How State Farm will remake ‘outdated’ suburbs (Atlanta, Dunwoody: house, mall)

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

Lol at Dunwoody being "outdated". It is far nicer than most of the City of Atlanta and about as "walkable" too.

I don't think it's outdated either, but you can't really compare it to Atlanta. It's more like a neighborhood in Atlanta and very comparable to some of Atlanta's neighborhoods. Walkable? No...maybe inside Perimeter Mall, but there is nothing there comparable to the walkable areas of Atlanta like downtown/Midtown/L5P/Atlantic Station/etc.

[Just Blaze]

I absolutely LOVE Dunwoody! I moved here from Dallas last year and can't imagine living anywhere else in the metro. Jobs, shopping, Marta, and easy access to 400 & 285.

[darkskinman740]

The State Farm building will be in the perfect spot since its right next to the train station. But if you aren't next to the train station most of Perimeter really isn't that walkable and trying to catch a bus is pretty much a waste of more time. Most business complexes and hotels have their own shuttles for employees for that reason. It works but only runs at certain times and when you are like me and work in IT, your schedule is unpredictable and the shuttle has stopped running by the time you get to leave. Which means a loooooong walk to the train station....Good thing I can cut through the mall for Cookies(Love Great American Cookie Company)

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Most people won't be taking the train and most couldn't if they wanted to.

Tell me more about this survey you have done of "most people" who will be working in this new development. How did you find them all?

[JMatl]

The bottom line is that a large segment of the corporate world prefers this area.

That shows absolutely no sign of changing, so I applaud State Farm and the proposed High Street across Hammond for being urban and directly adjacent to the Dunwoody Station.

I used to work out there and know what a traffic nightmare it is at rush hour, but it still pales in comparison to Tysons Corner. Just saying...

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by JMatl

The bottom line is that a large segment of the corporate world prefers this area.

That shows absolutely no sign of changing, so I applaud State Farm and the proposed High Street across Hammond for being urban and directly adjacent to the Dunwoody Station.

I used to work out there and know what a traffic nightmare it is at rush hour, but it still pales in comparison to Tysons Corner. Just saying...

They like it because if offers a medium to the young professionals who prefer urban living and riding transit, while still offering freeway access to suburban areas.

[JoeP]

Tell me more about this survey you have done of "most people" who will be working in this new development. How did you find them all?

So nobody commutes east and west on 285 to get to perimeter. It's all a mirage that I see driving in.
In fact, why I am driving so slow? Why do I sit in Ravinia for 30 minutes in the afternoon just to make it through the light at Ravinia and Ashford Dunwoody - people can take MARTA and work at Ravinia and the other buildings as well.

Tell me more about this fantasy world that you live in.

[NB9540]

I work for State Farm and we're currently in 3 Ravinia. Some days I am stuck on Ravinia Dr. for 30 minutes just trying to get onto Ashford Dunwoody.

Whoever is running this company into the ground is also probably the guy who decided to build right next to MARTA, not realizing that NO ONE USES IT. In our entire office it's 20% at the MOST. Putting their ginormous megacomplex right in an already horribly overcrowded and overcongested area was one of the stupidest decisions they've made, and that's saying a lot.

I am looking for another job... This one just isn't worth the hassle.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by JoeP

So nobody commutes east and west on 285 to get to perimeter. It's all a mirage that I see driving in.
In fact, why I am driving so slow? Why do I sit in Ravinia for 30 minutes in the afternoon just to make it through the light at Ravinia and Ashford Dunwoody - people can take MARTA and work at Ravinia and the other buildings as well.

Tell me more about this fantasy world that you live in.

More people drive than use transit - that is a fact. But it's very nice to have options, and the more options offered the more people will use them. I wouldn't say that there is anyone who can't take MARTA to work when it pulls up right outside your building...remember there are park and ride lots on every side of the city for this purpose.

Any cars that transit can keep off the roads will help the traffic problem, and I believe using MARTA will eventually become more popular - especially with convenient developments like this one. It's nicer than sitting in that 285 traffic and having to dodge crashing airplanes.

[MattCW]

Honest question NB9540, is it because the people don't have MARTA access near their homes, or near their office? 0.6 miles from the station to 3 Ravinia isn't exactly great to begin with, and it's not the best road for it either and shuttle buses are just stuck in the same mess. But 20% existing use isn't bad as-is. In my office, it's more like 5% and we're far better suited to transit access than 3 Ravinia.

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

More people drive than use transit - that is a fact. But it's very nice to have options, and the more options offered the more people will use them. I wouldn't say that there is anyone who can't take MARTA to work when it pulls up right outside your building...remember there are park and ride lots on every side of the city for this purpose.

Except the problem is, for most offices in Atlanta, the bulk of the workers will be coming down 75, 400 and 85 from the north. From 75, forget about it. For 85, unless you limit yourself to one of the express/Xpress buses which have pretty bad schedules, your first P&R is Doraville, and unless you're in Downtown, by the time you make it to Doraville (remember, it's not right off 85 like North Springs is off 400, it's another exit down 285) you could just about be there even in traffic. 400 is marginally better, but even as far as Buckhead, driving is a bit faster than the train since most of the traffic is before North Springs (going south). Now once the Red Line extension is built, that will change things, it will become feasible for people in Roswell and Alpharetta to take the train to Perimeter since they won't have to drive as far and in as much traffic.

Any cars that transit can keep off the roads will help the traffic problem, and I believe using MARTA will eventually become more popular - especially with convenient developments like this one. It's nicer than sitting in that 285 traffic and having to dodge crashing airplanes.

It will certainly be nice for people coming from the south (which unfortunately isn't likely to be too many) and once the Red Line reaches Windward, nice for those people as well, but practically speaking, this development won't take many cars off the road.