A Theory About Atlanta (income, organic, live)

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by DPAT

Deacon, I must respectfully disagree with you. What I see in those pictures is visually appealing architecture with not enough people to enjoy them. I mean the idea is nice, but the attraction is simply not there - the exception being the night time scene at Kenny's Alley. While it may not be a failure, I do believe it is failing. I don't see how those merchants (outside of the clubs/bars) make a profit. I feel that the Underground needs vast improvements to its day time appeal before I would call it thriving, successful, appealling... or anything other than failing. I'm a big proponent of GSU taking this place over.

I wasn't looking for photos of people...I was trying to give an idea as to how the place looks. There were photos with more people in them, but that wasn't the point I was trying to convey. (Why do people always say something like "Where are all the people in the photos?" Most photographers are not out there taking photos of strangers on the street, but of interesting places and things!)

Underground is doing fine...it is not failing. It had some big financial losses back in the mid-late 90s, but currently it's a profitable development. There are enough people visiting Underground for those merchants to turn a profit...once again - thousands of students, tons of tourists, downtown employees and residents, etc.

I really don't know if I would call it thriving, but my earlier post was in response to Underground being labled as "failed" when it obviously isn't. It doesn't really offer anything appealing for me, but you can't say that it isn't successful after 19 years in operation and turning a profit...

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I don't think Atlanta is a failed city. I think it functions in a different way than "Chicago or NYC" but its still functional.

Early this year I had a list of a 4 cities to choose from for a job transfer Dallas Atlanta St. Louis and Chicago. I chose Chicago due to the urban lifestyle and all of the benefits that come from living in that type of city.

Atlanta and Dallas came up during a time when america was moving to the suburbs. You don't have the busling sidewalks of Chicago nor the ethnic neighborhoods like the Hill in St. Louis. However, Atlanta without the traffic represents one of the best suburban cities to live in along with Dallas and Houston. They must be doing something right because its still growing.

If a person is going to up and move to Atlanta for the urbanism or for the big city sophisticated lifestyle. They will be disapointed. However if they are going to move there because of the booming economy, affordable mc mansions, mild winters and greenery they may be able to go without having the booming downtown and may like Atlanta.

Atlanta isn't only its suburbs...there is an urban environment in the city - not as big and dense as Chicago, but urban nonetheless...and growing in popularity. If someone wants an urban lifestyle I wouldn't advise looking in the suburbs. There is a bustling city in the middle of all those burbs.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Atlanta isn't only its suburbs...there is an urban environment in the city - not as big and dense as Chicago, but urban nonetheless...and growing in popularity. If someone wants an urban lifestyle I wouldn't advise looking in the suburbs. There is a bustling city in the middle of all those burbs.

See my comments in the other thread "Revival of thread on Atlanta and ghetto suburbs" on the recent article in the New Republic which discusses this process of exploding density in the core cities in depth. There are a host of reasons for the resurging popularity of the urban lifestyle, which is being seen nowhere with more dramatic effects than here in Atlanta, many of them based on profound generational changes in outlook, etc. And this was before the specter of $5 p/gallon gasoline!

It is going to be a fascinating thing to see to what extent this process continues given current disruptions in the economic cycles, etc. Atlanta has not had to undergo anything as jolting as it is facing now since becoming one of the nation's top-tier cities - its boom years being largely predicated on cheap land, cheap fuel, and guaranteed appreciation in housing values - and it is going to be interesting to see whether it can make that transition to whatever comes next and remain a thriving city a la Chicago or whether it will falter like Pittsburgh or Buffalo. There are certainly reasons to be worried, but also reasons to be optimistic too. Atlanta is a very can do city.

[chinaberry25]

I agree wholeheartedly. They cannot even have their own drinking water without the governor going to the Feds to allow it to be used out of Lake Lanier at the expense of the other people down south. With proper planning the water situation could and should have been resolved before allowing the glut of people. This depression/recession will take its toll on Atlanta. I predict water will be $200 per month in the very near future with restrictions on times per week to bathe. Go ahead and laugh, I know that the rest of us south of you will be.

[VJP]

Originally Posted by chinaberry25

I agree wholeheartedly. They cannot even have their own drinking water without the governor going to the Feds to allow it to be used out of Lake Lanier at the expense of the other people down south. With proper planning the water situation could and should have been resolved before allowing the glut of people. This depression/recession will take its toll on Atlanta. I predict water will be $200 per month in the very near future with restrictions on times per week to bathe. Go ahead and laugh, I know that the rest of us south of you will be.

This argument is very tired on "what should have been done." The rest of your posting is musing with no fact basis. Please...

[blondandfun]

Originally Posted by VJP

This argument is very tired on "what should have been done." The rest of your posting is musing with no fact basis. Please...

I disagree, and welcome any comments pointing out the ignorance of the State government, which is one of the main primary sources of the problems with GA (or Atlanta, because without Atlanta GA would be Alabama).

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

I disagree, and welcome any comments pointing out the ignorance of the State government, which is one of the main primary sources of the problems with GA (or Atlanta, because without Atlanta GA would be Alabama).

I would rather discuss the ignorance of some of the residents...and remember, the people in state government were elected by Georgia residents.

Are state government officials really ignorant or do you just not agree with some of their decisions? Big difference.

That Alabama joke was funny back in 1985...Alabama jokes are very old and worn out.

[VJP]

You know what else is old and worn out? People moving from some place to here because that place wad "xxx" problems, and then trying to make this place like the place they came from. Except for pizza, I was totally not guilty of that!

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by VJP

You know what else is old and worn out? People moving from some place to here because that place wad "xxx" problems, and then trying to make this place like the place they came from. Except for pizza, I was totally not guilty of that!

A very good point.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by VJP

You know what else is old and worn out? People moving from some place to here because that place wad "xxx" problems, and then trying to make this place like the place they came from. Except for pizza, I was totally not guilty of that!

Which place? The pizza place?

I had to read your post a couple of times but I got it.