Intown conveniences are relatively new (Atlanta: transplants, apartments, rent)

[ATLTJL]

Okay, so on this board we often talk a lot about intown vs. suburbs, and so on and so forth.

Tonight I stopped by the Best Buy on Sidney Marcus. That was built when, 2004 or so? It was pretty revolutionary at the time because as far as I know, that was the first ITP Best Buy. Before that, you had to go to Cumberland or Northlake.

So it's only been about 8 years or so that intown dwellers have been able to go to a Best Buy without going OTP. It was only last year or the year before that ITP got its own Costco.

What I'm trying to say is to the young people and new transplants, one reason why Atlanta doesn't have as much urban development as many other cities is because up until very recently, it was very inconvenient to live in town. When I first moved here in 1996, I looked at living in town, but I couldn't even find an apartment that had a dishwasher, nevermind washing machine connections which I also wanted.

Now, of course, you can find those things. But it wasn't very long ago at all that you really couldn't. At least not at any kind of decent affordable rent. Even if you could, your options for stores and even restaurants was pretty limited.

So give intown living a break. Stop wondering why it isn't mature yet and why it isn't perfect. It's still relatively young. Before about 10 or 12 years ago, intown living was too inconvenient for most people to consider doing.

[tonygeorgia]

I was just thinking about this last week. The issue with Atlanta is if you look at our skyline most of those buildings are corporations or hotels. Very very very very apartments and very few condos. When we can look at our skyline and the buildings are 33% corporations, 33% hotels and 33% condos/apartments Atlanta will begin to become more of a "real" city.

By the way I was arguing with someone on here a while back about Spring St and West Peachtree St becoming two way streets vs one way streets. I wanted to keep things the way they are but now I understand what the poster was talking about.


Another thing is the reason why IMO Atlanta is the way it is is because most people that move here would rather buy a big house in the suburbs because it's cheaper than where they just came from instead of moving downtown.

Once all these developments open next year here even more people are going to want to move intown.

[Freeminds]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

I was just thinking about this last week. The issue with Atlanta is if you look at our skyline most of those buildings are corporations or hotels. Very very very very apartments and very few condos. When we can look at our skyline and the buildings are 33% corporations, 33% hotels and 33% condos/apartments Atlanta will begin to become more of a "real" city.

By the way I was arguing with someone on here a while back about Spring St and West Peachtree St becoming two way streets vs one way streets. I wanted to keep things the way they are but now I understand what the poster was talking about.


Another thing is the reason why IMO Atlanta is the way it is is because most people that move here would rather buy a big house in the suburbs because it's cheaper than where they just came from instead of moving downtown.

Once all these developments open next year here even more people are going to want to move intown.

Not at 2X or 3X the price per square foot. Most people can't afford to live intown.

There needs to be more apartments. The rent is too high.

[Rozi30213]

The rent is high, the current apartments and condos are too old.. And parking sucks if you have to park on the street... Other than that I love the city life and only want to see the surbubs when I see my family... Lol

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by Freeminds

Not at 2X or 3X the price per square foot. Most people can't afford to live intown.

There needs to be more apartments. The rent is too high.

If people can afford a huge house in the suburbs they can afford an intown apartment.

[noah]

As someone who has lived in Midtown since I moved to Atlanta nearly 6 years ago I find some of these comments interesting. Too many "old" condos? There certainly is many people here who seem to only be interested in "new." No best buy? Best Buy is just about obsolete but I get the point although we seem to have plenty of chains intown to go with the wonderful local businesses. All hotels and corporate towers -- my first reaction is this comment is made by someone who doesn't really know the neighborhoods and condo buildings. The condo offerings go far beyond what you see in the skyline and even Midtown alone has so many options it boggles the mind (has to be at least 50 condo buildings in Midtown).

Living here I have seen so many people who have embraced the lifestyle and love it, just as there are those who love the suburbs or the mountains, there is room for all of it.

[Rozi30213]

I LOVE living in Midtown and I live in a condo that was built in 1965 and I love it too. I was just saying in general when I was looking for a place to live in my price range everything was mostly old. I don't mind it though because the new places have more problems than an old condo. I just miss being able to have a parking space.

[Freeminds]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

If people can afford a huge house in the suburbs they can afford an intown apartment.

Lol, at about a fraction of the space and no ownership. Not even comparable.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

I was just thinking about this last week. The issue with Atlanta is if you look at our skyline most of those buildings are corporations or hotels. Very very very very apartments and very few condos. When we can look at our skyline and the buildings are 33% corporations, 33% hotels and 33% condos/apartments Atlanta will begin to become more of a "real" city.

By the way I was arguing with someone on here a while back about Spring St and West Peachtree St becoming two way streets vs one way streets. I wanted to keep things the way they are but now I understand what the poster was talking about.


Another thing is the reason why IMO Atlanta is the way it is is because most people that move here would rather buy a big house in the suburbs because it's cheaper than where they just came from instead of moving downtown.

Once all these developments open next year here even more people are going to want to move intown.

Not really because if Atlanta developers would develop Apartments Vertically, it would dominate the skyline easily. I imagine a 500 unit complex would easily be 30 or more stories, however economically I know it wouldn't be feasible , for developers to just build apartment towers versus separate building.

[ATL_GUY]

That's a good point. Atlanta is mostly new anyway. Many of the high rise apartments and condos weren't even there a few years ago. The economic problem definitely halted a lot of the developing. I was looking at a huge list of developments that were planned yet didn't come to success. It definitely needs time to become more developed and more people will move into the the city and it will become more densely populated, vibrant. There should definitely be more mid-rise apartments where one could walk, drive, bike or use public transportation. I happened to live in western Europe for few years and I am always reminded of how living around shops, stores, etc, was the norm. Here it seems like something special for only a select few and I don't like that. Of course I'm comparing apples and oranges but the older US cities have it more designed like cities and towns in Europe, Latin America, etc. Atlanta is definitely trying to get there and it eventually will, or so I hope. I have, however, seen a lot of changes since I first moved to Atlanta and I see new things every time I come back to visit.