Brookhaven getting some good new restaurants

[SteelCityRising]

These new "suburban town centers" or "mixed-use lifestyle centers" are the coward's way of recreating a nostalgic downtown atmosphere in the suburban periphery instead of investing the time and resources into retrofitting an existing urban area to serve the same exact purpose. Apparently nobody wants to be an "urban pioneer", but these same developers realize that the current trend in America is away from indoor shopping malls and big-box retailers and towards walkable Main Street types of shopping areas, so they compromise by selling out older communities in favor of trying to build new ones with an "old" flair. Here in Scranton they built an upscale new "lifestyle center" just over the city line in the suburbs that has since served its purpose in draining even more businesses out of the city core and into the suburbs at a time when there was significant momentum behind revitalizing the downtown in light of the city's overall rebounding image, which has proven to be a shot in the heart to city boosters such as myself.

It's quite foolish to hop into your SUV on your cul-de-sac and drive ten minutes to this "town center" or "lifestyle center", park your car, walk around, and then hop back in the SUV and head back to the cul-de-sac. People here in Scranton aren't that credulous, which is why the center isn't performing as well as many thought it would, even though it has still served its ultimate purpose in fleecing parts of the Downtown CBD. Now we have unpopular retail options just outside the city limits with how a developer tried to recreate a "new" downtown instead of doing the RESPECTABLE thing by restoring a few city blocks and housing these same retailers/restaurants in refurbished historic brick buildings. Apparently many folks agree with me as well, as I have yet to chat to one other person who likes that new lifestyle center. Most agree with me that it was just a developer's way of screwing over the city. Sadly I was one of the few to oppose it from the beginning---a time when there was still something that could have been done. Now it's too late.

Judging from those pictures this project looks to be a regrettable and disgusting waste of open space. Is THIS honestly considered good long-term land usage policy in Greater Atlanta? God help you!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by SWB

These new "suburban town centers" or "mixed-use lifestyle centers" are the coward's way of recreating a nostalgic downtown atmosphere in the suburban periphery instead of investing the time and resources into retrofitting an existing urban area to serve the same exact purpose.

****. Why on earth would folks in the suburbs want to deal with the political hell that is the City of Atlanta when they can create such things in their own areas on their own terms?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

****. Why on earth would folks in the suburbs want to deal with the political hell that is the City of Atlanta when they can create such things in their own areas on their own terms?

I'm sure the suburbs of Atlanta have their fair share of shady politics as well. Our suburbs most certainly do in PA.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

No, that second development is John Wieland's One Ivy Walk development.


Keep in mind that most of the units in One Ivy Walk are in the blocks behind the units facing the street and are shut off from the outside with gates. It's actually Cumberland Parkway there, not the E/W Connector, but that's really semantics since the two roads are the same more or less (South Cobb is the name change point). They are very nice units from what I understand, many of them with their own elevators, etc. I drive by them every day.

Thanks for the correction on the name of that place. Checked out the site..holeyyyyyy... $500,000 and UP for those town homes?? Wow.

Street names always baffle me here. yep, down there it is indeed Cumberland Parkway - which as you go further out changes names to the East West Connector, and then changes AGAIN to Barrett Parkway. geeez.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by SWB

I'm sure the suburbs of Atlanta have their fair share of shady politics as well. Our suburbs most certainly do in PA.

Yes, I'm sure that's probably true. But Atlanta is located in Fulton County, which is currently having its own issues (the northern wealthier half of the county used to be called Milton County and wants to split off again), and the City itself has a bad reputation that even relative newcomers like me have picked up on. Whether or not it's justified I don't know, I just know a lot of folks around my area want nothing to do with either Atlanta or Fulton County.

Atlanta is in a different county than most of its suburbs. Smyrna, for example, is in Cobb County along with Marietta, Kennesaw, etc. The west side of the river. So that makes two levels of government that would have to cooperate, and I suspect each side would have very different goals.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Thanks for the correction on the name of that place. Checked out the site..holeyyyyyy... $500,000 and UP for those town homes?? Wow.

Well, 4400 square feet ain't bad. And it *is* fairly close to true Vinings, which I'm sure adds a lot to the allure of the place. For some people, anyway.

[wxjay]

The units at One Ivy Walk are enormous. I visited their model. The place is pure luxury. $550K may sound a lot for a townhome, but in my opinion, they are well worth it if you have the money. Plus, John Wieland Homes make great homes.