The Death of the Fringe Suburb (Atlanta, Decatur: 2014, houses, transfer)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

They still managed to survive and thrive without the million square feet McMansions and yards. How did we humans pull off raising kids for millenia before the mini vans, SUVs and McMansions...?

I really dislike the term "McMansion.". It's so judgmental and contemptuous. You're talking about people's homes.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Stars&StripesForever

Are young in-towners really having children? It seems that their liberal nature precludes them to think about having children. It's as if they don't desire them.

Yes, they do have kids, and lots of them. Elementary schools on the northside are bursting at the seams, although enrollment is declining on the southside. We've got grandchildren in APS and they have a passel of buddies in their neighborhood. The intown youth sports leagues rock too.

[NYbyWAYofGA]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I really dislike the term "McMansion.". It's so judgmental and contemptuous. You're talking about people's homes.

My bad, I rent...So, what do I know?

[NYbyWAYofGA]

Originally Posted by Cameron H

I don't think anyone is arguing that American-style suburban living is a necessity, are they? Just that it's an affordable option and one that a lot of Americans seem to prefer when given a choice.

Affordable as oppose to sustainable....

[Cameron H]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

Affordable as oppose to sustainable....

It depends on what you mean by "sustainable." If you mean financially, which is the kind of sustainability most families care about, then it's very sustainable. If you mean environmentally sustainable, well, you're not going to change behaviors unless the market prices in the cost of carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption.

Until that happens, it's kind of counterproductive to criticize families for making rational decisions...and it's very unlikely to happen as long as we remain a democracy, more or less. People aren't quietly going to be forced out of their suburbs into dense urban neighborhoods. I've been called a liberal and socialist on this forum, but I'm very much a climate policy skeptic.

[ATLTJL]

Almost everything is within easy walking distance -- scores of banks, services, movies, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants, churches, you name it.

I'm just curious, where exactly do you live? I can't think of anywhere, not even the middle of Peachtree in the most densely packed parts of Buckhead or Midtown, that would be walkable to "scores" of banks, several churches, and movies. Unelss your idea of walking distance is 2 or 3 miles.

What part of Atlanta is this urban utopia that you speak of?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

My bad, I rent...So, what do I know?

You're entitled to your opinion of course. I just don't like to belittle people over where they live.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I'm just curious, where exactly do you live? I can't think of anywhere, not even the middle of Peachtree in the most densely packed parts of Buckhead or Midtown, that would be walkable to "scores" of banks, several churches, and movies. Unelss your idea of walking distance is 2 or 3 miles.

Sorry, inept language on my part. What I meant to say is that there are scores of businesses (including banks, churches, movie theaters, etc.) within walking distance. There are probably no more than 15-20 banks in that area.

I'd certainly consider a mile within walking distance. Wouldn't either Midtown or Buckhead fit that bill?

[ATLTJL]

Not really. I'd like to know where you are talking about.

The only intown movie theaters I can think of are:

Atlantic Station, which would put you within walking distance of most of what you said, except for the churches which I don't think are around there.

Landmark Theater in midtown, but I can't think of any grocery that is within reasonable walking distance from there.

Plaza theater, but again, where would you walk to grocery? I guess you could walk to the crack Kroger, but I wouldn't do that after dark.

Tara theater, I guess virtually everything you mentioned is along Cheshire Bridge somewhere, I just don't think of that area as being particularly walkable. Having to walk by 3 porno stores, a jack shack, and a sex club to get to church may bother some people (wouldn't bother me at all, I'm just saying!)

Phipps theater would probably be the closest thing to what you're talking about, but walking down to the Piedmont Kroger would be a pain in the behind to me. Technically, I guess the Phipps area is walkable, I just don't think of it that way because of all the time you'd spend at crosswalks waiting to cross a busy street.

I guess I'm having the hardest time figuring out where is walkable to a movie theater and a grocery store, especially if you wanted a choice of grocery stores. Atlantic Station is really the only thing I can think of that fits that bill.

Of course, I understand that most people aren't going to walk to movies or grocery stores even if they can. It's more imporatant to be walkable to restaurants, bars, stores, etc. A lot of people on here are talking about how they are so happy to sell their cars, and I'm just trying to figure out where you can live in ATL where you really wouldn't need a car at all. I can't think of really any place except Atlantic Station, but that's decently far from MARTA, at least far enough to make it a major pain.

[Lagwagon113]

I like the trend of moving back to the cities. I always thought it was a shame we abandoned them in the first place and let them deteriote. I'm somewhat young at 31 and my view point is I prefer to live in an urban area until I have kids. It simply costs too much to raise a family in the city. Plus it seems like there are too many risks in the city if you aren't in a really upscale area. I can handle myself anywhere but it's different when you are responsible for a child. You can have a much safer environment in the suburbs for much less. Personally though I love the city and would have a hard time giving it up. I guess you could say I understand both sides of the coin. Neither is better than the other. Just different lifestyle choices.

Where I live I see many young children but hardly any school aged children. When I do go to the suburbs I can't help but notice the amount of teenagers and school aged children. Makes me feel old!