Why hasn't the apartment boom hit downtown? (Atlanta: 2014, house)

[cwkimbro]

I would like to point out that there is a difference between a freeway becoming a barrier after the fact and decades of growth vs. placing a freeway for the purpose. Auburn Ave, while it had a nearby neighborhood of affluent african americans, was not where most lived and it still led out to a mostly white area beyond.

At the end of the day freeway planners were just trying to create generic cross-town routes. There were plenty of african americans north an south of I-20 and east and west of I-85. Downtown Atlanta has majority black neighborhoods in all directions, but due north. Any planner would have been hard pressed to make a highway to be a barrier or not have it affect black and/or white neighborhoods. I'm not exactly sure how else they could have been built, given the strategies of freeway development nationwide to connect downtown centers, and not have people crying racism in some way or another.


CQ, as for your argument about planners building the freeway to the east or west... has little to do with the situation. I can only hope Arjay's maps help you understand a little bit better where Atlanta was in the 50s.

If they built it to the west there were even more black neighborhoods people would have claimed were trying to be separated and/or neighborhoods destroyed.

The freeways were largely built to avoid expensive land and driving existing businesses away. Atlanta always had barriers, which were the railroads. The freeways had to avoid those, and the heavy industry around them as much as possible. The Atlantic Station Steel site I saw as a little kid was right next to the connector with the railroads to the west. The area south of the major junction rail yards were very industrious and supplied many jobs, which is why there were more working class neighborhoods around them compared to the northeast. The major railyards were also to the northwest and a huge barrier socially and for roadway planners alike.

Planners also built Northside drive to be a major bypass. Back then the freeway were only 4-lanes and Northside Dr. was still considered to be a major part of the roadway plan.

As far as telling ATLTJL to suck it... Really!? Grow up and grow some humility. Disagree, but this issue is way to dicey to act childish like that.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I would like to point out that there is a difference between a freeway becoming a barrier after the fact and decades of growth vs. placing a freeway for the purpose. Auburn Ave, while it had a nearby neighborhood of affluent african americans, was not where most lived and it still led out to a mostly white area beyond.

At the end of the day freeway planners were just trying to create generic cross-town routes. There were plenty of african americans north an south of I-20 and east and west of I-85. Downtown Atlanta has majority black neighborhoods in all directions, but due north. Any planner would have been hard pressed to make a highway to be a barrier or not have it affect black and/or white neighborhoods. I'm not exactly sure how else they could have been built, given the strategies of freeway development nationwide to connect downtown centers, and not have people crying racism in some way or another.


CQ, as for your argument about planners building the freeway to the east or west... has little to do with the situation. I can only hope Arjay's maps help you understand a little bit better where Atlanta was in the 50s.

If they built it to the west there were even more black neighborhoods people would have claimed were trying to be separated and/or neighborhoods destroyed.

Just to bracket my comments, there is no question that highways were often built with the idea that in addition to being roads they would also serve as racial barriers. That was common in cities all over the country, and Atlanta was no exception. This is documented in countless contemporaneous records. It's yet another sad aspect of America's unjust treatment of African Americans in times past.

However, the Downtown Connector and Auburn Avenue is not the best example of that. The Connector was actually moved in an effort to lessen its impact. While the highway clearly damaged the area, there were a number of other factors involved in Sweet Auburn's decline as well.

And obviously creating racial barriers was not the only or even the main reason for building freeways. They were rammed through many lily white neighborhoods, too. As CW says, it's a complex business involving a slew of considerations.

[Lady's Man]

i'm suprised the area around centennial park hasn't taken off yet. It has a lot of the ingredients that appeal to young people.

[netdragon]

It has hit downtown, just along Ralph David Abernathy typically. Not what most people consider downtown, but it's downtown.

[Zanarkand A East]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The connector between GT/Home Park and Midtown is depressed allowing pedestrians to crossover it easily and its only 300-500 feet wide. I-20 between Downtown and Mechancsville is overhead and spans twice as much due to being at the convergence of 3 major interstates.

I didn't say it would be walkable, just that some infill would make it feel closer. A streetcar would help bridge the distance too. One benefit of traveling between Midtown and Home Park is that you can see the other side, and you have a reason to be on foot in the first place.

[Zanarkand A East]

Originally Posted by Lady's Man

i'm suprised the area around centennial park hasn't taken off yet. It has a lot of the ingredients that appeal to young people.

The new Falcons stadium will help with this, especially if it's on Ivan Allen (which seems likely).

[Atlwarrior]

Novare announces the start of another 23 story tower in the AJC today. Why not combined some of those projects and create a 46 story tower.

[DTL3000]

Downtown is a chicken and egg scenario. There really isn't much as far as everyday amenities in that part of town and until more folks with at least a moderate amount of disposable income start moving in it will likely stay that way. But most people who move "downtown" in any given city are doing so because they think they're moving to the center of the "action." Downtown Atlanta has all the headaches of city living with few benefits. Midtown just makes more sense if 'urban living' is what you are going for.

Not to mention, some of the crowd that hangs around around Five Points aren't necessarily the most welcoming to the hipsters and yuppies that would most likely spark a real apartment boom. They probably also discourage major investment and small businesses from taking a chance in what should be some really lucrative real estate. The culture they represent is a blight on the city.

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Novare announces the start of another 23 story tower in the AJC today. Why not combined some of those projects and create a 46 story tower.

The AJC is late. We talked about this projects MONTHS ago on here

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by DTL3000

Downtown is a chicken and egg scenario. There really isn't much as far as everyday amenities in that part of town and until more folks with at least a moderate amount of disposable income start moving in it will likely stay that way. But most people who move "downtown" in any given city are doing so because they think they're moving to the center of the "action." Downtown Atlanta has all the headaches of city living with few benefits. Midtown just makes more sense if 'urban living' is what you are going for.

Not to mention, some of the crowd that hangs around around Five Points aren't necessarily the most welcoming to the hipsters and yuppies that would most likely spark a real apartment boom. They probably also discourage major investment and small businesses from taking a chance in what should be some really lucrative real estate. The culture they represent is a blight on the city.

Not really I moved downtown to be close to my job at the 191 peachtree tower. I'm very please with my apartment, and the choice of transit, bars, and the ability to walk to work. I do agree that Five Points look like a third world country, and something really need to change for Five Points today. I say close off that Plaza area, where people just hang around and be idle, reroute Marta buses to other stations from Five Points, which have idle people standing around also.