Dwight Bell planning 800 unit mixed-use development near Crest Lawn Memorial (Atlanta: real estate, 2015)

[Airforceguy]

This will certainly be a nice development for the westside...

Due west of Buckhead and Interstate 75, real estate firm Cannon Equities is planning to build a sort of mixed-use mini-city that could bring more than 800 new residences to an under-the-radar section of Atlanta. Dwight Bell, the company's founder and CEO, told Bisnow the site is one of the largest urban infill opportunities left in Atlanta and has the potential to become a destination. Dubbed "The Quarter-Upper West Side," which is a mouthful, the project would rise just north of Crest Lawn Memorial Park on Bolton Drive, near Marietta Boulevard. More specifically, Bell envisions a 386-unit apartment complex, a collection of townhomes, condos and single-family residences, along with boutique shops, restaurants and a town square overlooking a park. If home prices in nearby nabes like Whittier Mill Village, Underwood Hills and Riverside are any indication, the proposed village could offer more affordable alternatives to basically everywhere on the flipside of town.

Developer Pitches New ITP Village West of Buckhead - Proposals of Note - Curbed Atlanta

[NYbyWAYofGA]

Isn't the concept of a city within city an outdated one....? How about a novel concept. like building a community that connects with the city.

[tikigod311]

Damnit, I'm looking at houses up that way. Trying to escape the pricing that is coming along with all this mixed use, doubt this will help

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

Isn't the concept of a city within city an outdated one....? How about a novel concept. like building a community that connects with the city.

I don't get it either. Why can't these 800 apartments actually go into the core so that the core can urbanize faster and we get a cohesive urbanized core like what Seattle is currently.

I'm tired of all of these urban islands that don't connect anywhere or even have transit. How does that create a city?

[alco89]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Why can't these 800 apartments actually go into the core so that the core can urbanize faster and we get a cohesive urbanized core like what Seattle is currently.

I'm tired of all of these urban islands that don't connect anywhere or even have transit. How does that create a city?

Because Seattle doesn't have a lot of undeveloped land within their city limits and we do. This plot of land and subsequent construction is likely many times cheaper than anything you can get in the core, even though they'll have to demo the old structures. Also, it's only 386 apartments and the rest is single family and townhomes. It just makes business sense, unfortunately. This will continue to happen until we either run out of space in the city or someone steps in with a smart urban plan (Keane!?).

Edit: I do wish for the same thing as you, Ant.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

I don't get it either. Why can't these 800 apartments actually go into the core so that the core can urbanize faster and we get a cohesive urbanized core like what Seattle is currently.

I'm tired of all of these urban islands that don't connect anywhere or even have transit. How does that create a city?

Well, those of us who live in the area of this development are somewhat thrilled that SOMETHING is happening around here. We've been waiting on that Moore's Mill Shopping Center for over a decade, and we see how well that's gone. Unfortunately, I don't think this development will happen until the shopping center starts moving. I think the article is upselling it a bit in being a mini-city. It's a bunch of apartments and homes with some restaurants and shops.

While it may not be "in the core", this is only a few miles outside of it. It's not like it's in Forsyth County or something. And how does it not connect anywhere? It's on Marietta Blvd., a huge commuting route into downtown and midtown, and up to Cobb County. I live nearby and can be in downtown, midtown, marietta, vinings, cumberland, buckhead, and almost to perimeter in 15-20 minutes in normal traffic. That's not a bad deal at all in this city.

As far as transit, it's right on one MARTA bus route, and about 1/4 mile from two other bus routes. May not be rail, but it's transit.

As far as pricing tikigod...this area is still pretty low. alco..there are no structures to demolish.

(PS...I'll also note that the other thread about the mini city where numerous people said "if this were happening ITP, you guys would be doing backflips"...looks like they were all wrong).

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by alco89

Because Seattle doesn't have a lot of undeveloped land within their city limits and we do.

No we don't. What we do have an abundance of is land that was developed but no longer used for that purpose. For example, a lot of the empty space in the city (especially in the core) used to have a factory or other commercial enterprise on it that was torn down. It may have also been the city of a housing project or a pre-AHA slum area that never had anything else put on it. Outside of the nature preserves on the south side, pretty much all of the City of Atlanta has been developed.

Now how well it has been developed is an entirely different conversation.

As for these "city within a city" development, while I am not a fan, I'm not that big of detractor either. Any high density residential development in the city is a good one. There is also no rule book that says that it has to happen from the inside out. While that is ideal, it's not a necessary component for success.

For example cities like NYC, London, or Barcelona did not develop this way. They actually had a development pattern closer to ours and filled in over time. In NYC, development was sporadic and haphazard until the Commissioners Plan was implemented in the middle part of the 19th century. Modern Greater London was a sporadic collection of towns that just kept sprawling until it even became a cohesive unit. Barcelona was a crowded seaside town with streets going all over the place until the Eixample project started in the late 19th century.

As they say, building a city doesn't happen over night.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

Well, those of us who live in the area of this development are somewhat thrilled that SOMETHING is happening around here. We've been waiting on that Moore's Mill Shopping Center for over a decade, and we see how well that's gone. Unfortunately, I don't think this development will happen until the shopping center starts moving.

Why does the mayor oppose redevelopment of the shopping center?

Mayor Reed vetoes use of Impact Fees to extend Moores Mill Rd. - BuckheadView

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Why does the mayor oppose redevelopment of the shopping center?

Mayor Reed vetoes use of Impact Fees to extend Moores Mill Rd. - BuckheadView

Because he hates Felicia Moore.

[space cadet]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Because he hates Felicia Moore.

This.