Atlanta to get 70-story tower (Roswell, Decatur: home, bankrupt, living in)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

So funny how much negativity this announcement has generated here. It's like telling a kid that just achieved something great that despite that he'll never amount to anything.

I'd rather see the money spent improving Atlanta's infrastructure and making it a more pleasant place to visit. Tall buildings are flashy, but are they really that important?

If course, I live OTP, so my opinion isn't really that meaningful.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I'd rather see the money spent improving Atlanta's infrastructure and making it a more pleasant place to visit. Tall buildings are flashy, but are they really that important?

If course, I live OTP, so my opinion isn't really that meaningful.

Well, give the developer a call and see if he's willing to give $200 million + to the city to repair infrastructure, rather than using it to build that tower. I'm thinking I already know what his answer will be....

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Older established "international" cities will hold the reputation they have without "tall" architecture, but one of the sure fire ways for a city that hasn't been on that list to get noticed is with skyscrapers. Who would have ever considered Kuala Lumpur on any list before the Petronas Towers? Who would even know where Dubai is without the massive growth there? if they had spread the same square footage flat over the desert would it have made the impression it did by going upward?

So, agreed, there are other factors to be ranked "international" but if you have a skyscraper (or two or three) that ranks as one of the tallest in the world, it is an instant ticket to be considered for inclusion.

You're right to some degree (just so that you know...I'm all for a huge skyscraper in Midtown!).

My point is that Atlanta still needs to realize that it takes more than skyscrapers and huge airports to be international. What Atlanta needs...

-Comprehensive public transportation
-Monuments
-Public Art
-Urban Plazas
-More Parks
-Unique Museums/Gathering Places (relevant to Atlanta/American South)
-Making the city for residents (which makes any city appealing...ie. Chicago)
-Embracing it's unique history and character (trees/urban forest, Civil Right, Civil War, African-American culture, hip-hop/R+B/soul, Center/Capital of the American South, Southern culture)

That's it. I'm all for the 70-story tower!

[Saintmarks]

With the exception of planned national capitals financed by federal monies (think Brasilia, Canberra and still don't have them on the top of my list of "international" cities) a city has to have an economic engine to afford all the things listed above. Atlanta is definitely not on the scope of the major international cities in these areas, but is making strides. The greenbelt project being the best thing announced in my lifetime, just hope greedy developers don't hijack it and derail it.

A 70 story tower and the business associated with it is another cog in the wheel of moving Atlanta along economically. As Atlanta grows, there is wealth created to speed along these other projects. For those who would 'rather' see these things than a seventy story tower, I say the seventy story tower only helps to make those things a reality. This is definitely a both/and situation rather than an either/or.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

With the exception of planned national capitals financed by federal monies (think Brasilia, Canberra and still don't have them on the top of my list of "international" cities) a city has to have an economic engine to afford all the things listed above. Atlanta is definitely not on the scope of the major international cities in these areas, but is making strides. The greenbelt project being the best thing announced in my lifetime, just hope greedy developers don't hijack it and derail it.

A 70 story tower and the business associated with it is another cog in the wheel of moving Atlanta along economically. As Atlanta grows, there is wealth created to speed along these other projects. For those who would 'rather' see these things than a seventy story tower, I say the seventy story tower only helps to make those things a reality. This is definitely a both/and situation rather than an either/or.

Right, but also, a city needs to have the will, mindset, and public/political action to make the aforementioned things happen. Atlanta already has the "economic engine." Most places would kill to have our "motor."

Maybe the 70-story tower would augment the will, etc. to make more things happen here.


Funny, I lived in one of the planned capitals you mentioned for several years.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Well, give the developer a call and see if he's willing to give $200 million + to the city to repair infrastructure, rather than using it to build that tower. I'm thinking I already know what his answer will be....

Heheh. I guess if there's a developer wanting to spend the $$ and a viable market for such a building, it's probably just fine.

Perhaps the city can extract the infrastructure improvement money from the owners in the form of property taxes and utility charges.

[michael1978]

Originally Posted by aries4118

You're right to some degree (just so that you know...I'm all for a huge skyscraper in Midtown!).

My point is that Atlanta still needs to realize that it takes more than skyscrapers and huge airports to be international. What Atlanta needs...

-Comprehensive public transportation
-Monuments
-Public Art
-Urban Plazas
-More Parks
-Unique Museums/Gathering Places (relevant to Atlanta/American South)
-Making the city for residents (which makes any city appealing...ie. Chicago)
-Embracing it's unique history and character (trees/urban forest, Civil Right, Civil War, African-American culture, hip-hop/R+B/soul, Center/Capital of the American South, Southern culture)

That's it. I'm all for the 70-story tower!

This city never emabraces any culture but black culture. Until it recognizes everyone else, no one will ever consider it 'international'.

Do you think the current administration would approve of moving the Cyclorama and bulduing a new Civil War museum in Centennial Olympic Park?

Also... celebrating Hip Hop? That has to be a joke. Lets build a museum dedicated to drugs, the degredation of women, and dropping out of school while we are at.

[ttefylooc]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

If course, I live OTP, so my opinion isn't really that meaningful.

You have a point with that.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I'd rather see the money spent improving Atlanta's infrastructure and making it a more pleasant place to visit. Tall buildings are flashy, but are they really that important?

If course, I live OTP, so my opinion isn't really that meaningful.

Oh, nonsense, rc...of course it is. I don't live within the city limits either, yet both of us should feel invested in what happens there. A building like the one proposed is a symbol of hope, and our future. That is not to say that you don't make important points about the 'nuts and bolts' of the city...that is IMO just as important.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Oh, nonsense, rc...of course it is. I don't live within the city limits either, yet both of us should feel invested in what happens there. A building like the one proposed is a symbol of hope, and our future. That is not to say that you don't make important points about the 'nuts and bolts' of the city...that is IMO just as important.

At this point in time, prioritizing objectives is very important. We must ask ourselves, "What is the best utilization of our financial resources to attain realistic and obtainable economic goals?" One must also take into account that our financial resources are presently VERY FINITE AND LIMITED. These present dire circumstances alters the equation immensely. Whether we know it or not we are living in a different world, and we must wake up.

Do we value what's on the outside more than what's on the inside? In September of 2008, I think Atlanta's infrastructure deserves more attention than a 70-story building of polished granite, steel, and glass. In September of 2012, we may be looking at a different set of circumstances.

For the time being, let's fix what needs to be fixed and not dwell on the flashy and showy externals. Dreaming of nice, functional sewers, whatever, may not be the stuff dreams are made of but let's face reality.