Atlanta in 10 years? (Savannah, Boston, Buckhead: mortgage, highrise, vacation)

[plessthanpointohfive]

Wow, you guys are giving me hope!

Hope for improved public transit (for the sake of local economy).

Hope for my house being worth those millions!

[Vampgrrl]

I would just like to see (besides transit) towns become less car friendly and more walkable, with old style town centers (like Woodstock was trying to do, although with the massive retail chain development on 92 I'm not sure they can really make it revelant).

I'd like to see more prinicples of New Urbanism put into place in Atlanta without having to as far as planned new seperate communties. I do think the fuel crunch is going to change everything, esp. in metro areas like Atlanta that are so car dependent.

[SEAandATL]

I currently live just outside of Tokyo now, and I've been thinking Atlanta could take some notes from that city, I mean Tokyo is phenomenal! Even though Japan is Japan and Georgia is Georgia, and they are two completely different cultures, there are some surprising similarities between the 2 cities (such as the different districts that offer a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars, as well as architecture and hi-tech features). Of course they are on two different size scales, but nonetheless they are both up there in the world class status. What could make Atlanta more like Tokyo is improving the rail system. In addition to expanding MARTA, there could be some additional train services throughout the area. Some of them can be express trains that stop in Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead as well as trains that run further into the suburban areas and even other cities in Georgia. Just like how Japan has JR (Japan Railways), Georgia could establish a rail company called GR (Georgia Railways). Also as an added bonus, there could be even more bright neon lights in Atlanta along with more karaoke bars and even pachinko parlors to make it even more Tokyo-like.

That's just my dream and my personal opinion on how Atlanta can have a bright future. I just hope it doesn't go the other way and become more like Detroit.

[AtlantaCruiser]

I think the growth of this city will continue to decline (respective to prior #'s).

Word on the street is that companies (Fortune 500 & other) are now opting for other cities due to factors such as traffic. The water crisis has not helped the overall outside appearance of this city either.

Mention to people, anywhere else in the US, that you live in Atlanta and the first thing they will say is "isnt traffic horrible there" or "your out of water huh?" You will not hear questions regarding cheaper housing etc anymore.

The outide view of the city is changing and should reflect it in migration #'s. I would think many who are getting fed up with the problems will eventually leave as well.

My 2c.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

That's just my dream and my personal opinion on how Atlanta can have a bright future. I just hope it doesn't go the other way and become more like Detroit.

BINGO!

Ask around - there are those who feel Atlanta will be "Detroit 2025" in the coming years. Bubbles can only grow so much before they burst.

[SoFlaMom]

I don't think we can ever rival Japan on any level. Not because we don't have the funding, not because of geography, not because of really anything...other than the people. My dad has been to Japan several times and he always remarks about how clean the metro stations, trains, restaurants, public parks, etc. are. He says the people respect their surroundings to the highest level. Americans respect very little. They want everything for nothing, and the things they do get, they let fall apart. For every one person who "does their part" for the environment, for their community... there are about five people - native born and immigrant alike - who will think nothing of throwing their cirgaratte butts and McDonald's trash in the street. I see students in my own school kick textbooks, step all over plants and landscaping, and throw their garbage in the stairwells. Until we teach our children to respect adults, respect education and respect their surroundings, we will never come close to being like Japan.

[plessthanpointohfive]

I think the two things that threaten Atlanta growth - traffic and water - will be resolved. I think first we'll hit a slump and then whatever governor is going to realize that if he/she doesn't address those issues that the city will be in ruins. And then growth will start again.

[atlantagreg30127]

The Japanese society is taught from birth as an entire society to respect - that will never happen here. As you said, we Americans as a whole are too lazy and uncaring for it to happen at all. It would take a complete "relearning" on all levels across the board for things to be even remotely like that here, and that just is impossible to do.

Another thing to keep in mind is our immigration status. Japan (and Tokyo more speficially) has people who move there but not in nearly as great in number as we get here in the U.S. as a whole. If someone moves here from "country X", and they bring bad habits or attitudes with them, they'll stick and stay that way. Then others come here from other places and bring other habits here, etc etc. In Japan, the numer of transplants are far fewer and the general attitude is that you HAVE to conform to THEIR ways, not the other way around. They're proud of their culture and they're not going to cave in or put up with crap just to accomodate a few who come in, etc.

Every culture has it's strengths and weaknesses. The Japanese culture's weakness is sometimes an overdone amount of "honor" in a family unit, to the point if you do something wrong your whole family is shamed, etc. Our culture's weakness is that we sometime forget any and all traditions and try to be TOO much of a melting pot, and try to change things to adhere to those coming in, rather than have the "you are moving here so YOU need to assimilate" attitude.

[AtlantaCruiser]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I think the two things that threaten Atlanta growth - traffic and water - will be resolved.

Really? Why do you think this? Nothing so far I have seen backs this up.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Money is why I think it will resolve. If it isn't resolve then the money will go away (ie, big business).

I just think the leaders of the state, for everything else bad I can say about them, aren't so dumb that they'd let billions of dollars be lost because they don't want to pay millions to accomodate.

I know I could be wrong but I never heard of a city the size of Atlanta just imploding.