The Remarkable Transformation of Midtown Since 2018 (Atlanta, Newnan: 2014, crimes, home)

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by tacosman

exactly....crime in midtown *is* an issue(and not in a "well all cities have crime" thing like so many like to write off). I'm visiting atlanta now as I look for a house here and the girl I'm stating with said "midtown has gotten bad; most everyone I know avoids it because they don't feel safe and know the atlanta police aren't up to the challenge". She also says that for a lot of the crimes people in other areas would typically spend 6-9 months in jail, when they do those things in midtown they are let go on a signature bond the same day often......

If midtown can't get a handle on this problem, it's only going to get worse.

Just curious, does the girl you are staying with live anywhere near or around Midtown?

[tacosman]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

Because the saying, "Don't get caught ITP after dark" has been around since at least the 80's.

It is an ingrained mindset at this point.

perhaps but there are underlying reasons for it. Now some of it I would say is not true(like I think being in the residential parts of Tuxedo park certainly and even chastain park residential areas is fine at any hour), but midtown after dark? Nah......most people don't feel safe just walking the streets after dark there.

It's also funny when this kind of stuff is discussed to see the downplayers of this issue say things like "you just have to be really vigilant and observant of your surroundings. Know what is going on around you at all times. Don't talk on your cell phone for example"........

so we basically should have to assume a state of hypervigilance typically seen in extreme ptsd patients to 'be safe' in midtown? Sorry, thats just not a state people want to be in.....

[tacosman]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Just curious, does the girl you are staying with live anywhere near or around Midtown?

She used to live in a nice condo building on Lafayette dr(which I believe is technically within ansley park); doesn't now as she didn't feel secure there.

I've noticed some people like to pretend that the people who feel midtown isn't all that safe are just anti-city people in general who are unsophisticated and 'scared' of all that comes with urban life. This is not true at all. At least in my anecdotal experience.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ggplicks

Would be nice if some of this development could go downtown. But developers are wary of downtown for reasonable reasons.

Downtown has seen (and is still seeing) massive investment and developments. Consider just a few: Philips Arena; Mercedes-Benz Stadium; the city's only operative Streetcar; the Georgia Courts Building; Library makeover; the Stitch; numerous Georgia State University projects; the Georgia World Congress Center; Centennial Olympic Park; the Ferris wheel; upgrades at major office buildings such as the Candler building, the Equitable, Park Tower, 101 Marietta, Peachtree Center; new hotels; the Georgia Aquarium; the Gulch; MARTA station redesign; new bus terminal; new BRT; redvelopment of the Turner Field/Summerhill area; redevelopment of the Civic Center area; Edgewood, Fairlie-Poplar; the Curb Market; improved streetscapes and many other projects.

Downtown still has a way to go but it has hardly been neglected.

[chiatldal]

don't let tacosman hijack thread don't even feed it.

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

Because the saying, "Don't get caught ITP after dark" has been around since at least the 80's.

It is an ingrained mindset at this point.

Midtown in the 1980s is a far cry from Midtown in 2023. I've heard some say to avoid hanging out Downtown, or in Vine City, English Ave., or Bankhead after dark. More so, don't go into housing projects, run-down apartment complexes, or shady-looking gas stations after dark. I've even heard some say to avoid the area around the West End Mall after dark.

But I've never heard "don't get caught ITP after dark". The whole ITP? That must only be a saying among people who stay OTP. After all, who knew Vinings, Doraville, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Avondale Estates, Chastain Park, Mount Paran, Mangum Manor, or Audobon Forest were such hotbeds of crime and violence when the sun goes down

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by tacosman

She used to live in a nice condo building on Lafayette dr(which I believe is technically within ansley park); doesn't now as she didn't feel secure there.

I've noticed some people like to pretend that the people who feel midtown isn't all that safe are just anti-city people in general who are unsophisticated and 'scared' of all that comes with urban life. This is not true at all. At least in my anecdotal experience.

Perhaps it may be a bit of confirmation bias. There have been posters in the past who have alluded to the city being overrun with and in decline as a result of rampant crime, but all the friends/associates that he spoke with about it generally shared the same beliefs/sensibilities as the poster -- and didn't really frequent the areas in question. He didn't really seek alternative opinions (of which there were many, but just not on his radar.) This was also exacerbated by news/social media (NextDoor, IG, FB, YouTube, etc.). Not saying that this is the case with you. But have you not met anyone in Ansley Park and/or Midtown that like it, enjoy living there, and believe the area is still on the rise?

Again, I'm not saying that there is no crime in Midtown, but I'm not sure if it's fair to write off entire sections of the city because of it. Would you be comfortable saying what led your friend to feel unsafe in Ansley Park? Do you think she would feel equally unsafe in a comparable neighborhood in a place like Brooklyn (NYC), Dallas, Boston, Miami, or Seattle?

[testa50]

More taco man nonsense.

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/202...outputType=amp

Violent crime at its lowest level in 15 years, property crime down 17% YOY, but this individual stayed with some woman who used to live near midtown and said she felt it was dangerous for what are certainly totally valid and logical reasons. This poster should clearly be listened to and taken seriously.

[ShenardL]

Originally Posted by testa50

More taco man nonsense.

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/202...outputType=amp

Violent crime at its lowest level in 15 years, property crime down 17% YOY, but this individual stayed with some woman who used to live near midtown and said she felt it was dangerous for what are certainly totally valid and logical reasons. This poster should clearly be listened to and taken seriously.

Yeah when I lived in midtown, it didn't feel dangerous at all. Now, when I visited my friend's businesses in Zone 3 near Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway 10+ years ago, that's a different story.

[brickpatio2018]

I drove through Midtown and was amazed at how huge it is now. I lived there in the late 1980s when IBM tower/One Atlantic Center was built and much has changed since then. Midtown now to me feels almost like New York.

My main recommendation would be regarding the streetscape. There are huge towers along busy streets, but I didn't feel a sense of coziness at the street level that would necessarily make me want to spend time there (although it's amazing).

In comparison when walking around cities such as London or Copenhagen, or even D.C., those places feel prettier and more inviting at the street and sidewalk level. If I had a suggestion, that would be my suggestion to move Midtown from great to stratospheric levels.