next hot spot for dense urban development (high rises, apartments, parks) (Atlanta: city hall, lofts)

[Adric]

If the new Marta line to Emory comes to fruition, I wouldn't be surprised if Lindbergh Center becomes much larger. At that point, Lindbergh Center and Five Points will be the only two stops serving as a marta rail hub. Midtown will also continue to grow with Arts Center becoming the third hub if a line to Cobb ever comes about.

[samiwas1]

I can only hope West Midtown starts developing. We moved into a townhouse just north of what is really considered West Midtown about 6 years ago, as we watched development get planned and started in the area. Unfortunately, the bubble took all of that and killed it, then took a big steamy dump on it for good measure. With that went our home value, which is now so low that we aren't even able to refinance to a lower interest rate.

I'm hoping that the current pickup in the economy starts some of these projects up again and brings some life to this side of town. I'd love to have a supermarket less than 3 miles form my house, along with some walkable restaurant/bar areas.

One thing I'd love to see, and it's a total pipe dream, is the Silver Comet Trail extended into West Midtown to join the Beltline. The track that becomes the Silver Comet Trail in Cobb runs right down to Chattahoochee Ave. It serves only the coal electric plant (with literally like one train a month), which is scheduled to be shut down soon. Since that track will then apparently serve no purpose, the SCT could be extended right into town. That would be awesome.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

I can only hope West Midtown starts developing. We moved into a townhouse just north of what is really considered West Midtown about 6 years ago, as we watched development get planned and started in the area. Unfortunately, the bubble took all of that and killed it, then took a big steamy dump on it for good measure. With that went our home value, which is now so low that we aren't even able to refinance to a lower interest rate.

I'm hoping that the current pickup in the economy starts some of these projects up again and brings some life to this side of town. I'd love to have a supermarket less than 3 miles form my house, along with some walkable restaurant/bar areas.

One thing I'd love to see, and it's a total pipe dream, is the Silver Comet Trail extended into West Midtown to join the Beltline. The track that becomes the Silver Comet Trail in Cobb runs right down to Chattahoochee Ave. It serves only the coal electric plant (with literally like one train a month), which is scheduled to be shut down soon. Since that track will then apparently serve no purpose, the SCT could be extended right into town. That would be awesome.

there is a wal-mart in west midtown, along howell mill road. it's kind of in the northern part of that section, though. i've been trying to get over there to see some of the stuff— i keep hearing west midtown is coming along quite a bit and i haven't seen a ton of stuff over there— i've seen howell mill north of 17th street and it was okay, but it felt kind of suburban, lots of chains and stuff.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

there is a wal-mart in west midtown, along howell mill road. it's kind of in the northern part of that section, though. i've been trying to get over there to see some of the stuff— i keep hearing west midtown is coming along quite a bit and i haven't seen a ton of stuff over there— i've seen howell mill north of 17th street and it was okay, but it felt kind of suburban, lots of chains and stuff.

Take Howell Mill *south* of 17th for tons of cool stuff. People don't realize how many art galleries and independent boutiques and restaurants and bars we have on all the side streets over here.

There's some stuff on Huff Road (west of Howell Mill) as well.

I'm not sure where samiwas is, exactly, but in addition to the Walmart there's a Kroger and Publix on Howell Mill near I-75. I do agree that we need better small grocers further south and west, though.

ETA: Here's a link to the Westside Arts District, which shows what the various galleries are up to: http://wadatlanta.org/

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

there is a wal-mart in west midtown, along howell mill road. it's kind of in the northern part of that section, though. i've been trying to get over there to see some of the stuff— i keep hearing west midtown is coming along quite a bit and i haven't seen a ton of stuff over there— i've seen howell mill north of 17th street and it was okay, but it felt kind of suburban, lots of chains and stuff.

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

Take Howell Mill *south* of 17th for tons of cool stuff. People don't realize how many art galleries and independent boutiques and restaurants and bars we have on all the side streets over here.

There's some stuff on Huff Road (west of Howell Mill) as well.

I'm not sure where samiwas is, exactly, but in addition to the Walmart there's a Kroger and Publix on Howell Mill near I-75. I do agree that we need better small grocers further south and west, though.

ETA: Here's a link to the Westside Arts District, which shows what the various galleries are up to: Westside Arts District | The arts district of Atlanta's Westside

yep...the Wal-Mart and Kroger on Howell Mill area right at 3 miles. The Publix is 2.5 miles. I generally don't go to either because the traffic in that area is so unpredictable. I generally head to the Kroger on Atlanta Rd. or the Publix on Cumberland, 3.3 and 5 miles away, which are both larger, nicer stores.

There is a large development planned right down the street from me, called the Moore's Mill Shopping Center (replacing the blighted eyesore that exists there now), which is supposed to contain a Publix, amongst other retailers. However, the development has been stymied at every turn by various groups. Five years later, we still haven't seen even the demolition of the old place. Instead, we have a large shopping center with only one store still open -- the rest covered in plywood -- and a few outbuildings, all abandoned.

[cqholt]

I think South Downtown will be the next hot-spot. Of course the city will have to do something about the homeless population, but the area is rip for redevelopment with cheap land values. Already served by 2 MARTA stations. Also agree with development of Lindbergh Center. Once the new Emory Line and BeltLine is built it will be a large transit hub.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

Here's a link to the Westside Arts District, which shows what the various galleries are up to: Westside Arts District | The arts district of Atlanta's Westside

Wow, I end up in West Midtown a lot but I've never gone south of 10th and had no idea that even existed. I'm going to have to go check that out. At a glance it reminds me a lot of Asheville's art district (Jonas Gerard's gallery is worth the trip alone).

[/derail]

[rackensack]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Long term, what do you think will become of Doraville by Buford Highway or Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth? There are a few low rise hotels south of I-85 on PHR. Does anyone see any potential for high density development further out in places like these?

No reason for high-rise development that far out, and those areas are mostly about immigrant-oriented retail now. Gwinnett County still has plenty of areas to build out into, and the only reasons for the kind of density you're talking about is proximity to transit and to specific neighborhoods/large employers/cultural institutions, etc. It'll be a very long time before a high-rise development near Pleasant Hill and Satellite, for instance, is cheaper, easier, and less risky than lower density development farther out. The exception would be if the there were a truly mammoth influx of Korean/Chinese/other Asian immigrants who wanted to be close to those areas for cultural reasons, but we'd have to be talking immigration on a scale unlike anything Atlanta (or any other U.S. city) has ever seen.

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

What about the historic downtowns like Norcross, Roswell, Marietta or Lawrenceville? Could there be expansions of them in the long term?

Expansions, perhaps, but nothing like the type/density of development being talked about here. For example, review what happened in Roswell when Charlie Brown proposed his "Roswell East" development around Holcomb Bridge and 400. That was miles from the "historic downtown" area of Roswell, in an area that's already taken up with strip retail, cheap apartments, and low-rise offices, and people screamed bloody murder about how it would "destroy the character" of the area. People who live in the suburbs have self-selected against being the sort of people, in general, who would support high-density, high-rise development anywhere near them. All of those towns are investing in improving and developing their downtowns, but none of them are going to have skyscrapers or even mid-rise development in them anytime in the next couple of decades.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

There is a large development planned right down the street from me, called the Moore's Mill Shopping Center (replacing the blighted eyesore that exists there now), which is supposed to contain a Publix, amongst other retailers. However, the development has been stymied at every turn by various groups. Five years later, we still haven't seen even the demolition of the old place. Instead, we have a large shopping center with only one store still open -- the rest covered in plywood -- and a few outbuildings, all abandoned.

This is that area that's almost entirely empty except for the Wendy's, CVS, and the gas station, right? (Sort of taking Marietta away from the city towards Vinings.) Do you know when or why all of that stuff shut down? I was wondering why more hadn't been built there recently; there's certainly enough traffic going past there.

Originally Posted by erick295

Wow, I end up in West Midtown a lot but I've never gone south of 10th and had no idea that even existed. I'm going to have to go check that out. At a glance it reminds me a lot of Asheville's art district (Jonas Gerard's gallery is worth the trip alone).

[/derail]

It's great. They do a a bunch of events every third Saturday each month as part of an "art walk." South of 10th, there are some great spots at the intersection of Marietta and Howell Mill: Octane, Hop City, Five Seasons, and Toscano and Sons (Italian Deli). All worth checking out.

Tying this back into the thread topic more tightly . . . what West Midtown could really use is some infill on Howell Mill between 10th and Marietta, and lots of infill on Northside all the way up and past 17th Street. Honestly, it's weird to me that Northside has been so slow to get more business and density. It's really well positioned for live, work, play stuff, and it's ridiculously close to Georgia Tech. Maybe the width of Northside is part of the deterrent?

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by rackensack

Expansions, perhaps, but nothing like the type/density of development being talked about here. For example, review what happened in Roswell when Charlie Brown proposed his "Roswell East" development around Holcomb Bridge and 400. That was miles from the "historic downtown" area of Roswell, in an area that's already taken up with strip retail, cheap apartments, and low-rise offices, and people screamed bloody murder about how it would "destroy the character" of the area. People who live in the suburbs have self-selected against being the sort of people, in general, who would support high-density, high-rise development anywhere near them. All of those towns are investing in improving and developing their downtowns, but none of them are going to have skyscrapers or even mid-rise development in them anytime in the next couple of decades.

they are about to build a skyscraper on old milton parkway near 400 in alpharetta.