The Future of Rural ITP (Atlanta, Thomasville: apartments, homes, schools)

[bryantm3]

Many of you are not aware, but there is a pretty significant chunk of land ITP that is downright rural. This is unusual because OTP, extending at least 15 miles out on the northside, has been completely developed, either in a suburban or urban manner. But areas to the Southeast and Northwest ITP remain rural to the point that there are no streetlights, there are large fields and forested areas, and have little to no population.

Last night I went driving around some of the rural areas ITP, such as Bouldercrest Road, Key Road, Moreland Drive south of Thomasville Heights, and Jonesboro Road. Other spots are Hollywood Road, Gun Club Drive, and others.

My question is this: With the climate in development changing towards urban, walkable communities, what do you expect will happen to these rural spots ITP? Do you expect them to remain untouched in favour of more developed areas? Or, if they receive attention, do you see them as being the site for single-family homes for those who want to live close in and still be able to own a home? Or do you expect these sites to eventually become part of the urban patchwork of Atlanta?

Here are some of the spots I'm talking about:

http://goo.gl/maps/YZpNP

http://goo.gl/maps/qEPnx

http://goo.gl/maps/QaXtD

http://goo.gl/maps/2AZXS

http://goo.gl/maps/dYjjd


And now for the ultimate question: Regardless of what you think WILL happen, what do you think SHOULD happen?

[cqholt]

Those areas suffer from an image problem and until those concerns are address no developer will take a chance. Improve the schools and recude crime.

[samiwas1]

Home of those areas are around old landfills and probably not ripe for desirable development.

As for what I think should happen, I love Atlanta for how you can be two minutes form Midtown, yet feel a world away. There's a reason I don't live in NYC, even though it's the hotbed for what I do for work. I don't want to live in a high-density place, but do want everything that big-city living brings. Atlanta is perfect for that. I don't mind areas of density, but I don't think the entire ITP needs to be developed. Lets keep at least some of the charm.

[aries4118]

A map:


http://documents.atlantaregional.com...opted11x17.pdf

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

...

Here are some of the spots I'm talking about:

http://goo.gl/maps/YZpNP

http://goo.gl/maps/qEPnx

http://goo.gl/maps/QaXtD

http://goo.gl/maps/2AZXS

http://goo.gl/maps/dYjjd

...

Oh-my-god...like, SO pretty!

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Those areas suffer from an image problem and until those concerns are address no developer will take a chance. Improve the schools and recude crime.

Sounds about right.

[HH82]

That area was where GA 166 and I-675 were supposed to intersect before the Freeway Revolt killed I-675 at I-285. The original plan was to have 166 run all the way to I-20 near Gresham Road and to have I-675 go all the way through town to where GA 400 ends at I-85.

[ATLTJL]

Don't know, but I wouldn't count on it.

There are tons of pockets of pretty much undeveloped land in the middle of everything.

Buford Highway has a huge chunk of (seemingly - I don't know if there is something on it that you just can't see from the road) undeveloped land between Brookhaven and Chamblee. And these kinds of spots exist all over.

But you just don't know what's going on. Maybe the land can't be developed. Maybe it's owned by someone who refuses to sell. Maybe it's being used for something that just isn't apparent.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

Here are some of the spots I'm talking about:

http://goo.gl/maps/2AZXS

And now for the ultimate question: Regardless of what you think WILL happen, what do you think SHOULD happen?

We talked about the Gun club road area in another thread. I believe it will eventually go apartments.

[JoeTarheel]

Leave those undeveloped areas alone! We need to concentrate on already developed areas that can be improved and further developed rather than turning to sprawl (development in previously undeveloped areas). Most cities have pockets of rural-ish areas similar to these....there's nothing wrong with them.