Is cutting MARTA service a false choice? (Atlanta, East Point: house, rail)

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

I witnessed the "correlation" myself, and it was nothing of the sort. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to realize what would cause an area to change overnight like Perimeter did after MARTA came through.

Were you even living in Atlanta at the time? And if so, were you frequenting Perimeter?

Let me count the ways MARTA has had such a horrible, negative impact on Perimeter Mall.

Since MARTA's arrival, Perimeter Mall has:

Attracted the largest outpost of Nordstrom in Atlanta.

Attracted the second location of Bloomingdale's in Atlanta.

Attracted a brand new Dilliard's, causing the destruction of the old, tired original JCPenny.

Attracted a very nice new restaurant village to the front of the mall, with Maggiano's, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldfish, etc.

Attracted the areas first Wildfire Grill and the second Seasons 52.

The surrounding Perimeter Center neighborhood has become one of the most successful Edge Cities in the U.S., surpassing every single business district between D.C. and Texas in white collar employment and office space.

Yeah, sounds like a real raw deal to the area to me.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

If you were responding to me, thats completely irrelevant. Re-read the post. I was not talking about crime on MARTA property. I am talking about the sudden increase in crime a surrounding area experienced after a MARTA station opened up.

Another example: anyone frequent Perimeter Pointe movie theather? Ever notice the cop stationed there at night? When do you think that became necessary? I remember clearly - the spring of 2001... just a little while after the Sandy Springs station opened.

I've learned not to respond to you...don't worry.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Let me count the ways MARTA has had such a horrible, negative impact on Perimeter Mall.

Since MARTA's arrival, Perimeter Mall has:

Attracted the largest outpost of Nordstrom in Atlanta.

Attracted the second location of Bloomingdale's in Atlanta.

Attracted a brand new Dilliard's, causing the destruction of the old, tired original JCPenny.

Attracted a very nice new restaurant village to the front of the mall, with Maggiano's, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldfish, etc.

Attracted the areas first Wildfire Grill and the second Seasons 52.

The surrounding Perimeter Center neighborhood has become one of the most successful Edge Cities in the U.S., surpassing every single business district between D.C. and Texas in white collar employment and office space.

Yeah, sounds like a real raw deal to the area to me.

I know, I mean its virtually impossible for an area to have a sudden increase in crime but still attract development.

Look, like it or not, my opinion, based on eye witness account, is that Perimeter changed for the worse overnight after MARTA.

Do I still shop there? Yes. Was the change subtle enough to still attract development? Yes (but we will never know what could have been if it wasnt for the change.)

The crime from MARTA is an extra, unnecassary burden that the area has successfully handled, but a burden nontheless.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Let me count the ways MARTA has had such a horrible, negative impact on Perimeter Mall.

Since MARTA's arrival, Perimeter Mall has:

Attracted the largest outpost of Nordstrom in Atlanta.

Attracted the second location of Bloomingdale's in Atlanta.

Attracted a brand new Dilliard's, causing the destruction of the old, tired original JCPenny.

Attracted a very nice new restaurant village to the front of the mall, with Maggiano's, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldfish, etc.

Attracted the areas first Wildfire Grill and the second Seasons 52.

The surrounding Perimeter Center neighborhood has become one of the most successful Edge Cities in the U.S., surpassing every single business district between D.C. and Texas in white collar employment and office space.

Yeah, sounds like a real raw deal to the area to me.

Man, that sounds like some good opportunities for stealin'.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

I know, I mean its virtually impossible for an area to have a sudden increase in crime but still attract development.

Look, like it or not, my opinion, based on eye witness account, is that Perimeter changed for the worse overnight after MARTA.

Do I still shop there? Yes. Was the change subtle enough to still attract development? Yes (but we will never know what could have been if it wasnt for the change.)

The crime from MARTA is an extra, unnecassary burden that the area has successfully handled, but a burden nontheless.

Um, was rail in place when the wacko shot up the Food Court a couple of years back? Didn't think so.

Look, this isn't Montana. If Dunwoody is so freaking out of control, I simply do not see it, nor do the 135,000 office workers that populate the area daily.

This is a big city. Change happens.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Um, was rail in place when the wacko shot up the Food Court a couple of years back? Didn't think so.

Look, this isn't Montana. If Dunwoody is so freaking out of control, I simply do not see it, nor do the 135,000 office workers that populate the area daily.

This is a big city. Change happens.

I guess the residents of Dunwoody saw it - half of the city budget is going to police.

You obviously were not going to the mall in the summer and fall of '96. I was, and I am not an idiot, I know change happens. But this was drastic and immediate, and you had to be blind, senile or crazy to not realize what was to blame.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

I guess the residents of Dunwoody saw it - half of the city budget is going to police.

You obviously were not going to the mall in the summer and fall of '96. I was, and I am not an idiot, I know change happens. But this was drastic and immediate, and you had to be blind, senile or crazy to not realize what was to blame.

DO NOT assume anything about me. I was actually working directly across the street from the Mall in 1996. I remember the torch going down Ashford-Dunwoody.

This same drastic change also happened at Lenox according to you in a different thread.

Why don't you just come out and say what you really want to say. You are beating around the bush, and we all know it.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Why don't you just come out and say what you really want to say. You are beating around the bush, and we all know it.

DO NOT assume anything about me.

Crime increased, thats what I meant and thats what I am saying. if I meant something else I would say it - its an online forum. Stop looking for hidden meanings and get over it.

[atlantagreg30127]

PLAY NICE, PEOPLE. One warning.

That being said.... crime is an issue that's up to a mall to control. You can allow it, or not. Yes, when MARTA opened across from Lenox many years ago (I lived here then), crime DID increase a lot. It was a big media-covered story. Burglaries were up by as much as 300% at some stores, stores were threatening to close shop and move, and people started shopping elsewhere. Some even predicted Lenox would go out of business. The food court area looked like a ghetto version of "Fame" with kids dancing on the tables and getting into fights on a daily basis (yes, really, I saw it first-hand).

BUT - why did it happen? Because mall management LET it happen. They were scared. Short story - management changed. New management said "to hell with this" and immediately took a military type approach, booted a lot of kids literally in their asses, made arrests, and said NO MORE, and poof - it stopped. Not only did it stop, but people came back, they added the second level to the place, and now it's once again one of the premier malls in the entire region. If there are problems at Perimeter, it's management's fault.

And back to the main topic: An update on the MARTA budget issue - Perdue against special session for MARTA | ajc.com

For the record though - even Cobb's rather conservative newspaper is now quoting the local leaders in Cobb as being very angered by other transportation indecisions and posturing at the Capital complex: http://www.mdjonline.com/content/ind...em/131008.html - so it's not JUST a MARTA and Atlanta issue it seems.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

And back to the main topic: An update on the MARTA budget issue - Perdue against special session for MARTA | ajc.com

"The governor said that MARTA officials made no effort to get him involved in passing legislation that would have freed up funding for the system."

I can't believe the nerve of this ignorant southern bubba from Bonaire! So a person has to grovel at his feet for him to get off his fat you-know-what and do his job as a governor!?!?


“It’s always unfortunate when people who depend on MARTA have their service cut, and I hope they [MARTA] can find a way … to make it through the end of the year,” the governor said.

So as long as no one is massaging Sonny's ego, the poor people of Atlanta can just go jump in a lake. Love those Republicans... Where is the Christian spirit? Where is the humanity? So many people, including some of my relatives need MARTA to go to work, to visit doctors, to basically exist!

This is "Conservatism"? How hateful and mean-spirited this ideology, that so many people seem to take to it as a mantra regardless of the harm it does to others. I dare someone to convince me otherwise!