Why does Atlanta get a bum rap on "sprawl?" (Lawrenceville: apartments, city hall)

[bizchick86]

Originally Posted by YBF

Actually its about the sprawl so get it right!!!!!!!!!!!! And the sprawl is the suburbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ive never heard NY called the new Rome. OR even be compared for that matter. EVER!!!! The LIRR goes everywhere its pretty much in every town on LI and although its NOT a subway its better than ANYTHING Atlanta has to offer.

I think what he was saying is that living in the suburbs of Atlanta is not the equivalent of living in Atlanta. That's like someone moving to Long Island and complaining because it's not like Manhattan. A lot of folks who move down here and think Atlanta has no urban conveniences in fact live in the suburbs, so of course they would think that.

The discussion was initially about metro area sprawl, but had become a discussion of the low-density neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. While those neighborhoods are not super-dense, you can enjoy an urban lifestlye throughout Atlanta that are devoid of most of the sprawl characterizations given the city.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by newat6

Atlanta needs to connect its intown neighborhoods, because they're not going away anytime soon. And truthfully why should they? I LOVE hardcore urban buildings that saddle up to the sidewalk and have a mix of uses, but usually the architecture itself sucks in new buildings (AHEM Atlantic Station). And the truth is that for all the good Metropolis, Plaza Midtown, 12th and Midtown have done for Midtown, these aren't buildings that will ever be loved. I wish we had a stock of historic urban buildings, but Atlanta simply did not develop in the way the NYC, Boston, hell even Birmingham AL, did. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against new buildings, but in Atlanta they don't usually translate into quality. The city should fill in where possible, selectively demolish, and connect what we can. We were built on streetcars, bring them back! Highland Ave, Ponce, Piedmont, Moreland, Peachtree would be great connections.

Atlanta has a very nice stock of historic urban buildings in both Midtown and Downtown. Downtown has an entire district of 19th and early 20th century buildings called Fairlie-Poplar that includes the Flatiron, Healy, Grant, and many other beautiful buildings. You should check it out.

[mike7586]

I think the Atlanta AREA gets a bad rap on sprawl because it's known as not being very pro-transit. The city is a little different, but it can only do so much. The suburban counties need to get on board. There is a lack of regionalism. MARTA stands for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, not Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. The surrounding counties need to get over it and join MARTA or a REGIONAL transit system needs to created. DC, NY, Chicago are all just as sprawly in certain parts, but those areas are much more pro-transit.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

I love Atlanta, but it has some of the worst city planning that Ive seen. You have super urban cores, right next to square miles of nothing. It goes on like that for a long way.

Here in Dallas, the sprawl is pretty bad, but it goes from high density, to medium density, to low density to nothing. Atlanta by comparrison goes from high density to nothing in certain areas.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

I love Atlanta, but it has some of the worst city planning that Ive seen. You have super urban cores, right next to square miles of nothing. It goes on like that for a long way.

Here in Dallas, the sprawl is pretty bad, but it goes from high density, to medium density, to low density to nothing. Atlanta by comparrison goes from high density to nothing in certain areas.

Care to give an example?

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

I love Atlanta, but it has some of the worst city planning that Ive seen. You have super urban cores, right next to square miles of nothing. It goes on like that for a long way.

Here in Dallas, the sprawl is pretty bad, but it goes from high density, to medium density, to low density to nothing. Atlanta by comparrison goes from high density to nothing in certain areas.

I can't picture any area of Atlanta like you describe...it sounds like someone's imaginary vision of what he thinks Atlanta is like.

[newat6]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Atlanta has a very nice stock of historic urban buildings in both Midtown and Downtown. Downtown has an entire district of 19th and early 20th century buildings called Fairlie-Poplar that includes the Flatiron, Healy, Grant, and many other beautiful buildings. You should check it out.

I'm in Fairlie-Poplar quite often and it's a beautiful district, I just wish there was more of it. Also, there are gorgeous historic buildings in Midtown but they don't form a contiguous area (besides the historic neighborhoods - AP and Historic Midtown). It's more here and there.

[waltlantz]

Isn't that due to a lot of Antebellum Atlanta being destroyed in teh fire?

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

Isn't that due to a lot of Antebellum Atlanta being destroyed in teh fire?

Not really, Atlanta wasn't that big yet even though it was a major city for economic and industrial reasons. There were only 10,000 residents. The rest were slaves and, well, they didn't get nice houses.

This fire however would have done more damage however, and to think no one really knows about it.

Great Atlanta fire of 1917 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[newat6]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

Isn't that due to a lot of Antebellum Atlanta being destroyed in teh fire?

Commonly held misconception - most of the loss has been due to bulldozers.
Growth and Preservation--Atlanta: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary