ATL suburb residents only! What keeps you form moving Downtown? (Atlanta: houses, private schools)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Mike_IN_AUG

One thing I have noticed from a lot of ATL residents is that they pretty much hate the city and want to live in a more traditional rural setting. Is this because of the cities new culture and no past of being such a large entity?

The city of Atlanta was more populous 50 years ago than it is today. So we do have a history as a large entity.

That doesn't mean we don't appreciate elbow room just like folks everywhere else.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by Mike_IN_AUG

One thing I have noticed from a lot of ATL residents is that they pretty much hate the city and want to live in a more traditional rural setting. Is this because of the cities new culture and no past of being such a large entity?

I think you're confusing Atlanta residents with Atlanta metro residents. I doubt there are very many people in Atlanta proper who hate cities and want to live in a rural area. Now if you mean people in the suburbs, then it's probably a combination of this being the South which has traditionally been pretty rural, and the whole sprawl thing that happened everywhere in the 20th century. Entire generations have been raised in a time when most cities were dangerous and unpleasant. That sentiment isn't unique to the Atlanta area.

Atlanta has been a big city for longer than most of us have been around. The metro population was already over 1 million in the 1950s.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

It sounds nice on paper, but how do you get a week of groceries and carry them home without a car? How do you do a Costco run? How do you buy a TV? I wouldn't even be able to haul my monthly 26 lb. bag of dog food home without a car. What about when it's raining? Or 90 degrees?

I understand the concept of walkability, and I think the idea of walking to restaurants, bars, concerts and stuff is great. It's awesome, I totally wish I could do it!

But from a pragmatic standpoint, walking to do errands just isn't the best way to get many of them done. Plus, it severely limits your choices.

Of course, I'm probably lazy. Even when I lived less than half a mile from a MARTA station, I still usually drove there and parked in the lot rather than hoof it!

Well both sides are pragmatic, but they are stressing things.

Many singles being pragmatic want the social atmosphere and more likely bump into more singles. They want to walk to a bar and not worry about driving home. They don't want to worry about or the added expense of a yard, but they do want a social gathering area... (pool, back deck, pub, coffee shop, etc..) within an arms reach.

Some people also like the pragmatic stand point of just knowing they are not depending on their car and putting as much pollution into the air.

Inversely, like many of your points, the benefits of the suburbs is once you are in a car-oriented area, you can really open yourself up to -MANY- shopping amenities within a 15 minute drive. Much more so than if you were walking. There is a reason Ansley notices how much better the grocery shopping is. It is a competitive marketplace. You can make a huge grocery store and many people can drive to it within a reasonable amount of time. They compete by their size and offerings.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Inversely, like many of your points, the benefits of the suburbs is once you are in a car-oriented area, you can really open yourself up to -MANY- shopping amenities within a 15 minute drive.

I have at least a dozen major grocery stores within a 15 minute drive. That's not a benefit of suburbs. It's a benefit of driving.

[Tryska]

God invented little wire carts to haul your groceries in. Im not gonna lie -i'm actually pondering one of those trikes with the baskets in the back for when my area ginally rwaches the density in my imagination.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by erick295

I have at least a dozen major grocery stores within a 15 minute drive. That's not a benefit of suburbs. It's a benefit of driving.

Well, no it's not. But some folks think you have to sit in traffic for an hour in the burbs just to go shopping. That is far from the truth.

[Atlwarrior]

Mike in Aug, geez another thread.

[deacongirl]

I would love to live in the city. The only thing holding us back is cost. But for now, other than my husband's commute, East Cobb is the best fit for our family and we are happy here.

[OneTrickNet]

Originally Posted by Mike_IN_AUG

ATL resident, who live in the suburbs, what are the main reasons you live in the suburbs?

Because I haven't received any offers on my house yet.

In other news, does anyone want to buy a house in Woodstock?

No, but really - when I bought my house out here I worked in the suburbs. It was affordable for what I was looking for as a first-time buyer and the property taxes are cheaper. And, of course, there isn't too bad of a crime issue. Pretty typical suburbia.

But now I work downtown and would love to be a little closer.

[10 feet tall]

Originally Posted by arjay57

We intowners have developed a different sensibility. It's simply not that hard to carry home a freshly baked baguette, a slice of cheese and whatever fresh vegetable happens to be in the local market. On occasion we may pick up a fresh fish or a bottle of wine but these are not major burdens. If necessary we simply hop on our bikes or take the local streetcar. The exercise keeps us nice and slim as well.

Yet somehow we still find ample time for reading, attending the symphony or visiting with friends in one of the many pubs that line our streets.

It's just a different world here in the city.

At best, this is an incredibly romanticized take on Atlanta in town living. Almost to the point of being a joke.