Urban planning commentator gives photo tour of downtown Atlanta, and boy do we look like crap! (Woodstock: restaurant, assessment)

[reet4587]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

As I said before. Atlanta was built with a suburban mentality. That's ok. We can't go back and rebuild a new city and increase the density.

Downtown Atlanta has been rebuilt multiple times in the past to fit the needs and planning of the ages and it will be rebuilt again.

You're on the right track -- the dominance of suburban growth in the region helped to make the most pedestrian-unfriendly parts of downtown what they are today. The need for suburbanites to drive to the business centers helped parts of downtown evolve into car-centric, pedestrian dead zones. But history has shown Atlanta to be a very flexible city willing to change in whatever ways it needs to so it can survive. With the continuing interest in intown, walkable living, downtown will change in order to remain relevant.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

He is basically responsible for shaping and building late 20th century Atlanta. To get an idea of just how much, check out this old school website to see what Atlanta would like without his influence...circa 1996


http://www.coa.gatech.edu/imagine/Atlanta96/documents/etc/images/bothhigh.mov (broken link)

Atlanta...Shaping the Skyline (http://www.coa.gatech.edu/imagine/Atlanta96/documents/etc/skyline.htm - broken link)

Amazing. Thanks for those links.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I am talking about Georgia 400 from beginning to end. The beginning of it was opened in 1971 according to the Wikipedia article that JPD inserted. So it still jibes with my logic.

I have a feeling you may be trying to go with some sort of conspiracy theory here. You would be wrong.

Just an FYI, GA 400 was conceived and built as an Appalachian Project to boost the abysmal economy of the foothills region of North Georgia. It ended at the Perimeter for more than 20 years before the ITP portion was built.

[AcidSnake]

Aww man, I got my Nikes on, and I'm barely getting warmed up.

Okay, you got me. A developer like John Porter was not trippin' out on carbon monoxide traveling down Georgia 400 while creating an urban cement monster. I am backing off from that statement.

But chew on this: John Porter as you folks pointed out heralded in a new age of Space Age contruction in downtown Atlanta while at the same time saving it from untimely death. How?

Sure, there are those who would say that he created nice, new, pretty buildings & it just so happens that folks back then LOVE those shiny new buildings just enough to want to come back to the downtown that they were fleeing and occupy them...NOT!!!

Human nature is never so innocent.

I say that those building offered a fortress of solitude away from that nasty inconvenience of street-level interaction. I also say that it doesn't hurt that a certain Georgia highway was being conceived AND built in the same time period, that allowed a certain group of people fleeing from those diverse elements to come back & work in the city without having to deal with too much of interaction with that diversity.

Maybe you can put on your rose-colored glasses and think otherwise, but I know better. My family has been in the south long enough to know that there's nothing new under sun, especially in regards to nuances & diversity.

Phew...that was hard marathon, but I crossed the finish line.

Originally Posted by JPD

His buildings, which take up a significant portion of downtown (probably more than any other architecture firm), incorporate several gerbil chutes.

Try to keep up.

[AcidSnake]

I also have a feeling that you are trying to downplay an inconsistency among several in past events just to satisfy the egos & consciences of polite company. Hardly the first time such a tactic is used and it won't be the last.

Originally Posted by johnatl

I have a feeling you may be trying to go with some sort of conspiracy theory here. You would be wrong.

Just an FYI, GA 400 was conceived and built as an Appalachian Project to boost the abysmal economy of the foothills region of North Georgia. It ended at the Perimeter for more than 20 years before the ITP portion was built.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

Sure, there are those who would say that he created nice, new, pretty buildings & it just so happens that folks back then LOVE those shiny new buildings just enough to want to come back to the downtown that they were fleeing and occupy them...NOT!!!

Occupy, no.

Work in, yes.

[DTL3000]

Atlanta had the misfortune of being Portman's guinea pig(gerbil?) city. If I'm not mistaken Peachtree Center is his first major project. I work there and it's about as souless and soulcrushing as it gets. I can look out the window and see a magnificent view of.......a building just like the one i'm in.

His work definitely improved. The Suntrust skyscraper is a vast improvement over PTC, at least on the lobby level and the Hyatt and Mariott lobbies are both really interesting. PTC just plain sucks though. It's probably one of the most boring collection of buildings in the city. His exhibit at the High left me with the impression that he saved all of his best designs for China. Thanks John...

Those gerbil tunnels were a lame attempt to be "futuristic." They couldn't be any more dated if shag carpeting was installed in them.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

Aww man, I got my Nikes on, and I'm barely getting warmed up.

Okay, you got me. A developer like John Porter was not trippin' out on carbon monoxide traveling down Georgia 400 while creating an urban cement monster. I am backing off from that statement.

But chew on this: John Porter as you folks pointed out heralded in a new age of Space Age contruction in downtown Atlanta while at the same time saving it from untimely death. How?

Sure, there are those who would say that he created nice, new, pretty buildings & it just so happens that folks back then LOVE those shiny new buildings just enough to want to come back to the downtown that they were fleeing and occupy them...NOT!!!

Human nature is never so innocent.

I say that those building offered a fortress of solitude away from that nasty inconvenience of street-level interaction. I also say that it doesn't hurt that a certain Georgia highway was being conceived AND built in the same time period, that allowed a certain group of people fleeing from those diverse elements to come back & work in the city without having to deal with too much of interaction with that diversity.

Maybe you can put on your rose-colored glasses and think otherwise, but I know better. My family has been in the south long enough to know that there's nothing new under sun, especially in regards to nuances & diversity.

Phew...that was hard marathon, but I crossed the finish line.

Whatever. I too have a long history in this place, and trust me when I tell you, your little conspiracy holds no water.

Portman is the guys name, btw - and he IS credited with saving Downtown. His first buildings were the Merchandise Mart and the adjacent Peachtree Center Tower. This ignited the need for new hotels, so the Hyatt came next. It turned into a HUGE attraction, the likes of which noone had seen before. Next came the portion where the Mall and the 4 clustered towers are. At this point, he introduced the Midnight Sun, which was the first fine dining place to open Downtown in years.

All of this was occuring at the apex of white flight. Executive Park was opening - the first suburban office park in the U.S. Companies were leaving Downtown in droves. Portman DID save Downtown, and the architecture at the time was considered futuristic and forward looking. Times have obviously changed, but no - there was no great conspiracy as you imagine.

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by koko339

Untitled Document (click for link)
James Howard Kunstler, the notoriously outspoken critic of the urban condition in America, was in Atlanta for the recent Congress For The New Urbanism. When I heard he was going to be in town I was just waiting on a scathing review of downtown to appear on his blog...and here it is! For out of towners who don't know of all the great spots in Atlanta and have their first impressions created by all the John Portman bullcrap, I can't blame them for leaving with a bad taste in their mouths.

The congress for new urbanism aren't urban or city judges they promotes New Urbanism itself. Actually Atlanta is consider a poster child for new urbanism. The ARC is very active in new urbanism developments, this is the reason why the CNU was here in the first place. The fact they were in Atlanta and saw this is a good thing, then they actually do know the active spot of Atlanta but that's not why were here. Now it like your bashing Atlanta, because public and private leaders are looking at flaws and trying fix them.


YouTube - CNU Atlanta

I was just waiting on a scathing review

You were wanting "out of towners" to bash Atlanta ) The CNU are not critics LAMO, the CNU self describe their selves as "the leading organization promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions"

Who is CNU? | Congress for the New Urbanism

[koko339]

Um buddy you have it all wrong. I know Atlanta is very well known for our NU developments, and I'm very proud of that fact. I'm a big supporter of the movement. My point was that Kunstler (who actually is a critic, speaker, and author, although that is not every New Urbanist) always strikes me as a crotchety old fart so when I heard he was going to be staying DOWNTOWN (not one of our most inviting districts urban design wise) I was just waiting for his head to pop off in disdain. Not that I enjoy people ripping on the city, but I knew he would have some entertaining commentary on the subject. I've been following the NU for a while so I know what they're about, thanks.