ITP vs. OTP (Atlanta, Marietta, Lawrenceville: big house, neighborhoods, schools)

[DennyCrane]

OK, I know there have been countless threads about what things are like ITP and OTP. I've been reading through a lot of them already. But I was hoping someone could give me a condensed version. Right now, I live on the border if that makes sense. I haven't had time to do a lot of exploring, but what I've seen so far tells me that I'd probably be happier ITP. Being single, without kids, not wanting a big house with a yard, being politically liberal and non-religious, I get the feeling I'd be more at home ITP. I certainly can't see myself living in Marietta for example. But I worry about what I can afford ITP and whether I'll be hurting my career given that a lot of the jobs in my field are actually in the northern burbs. So any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. It can just be bullet points and you talk in whatever terms you can think of (traffic, cost of living, taxes, shopping, people, culture, crime, etc.).

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

OK, I know there have been countless threads about what things are like ITP and OTP.

ITP = "Inside the Perimeter" (highway I-285)
OTP = "Outside the Perimeter"

Just as a side-note, we need to keep in mind many people reading in the room may not reside here yet and have no idea what these abbreviations mean.

[spacelord75]

I think your initial impression is pretty much spot on. In general, the further you get away from downtown/midtown the more conservative it gets. I wouldn't really worry too much about missing out on jobs...regardless of your field, I would think being in town is a "no lose" scenario and, even if you have to work up in the northern burbs, at least you are sort of going against traffic (although 400/75/85 southbound is a parking lot starting around Buckhead in the afternoons).

[arjay57]

In my opinion the ITP vs. OTP distinction isn't very helfpul. Most areas inside and outside the Perimeter are relatively low density residential neighborhoods, with a fair amount of office and retail mixed in. Obviously there are also some more intensively developed areas, most of which tend to cluster along Peachtree from Downtown to Buckhead, and around the major freeways, especially the northern arc of I-285 and the GA 400 corridor. But it's hard for me to see the Perimeter as any sort of dividing line.

[plessthanpointohfive]

BTW, the northern ITP area is more conservative than the eastern ITP area (ie around Emory/CDC).

For me the REAL distinction between ITP and OTP is how well I can stay off highways and still get to where I want to go. ITP tends to be older than OTP, more so the closer in you get. As such the surface streets were built pre-highway, etc. So I can get pretty much anywhere on back streets.

I could say the same thing about old parts of, say, Lawrenceville. But most of OTP is newer and post-war/post-interstate, etc.

But it's true the ITP/OTP thing is a bit of an arbitrary line in the sand.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

But it's true the ITP/OTP thing is a bit of an arbitrary line in the sand.

I agree that terms like ITP and OTP are a bit broad and normally I would trying to generalize about an entire region. But generalizations are often rooted in some element of truth. I've more or less decided that I'm going to move ITP. I just trying to figure what I gain, what I lose and whether it's worth the trade off.

[Big L]

I think that the ITP vs. OTP thing only seems to be hashed out on boards such as this one. People choose to live where they live for various reasons and it generally doesn't come down to whether or not to go ITP or OTP solely based on appearance or stereotypes unless commutes and schools are not a major factor for them. Most people in the area tend to base their decisions on commute times, school attendance zones, proximity to their activities, and things of that nature.

I have been in the Atlanta area since '98 and have never lived ITP. However, that doesn't mean that I have anything against those that live ITP or even that I would never consider living ITP.

[roxyrn]

Love ITP but it doesn't meet our family's needs right now so live OTP and love that.
Would prefer to live OTB (on the beach).

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by Big L

I think that the ITP vs. OTP thing only seems to be hashed out on boards such as this one.

I used to think that before I moved here. But I've met quite a number of people who talk in those terms. I've even noticed a certain elitism about it. Some of the ITP people look down on anything OTP and vice versa. Obviously, I don't think these people are typical of what you'd find in Atlanta. The point is that it isn't just on a forum like where you see people drawing the ITP/OTP distinction.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

I used to think that before I moved here. But I've met quite a number of people who talk in those terms. I've even noticed a certain elitism about it. Some of the ITP people look down on anything OTP and vice versa. Obviously, I don't think these people are typical of what you'd find in Atlanta. The point is that it isn't just on a forum like where you see people drawing the ITP/OTP distinction.

There is definitely elitism. All you have to do to see it is read Creative Loafing, or the comments on the Decatur Metro blog.