I have no other choice but Atlanta this is why (Buford: home, best school)

[mocca25]

I currently live in the Metro Atlanta area finishing up school and like many other students plan to stay. I researched the possibility of living in Los Angeles, NY, D.C, Miami and Texas and comming from NC Atlanta seems to be my match. It has that big city feel that I look for but can't feel in Charlotte. I wanted to be somewhere near a beach but Miami is too far from my home state and the only thing I think Miami had over Atlanta is the beaches and palm trees. Atlanta is only a few hours drive from the ocean or gulf coast when I want to escape Hotlanta during the summer. I can live with that. Washington D.C. would be second on my list as it's only 4 hours from NC but I love looking at skyscrapers and enjoy the progressiveness and growth of Atlanta..D.C. is already established and it's just something about being in a growing city just knowing that it's only going to become bigger.

I also like how Atlanta gets alot of publicity and has good name recognition it makes me feel like i am somwhere important, you can also get that with D.C. and other cities too but it's just something special about Atlanta. It is indeed a growing metropolis with it's good and bad qualities just like any other area. Alot of peope tend to bash Atlanta because of it's problems with sprawl and traffic and poor planning but Atlanta has and still is learning it's lesson and moving in a new direction. The city is in a transitioning phase as it is poised to become an even bigger city than what it already is. The population is expected to double in size over the next 15 to 20 years and growth is still occuring despite the dowturn in the economy.

Although Atlanta as of right now, is not a San Fran, LA Chicago, Boston or NY it is like I repeat "transitioning" to become as big as those cities in the future and it has things in place for this to happen. There are so many projects in the works or being considered that are going to help make this happen for exampe, The Midtown Mile district, the streets of Buckhead project, The National Health Museum, the Museum for Civil and Human Rights, The Aquarium Expansion, City Place Buckhead (9 40 story highrises!!), Madarin Oriental, Trump towers, plus many more highrises to be constructed in Midtown, Buckhead and Downtown (Atlanta's future skyline is going to be amazingly spectacular), Symphony Center, New Downtown Market Place from former Macy's Building (going to be similar to Fanuil Hall Maktplace in Boston), possible Casino and redev. of the Underground, Beltine, Marta expansion and renovation, New Concept 6 (light rail, BRT, into all suburban counties, Mixed use urban villages all over the metro area,The Greenline project, Elevated freeway lanes (like the ones all over Houston), Peidmont Park's 53 acre expansion, Develpoment of a chinatown area around Buford Hwy. With all of these projects plus many more not yet announced (There something new added to the list just about every week) I can see Atlanta's potential to become a true world class city and it is very fun watching it grow. It is located in a great geographical postion where you are able to experience all 4 seasons, 1 hour from mountains, 4 hours from GA coastal beaches and 5 hours drive to Florida's Gulf Coast Beaches plus easy driving distance back to NC to visit Family.

Low cost of living although that will change as the city gets bigger, diversified economy, big entertainment industry with music, and reality tv, Tyler Perry, CNN, TBS, etc..Atlanta seems to have what i'm looking for...and to know that this big city is still growing and will for sometime is also exciting...you can feel the progress and can do energy here. Atlanta may lack what alot of other bigger and more established cities have but in time Atlanta's continued growth is going to change all of that and in the meantime I am only a plane flight away from those other cities and can enjoy what they have to offer without having to pay the higher cost of living. So after researching the pros and cons of living in some big cities Atlanta came out to fit and the cons are something I can compromise on more than I can with the cons of living in other areas.

[atlantamoi]

Break up your post. People won't read it like that.

[sweetPeach22304]

You will live better (in terms of the home that you can afford in Atlanta). Take it from a native New Yorker, the cost of living in NYC is very expensive. The average studio apt. in Manhattan will run you 1800, and that doesn't include a washer/dryer machine or any other amenities.

But, there are pro's to living in NYC, -like access to the best nightlife and entertainment. There's always something to do!!

[WilliamM]

Hi Mocca, you've offered one of the best explanations I've come across of what (along w/family) originally lured me back to Atlanta after living in other cities such as LA and the Twin Cities. There's a certain excitement and anticipation about living in a city that's just hitting its prime. (Be sure to see my current thread on the recent Conde Nast article which takes a less charitable view of Atlanta. It's always food for thought to consider what the critics say.)

Unfortunately though I have to say that I've found there are always little pangs of pessimism about Atlanta that creep in from time to time. Such as recently when I heard of more recent data challenging what you say about Atlanta's population growth continuing to grow despite the economic troubles. Sadly, I'm not sure that's going to be born out - but we'll have to wait some time and see. I'm hearing rumblings that Atlanta has unfortunately not been able to sustain the growth rate in high-paying jobs (which doesn't seem right considering the tremendous increase of density intown inside the city), which in my view has been the real key to Atlanta's transformation from a provincial city to an international city to be reckoned with. For Atlanta to continue this, it has to be a place that people in the upper income categories find attractive as well as those in other groups.

[mocca25]

WilliamB I really agree with that. The high paying jobs were the driving force behind Atlanta's growth and I do also beleive that having them is very critical in order for Atlanta to continue growing. We will have to wait and see how it all plays out.

atlantamoi, thanks for the tip I'll know when posting next time.

[atlantagreg30127]

I went in and divided your ginormous paragraph.

Remember - separate paragraphs are your friend.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

I went in and divided your ginormous paragraph.

Remember - separate paragraphs are your friend.

Ah what a little edititing can do!

[coolieandre]

Originally Posted by mocca25

I currently live in the Metro Atlanta area finishing up school and like many other students plan to stay. I researched the possibility of living in Los Angeles, NY, D.C, Miami and Texas and comming from NC Atlanta seems to be my match. It has that big city feel that I look for but can't feel in Charlotte. I wanted to be somewhere near a beach but Miami is too far from my home state and the only thing I think Miami had over Atlanta is the beaches and palm trees. Atlanta is only a few hours drive from the ocean or gulf coast when I want to escape Hotlanta during the summer. I can live with that. Washington D.C. would be second on my list as it's only 4 hours from NC but I love looking at skyscrapers and enjoy the progressiveness and growth of Atlanta..D.C. is already established and it's just something about being in a growing city just knowing that it's only going to become bigger.

I also like how Atlanta gets alot of publicity and has good name recognition it makes me feel like i am somwhere important, you can also get that with D.C. and other cities too but it's just something special about Atlanta. It is indeed a growing metropolis with it's good and bad qualities just like any other area. Alot of peope tend to bash Atlanta because of it's problems with sprawl and traffic and poor planning but Atlanta has and still is learning it's lesson and moving in a new direction. The city is in a transitioning phase as it is poised to become an even bigger city than what it already is. The population is expected to double in size over the next 15 to 20 years and growth is still occuring despite the dowturn in the economy.

Although Atlanta as of right now, is not a San Fran, LA Chicago, Boston or NY it is like I repeat "transitioning" to become as big as those cities in the future and it has things in place for this to happen. There are so many projects in the works or being considered that are going to help make this happen for exampe, The Midtown Mile district, the streets of Buckhead project, The National Health Museum, the Museum for Civil and Human Rights, The Aquarium Expansion, City Place Buckhead (9 40 story highrises!!), Madarin Oriental, Trump towers, plus many more highrises to be constructed in Midtown, Buckhead and Downtown (Atlanta's future skyline is going to be amazingly spectacular), Symphony Center, New Downtown Market Place from former Macy's Building (going to be similar to Fanuil Hall Maktplace in Boston), possible Casino and redev. of the Underground, Beltine, Marta expansion and renovation, New Concept 6 (light rail, BRT, into all suburban counties, Mixed use urban villages all over the metro area,The Greenline project, Elevated freeway lanes (like the ones all over Houston), Peidmont Park's 53 acre expansion, Develpoment of a chinatown area around Buford Hwy. With all of these projects plus many more not yet announced (There something new added to the list just about every week) I can see Atlanta's potential to become a true world class city and it is very fun watching it grow. It is located in a great geographical postion where you are able to experience all 4 seasons, 1 hour from mountains, 4 hours from GA coastal beaches and 5 hours drive to Florida's Gulf Coast Beaches plus easy driving distance back to NC to visit Family.

Low cost of living although that will change as the city gets bigger, diversified economy, big entertainment industry with music, and reality tv, Tyler Perry, CNN, TBS, etc..Atlanta seems to have what i'm looking for...and to know that this big city is still growing and will for sometime is also exciting...you can feel the progress and can do energy here. Atlanta may lack what alot of other bigger and more established cities have but in time Atlanta's continued growth is going to change all of that and in the meantime I am only a plane flight away from those other cities and can enjoy what they have to offer without having to pay the higher cost of living. So after researching the pros and cons of living in some big cities Atlanta came out to fit and the cons are something I can compromise on more than I can with the cons of living in other areas.

WELL SAID MAN! I'm graduating from college in December of 2009, and have also decided to stay b/c of many of those reasons

[mocca25]

thanks atlantagreg30127

[ATLfun]

I suggest Bennington Towers in Buckhead

24 hr concierge

Close to all the major interstates

Best school systems

More secure area- mostly residential area

Close to shopping center