Downtown Atlanta is scary! So many homeless and mentally ill (real estate, schools)

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by reet4587

RE: Max Lager, I keep forgetting about that place for some reason. It's been around for a while now so they must be doing something right. I'd like to revisit. I remember liking the beer and thinking the food was overpriced but good. Maybe I'll skip the food and just drink the beer.

If you thought the food was overpriced before, you're not going to be happy now- they raised the prices a few months ago to the point that we don't even bother going there anymore. A bunch of us used to go there around once a week for lunch, but now that they raised the prices, we can eat at Room at Twelve and get much better food for the same price (or less in some cases).

[reet4587]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

If you thought the food was overpriced before, you're not going to be happy now- they raised the prices a few months ago to the point that we don't even bother going there anymore. A bunch of us used to go there around once a week for lunch, but now that they raised the prices, we can eat at Room at Twelve and get much better food for the same price (or less in some cases).

Well damn, that sucks about the prices. It's a bad time to be charging folks more money for food.

If you're looking for a good lunch place in that area M-F, I suggest Social on West Peachtree Place, behind FAB (they're open for dinner M-Sat). Really great food. And they have beer! I don't remember the prices being too bad.

Really, this is all making me realize how much downtown has improved. I'm a native and I well remember being a young driver and exploring those streets in the 1980s. Sooooo different now, for both visitors and locals.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by reet4587

That would be very cool. I'm already geeked out about the Allen Plaza thus far. I'll try to not be Mr. Pickypants and wish the grocery store could be more centrally located downtown I'll be thrilled if this one happens.

Maybe they'll incorporate a small grocery store into the revamp of the Macy's building.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by JPD

Isn't that what the OP said they did when they were here, and what they based their negaitve opinion of Atlanta on?

That negative opinion seemed to be based on many things...and if those visitors spent every possible minute downtown, then they aren't very smart travelers.

Where in the U.S. would you recommend spending an entire vacation downtown? Even considering the most vibrant downtowns across the country - there are fabulous sites to see outside of downtown.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by JPD

Maybe they'll incorporate a small grocery store into the revamp of the Macy's building.

There was once a plan for Publix to open a location at Allen Plaza - that was prior to the economy hitting the skids. I don't know if it's still in the works or not.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

There was once a plan for Publix to open a location at Allen Plaza - that was prior to the economy hitting the skids. I don't know if it's still in the works or not.

I think it is DeaconJ. It's supposed to be in the base of the proposed Apartment/Hotel block. They did get the Westside TAD funding they were looking for, IIRC.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

What I do in my free time is not the topic of discussion. I would never publish that information online, especially not at the request of some hater. The topic and the issue I have with you is that you said that there is NOTHING DOWNTOWN. That's it...and I've already shown how wrong you are.





Yes, the majority of your statements seem to be "relative generalizations". That's not an admirable trait.





Who EVER said that a visitor should come to Atlanta and spend every minute Downtown? No one in this thread has made that assertion, yet you are arguing against it. Who are you arguing with?





Candler Park: population 2,086...slightly less than 1 square mile. You do the math - it's not much of a comparison to Downtown...Downtown just has tall buildings and more homeless people - both of which scare country folk.

You can only speak about how you feel and how Downtown feels to you. Don't try to speak for everyone else, please. You don't.





There is only one issue that I opposed from your post - that Downtown Atlanta doesn't have anything, including sustainable entertainment options and pubs/bars. I believe I've shown that it DOES have these things - it's just that you aren't aware of them and you don't frequent them. That isn't everyone - not by a long shot. Downtown is a great place to stay in Atlanta...more hotel rooms in a smaller space...access to MARTA...access to taxis at a moment's notice...many tourist attractions...etc. There are lots of places in the city to experience great entertainment, and Downtown is one of them.

Sorry, not a hater and you know it. Anyone can go through my posts and see how much I love the city. Also, you haven't proved me wrong. You've actually supported my arguments about sustainable entertainment. Remember, I run the streets all over downtown (and I do believe the little signs on the street signs say Luckie District...). I see a lot of things. And what I see holds very close to what JPD keeps saying.

Here's the thing...why would a big city EVER be a vacation/tourist destination?

It's not because it's relaxing like the beach or camping.

It's because people want to come to see how big city people LIVE.

And despite there being an official 30K residents for downtown....people don't seem to actually live there. An aside.....your numbers for Candler Park seem funny. There are 1600 SFHs here....and I don't know how many apartments. Certainly it's smaller than downtown, though.

When family and friends come to visit me...they're not so interested in forking out tons of money to see all the "attractions". Sure, they might want to see the CNN center. But they want to hang out and see what it's like to live here. What it's like to be me. Show me what you do on the weekends, they say.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Sorry, not a hater and you know it. Anyone can go through my posts and see how much I love the city. Also, you haven't proved me wrong. You've actually supported my arguments about sustainable entertainment. Remember, I run the streets all over downtown (and I do believe the little signs on the street signs say Luckie District...). I see a lot of things. And what I see holds very close to what JPD keeps saying.

Here's the thing...why would a big city EVER be a vacation/tourist destination?

It's not because it's relaxing like the beach or camping.

It's because people want to come to see how big city people LIVE.

And despite there being an official 30K residents for downtown....people don't seem to actually live there. An aside.....your numbers for Candler Park seem funny. There are 1600 SFHs here....and I don't know how many apartments. Certainly it's smaller than downtown, though.

When family and friends come to visit me...they're not so interested in forking out tons of money to see all the "attractions". Sure, they might want to see the CNN center. But they want to hang out and see what it's like to live here. What it's like to be me. Show me what you do on the weekends, they say.

Look, I already said that no one is advertising ANY downtown in the U.S. as the be-all-end-all vacation destination. There are things to see and do in most downtowns, including Atlanta, and it's a decent, centralized place to stay with great transit connections...but it isn't the only attraction in ANY city.

Again, the only point of contention here is your statement that there is nothing in Downtown Atlanta. I've proven that there is plenty to do in Downtown Atlanta, but you're still arguing about other stuff that isn't even up for discussion. I'm not falling into that trap of going down 100 different roads with you. This is the only issue - and you were wrong for saying it.

I'm sorry, I intended to post this city-data link for Candler Park: http://www.city-data.com/neighborhoo...ta-GA.html...I didn't make up that population number.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Originally Posted by reet4587

We've got a family membership to Imagine It and the price is on par with memberships to the Zoo, the High and other such places. It's definitely a bargain for people who are going to use it often.

We drive over to Candler Park every now and then. Very nice spot and a beautiful neighborhood. I love the little grocery store there and wish there was one like that downtown.

Next time you're looking for a beer near Centennial Olympic Park, try the bar at the Peasant Bistro (west of the park) or Ted's Montana Grill (east). There's also a Taco Mac along the west side of Phillips arena and they've got a great selection.

I've got my fingers crossed for improved development downtown. I'd love to live there if it could become a little more neighborhood-ish. No disrespect intended to current downtown residents -- I love the place, but I needs me a proper 7-day-per-week, comprehensive grocery store nearby. I'm spoiled.

I agree about memberships. If my son were younger we'd probably consider it. We do have memberships to Fernbank and the Zoo. I can't say we use then "often". Probably half a dozen times a year, maybe a little more. Fernbank doesn't change out the exhibit often enough and the Zoo...well, we should probably use it more. We have friends who live across the street and usually end up visiting them more than going to the Zoo. My kid likes the Zoo but he likes the kids who live at our friends house and their toys more...

Ted's isn't a place I can walk into after a sweaty run and grab a beer. Taco Mac is, at least the ones in VaHi and Decatur. I don't think I've ever noticed the one downtown. I guess I also forgot about the Vortex. But maybe I forgot about it because it's not the main location...

I also want downtown to continue to grow. My entire point, which Deacon has issue with, is that downtown isn't the place to go and stay when you come to Atlanta for vacation (conventions are a different story). It's got "nothing" on other places in the city in regards to the reason why people come visit big cities...

[plessthanpointohfive]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Look, I already said that no one is advertising ANY downtown in the U.S. as the be-all-end-all vacation destination. There are things to see and do in most downtowns, including Atlanta, and it's decent, centralized place to stay with great transit connections...but it isn't the only attraction in ANY city.

Again, the only point of contention here is your statement that there is nothing in Downtown Atlanta. I've proven that there is plenty to do in Downtown Atlanta, but you're still arguing about other stuff that isn't even up for discussion. I'm not falling into that trap of going down 100 different roads with you. This is the only issue - and you were wrong for saying it.

I believe I posted a CITY-DATA link for Candler Park. I didn't make up that population number.

I have no idea where they got their numbers...they're definitely off. Either that or the CPNO is...and I doubt that.

You and I will just have to agree to disagree.