What's the Big Deal about Decatur

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

What's there to "understand"?? There are those who can't "understand" wanting to spend more for a smaller house that constantly needs maintenance, has limited storage, and is extremely energy-inefficient unless it's been expensively upgraded And to top it off, you get to have vagrants wandering around the neighborhood (your admittance). Meanwhile, you get to pay higher tax rates, the city's infrastructure is going to pot (do you know how much they spend on repairing leaking water/sewer lines per year?), and they "can't find" $140 million.

These same people who preach about not wanting to "spend 10 hours per week commuting" have no problem spending 60 hours/week working so they can afford their quaint little in-town house, as well as the costs of before-school care, aftercare, etc., because they can't afford to have a parent stay home.

I guess the old saying applies- "to each his own".

One can easily live comfortably OTP and take full advantage of the arguably newer/better infrastructure and the (relative) lack of government incompetence without belonging to the "conspicuously consuming" group who live in huge houses and drive huge vehicles that they don't really need.

I'm sure it's also possible to live ITP without encounting much of what you outline above.

I suspect your apparent either/or assumption is false.

[postprime]

Originally Posted by kagmypts

Before I ask this question, I want to make it clear that it is not meant to be snarky. If it comes across that way, I apologize in advance However, how would people who live in 3,600 sqft homes with granite and cherry cabinets in-town fit into this trend toward "conspicuous consumption"? This question is not rhetorical - I am just curious what exactly constitutes the waste of resources.

I think plessthanpointohfive was questioning the sacrifices made to get those amenities. The assumption is that people wouldn't be able to afford them intown. Some of the other assumtions would be a long commute from the suburbs and a vehicle needed even for local errands, both of which would consume more fuel, large lots and lawns that need watering, and the need for more asphalt to serve relatively smaller populations compared to intown. Generalities all, but how else do we consider the issue on a macro scale?

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by postprime

I think there are some fundamental philosophical differences underlying this debate. The OP'er took a look at Decatur and saw "dinky houses in need of updating"; I, and others, see charm, livability, and the potential for a smarter use of available resources. The OP sees in Alpharetta "well-kept areas..large houses..high-end restaurants..." I, and others, see the big houses and expansive lawns, the Suvs in the driveways, and view them as a waste of available resources. In fact, there is a growing segment of our population that views such lifestyles with the same kind of repugnance one would feel for someone walking around with a baby seal carcass slung over their shoulder.

So do you feel the same way about 40 yr. old mansions in Druid Hills and Buckhead with Mercedes in the driveway? And how is this any different than 20 yr. old homes in Alpharetta?

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by Highriser987

I do enjoy the Virginia Highlands atmosphere, but it is totally different there than up in Decatur IMO. I have friends that live up in Alpharetta, and although it is nice, has lots of good restaurants and family oriented, you have to drive to everything. If you want to go walk around a village type atmosphere up there, you have to drive to it, lol. Seems though lots of areas of the city are building the live/play/work communities, like Dunwoody has, the new Brookhaven center off of Peachtree Ind. Blvd that has just started being built, so there will be lots of little village like areas, a few old areas, but some new ones too where people can have that type of atmosphere. I personally prefer living intown to out in the burbs for that very reason. Why waste gas driving to every little place you have to go. On the Decatur subject, anyone remember back when it wasnt the nice little town for a good while? I remember Decatur was a place you wouldnt wanna walk around at!

So do you go buy a $200 grocery order and then walk home carrying all that stuff?

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

So do you go buy a $200 grocery order and then walk home carrying all that stuff?

Having done a lot of intown living in my time, in my experience I took the car to the grocery store maybe once a year. Normally we (husband or I, or both) would walk over to the grocery store and pick up the items needed, every day. This may seem strangely inefficient to folks who only know the weekly suburban shopping trip. However, if you're not wasting a lot of your time driving in the car, walking over to the store to pick up a few things gets you out of the house and allows you to greet the neighbors you see at the store and buy whatever's fresh that you feel like preparing today. This is how they do shopping in Europe too, by the way.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Seriously? You think my post was NASTY? I directly compared Decatur to Alpharetta based on the criteria in your own post and pointed out the flawed logic of your original (and highly offensive) post based again on a direct comparison to the neighborhood you are holding out as so superior to Decatur. If you are that easily wounded, you might want to refrain from venturing into cyberspace. And you would certainly do well to avoid starting NASTY threads with mean-spirited and insulting comments. A so-called apology does not mitigate the rudeness and insult of the original post.

That remark you made about going all the way up to Alpharetta to "shop at the Barnes & Noble and eat at the Varsity" was rather snarky itself. Sure I feel badly about hurting the residents' feelings and I should have thought my post through more. I was mainly shocked that the shopping area wasn't nicer, given that I had heard about how it had been remodeled a year or so ago. Also, it was practically empty when we were there and there were some odd characters hanging around. It didn't have a pleasant or safe feel. That was the impression that made me write that post.

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

But I've heard before how many people who live "inside the perimeter" seem to feel they are better than the rest of us, just because they live there.

First of all, I have not in this forum witnessed much 'superiority' expressed on the part of ITP'ers relative to living OTP...I have frequently said to inquiring OPs here that Alpharetta has a good QOL.
Rather, my impression has been that on the whole it's more often the OTP'ers that like to weigh in on those 'nasty, dirty, crime-ridden intown (those same critics often like to lump the intown neighborhoods together and call it 'downtown') neighborhoods'.
OTP or ITP? To each his own; that's why they make menus. And personally, I could care less if you don't find my town a 'big deal'...I do.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by postprime

Seriously, if someone had "heard that Alpharetta was such a great place" and decided to drive all the way out there to spend the day, what kind of reaction do you think they'd have? "I drove all the way out here just to go to Barnes & Noble and eat at The Varsity?" (quote)


Very well put.
Also, not to pile on, but I used to work in Alpharetta, and it has some of the worst traffic around in terms of getting in and out of the area. Not at all convenient to Atlanta, the airport, etc.
Alpharetta has its charms for some, that is obvious. But for me it would be like living in a gilded, country club hell.

We take the MARTA to the airport. It's quite convenient. Don't go into Atlanta much--been there seen that.... We were smart enough to fix our work lives so that we don't have a commute. Works very well. We don't water our lawn. It's survived the drought just fine on its own. Watered my trees with "grey water" from my shower. They survived also.

[postprime]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

So do you feel the same way about 40 yr. old mansions in Druid Hills and Buckhead with Mercedes in the driveway? And how is this any different than 20 yr. old homes in Alpharetta?

In some cases, yes.