proponent of small business, again no guarantees. We shall see. But they will challenge ATL on many fronts. I think Atlanta developed a bit faster than DWF in the 2000s but this decade may well belong to Dallas, the 4th largest city in US. They are building a park over the Woodall Rogers Freeway to link downtown to uptown that will create a very vibrant urban center; also building a scaled down but a signature bridge by Santiago Calatrava over the Trinity River, and the river is being developed (not without controversy). They want to become one of the top convention cities, they are now #6 and guess who is #5. If Atlanta does not create jobs, there will not be demand for these new developments. I think ATL will have to play catchup when the economy does start to get more consistent. Don't think that will happen until the 2012 election as things are very uncertain. Also I hear that ATL is increasingly not showing up in companies short list of relocating companies, mostly to do with traffic congestion. I don't ATL can come up with a quick enough fix to the traffic issue. This tax referendum is truly a joke and will have no real impact on the traffic. ATL now has to deal with the problem that the go-go growth of the last 20 years created.

Brought to you courtesy of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

98% of this opinion by the way.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by dleops

Nail on the head. Dallas also built that new staduim and it's light rail is all over the city..

Oooooh a stadium and light rail!

Two problems:

1. I assume you are talking about the new Cowboys Stadium...in Arlington, TX...22 miles from Downtown Dallas...That no one can get to in Dallas via public transit. So much for that light rail all over the city! Get back to me when there is a subway station underneath Cowboys Stadium connecting it to the actual city of Dallas like the Georgia Dome has.

2. About that light rail...

Dallas Light Rail daily ridership - 57,700
MARTA subway daily ridership - 260,000
Daily ridership just for Five Points Station in Downtown Atlanta - 57,000

Get back to me when DART has a higher rail ridership than just one of our train stations.

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by sab1024

I am moving to Dallas for a number for reasons, mostly since the job market in Atlanta is one of the worst in the country. Their economy is steady and growing and they have created the most jobs in the past 10 years. Sure past performance is not an indicator of future results, but they have just elected a businessman mayor (Pizza Hut) and he is a proponent of small business, again no guarantees. We shall see. But they will challenge ATL on many fronts. I think Atlanta developed a bit faster than DWF in the 2000s but this decade may well belong to Dallas, the 4th largest city in US. They are building a park over the Woodall Rogers Freeway to link downtown to uptown that will create a very vibrant urban center; also building a scaled down but a signature bridge by Santiago Calatrava over the Trinity River, and the river is being developed (not without controversy). They want to become one of the top convention cities, they are now #6 and guess who is #5. If Atlanta does not create jobs, there will not be demand for these new developments. I think ATL will have to play catchup when the economy does start to get more consistent. Don't think that will happen until the 2012 election as things are very uncertain. Also I hear that ATL is increasingly not showing up in companies short list of relocating companies, mostly to do with traffic congestion. I don't ATL can come up with a quick enough fix to the traffic issue. This tax referendum is truly a joke and will have no real impact on the traffic. ATL now has to deal with the problem that the go-go growth of the last 20 years created.

I use to live in DFW before I don't like calling it Dallas anyways, yeah the job market is doing better there, but they have stalled and slow projects too, like the Trinity River project. That where that signature bridge is. People have opinion but the Trinity river project is not better then the Atlanta beltline project but that just my opinion, they're both great ideals though. By the beltline being a loop it's going to effect the west and south side of the city more, then whats Dallas is going to get from the trinity river project, and southside of Dallas really need help. And why is the The tax referendum a joke? Have seem there plans? And this is just the light rail plans.


Transit summit of Atlanta’s northern suburbs seen as ‘breakthrough moment’ | SaportaReport

If you like Dallas better find, it's my 2nd home, but I just have a pet peed for posters trying to make like Atlanta leaders are just staring off into space.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Actually things are starting to pick up again....in most of the NYC region...

Yeah, sure. With huge budget deficits that will take years to sort out. Better get ready for some massive cuts to every single category of State government.