Does anyone else think the Atlanta urban core isn't that bad at all? (Lincoln Park: living in, shop)

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by SLIMMACKEY

Well in the context of the initial post is where I cast the doubt. I spent summers in San Fran and to tell you the truth, I think The Bay has DC beat when it comes to "residents" that commute on a daily basis. It is far too deceiving to think that there are stats that accurately rate that. I have a home in ATL and drove to work most days. But I also would park at MARTA and ride the train downtown to work. I am a sample to which population then? Im in NYC now and drive to work daily but catch the train or bus when not working. It is too well known that most that work in DC dont live in walking distance or bus ride distance. They tram in. I would be interested in any such survey that you know of to substantiate the ranking of DC in the order you put them in. Not bashing you, but I know from experience (cousins live in the DC area) that it is not ranked above San Fran.

This post is truly about ATL and how commutable/urban it is. I split my time between NYC and ATL and I like driving so it doesnt bother me one bit. And the roads are better than NYC. This debate is relative...My home in ATL is close to 2 MARTA train stations so I can drive over and ride the train downtown if I wanted. Walk from Arts Center station to Olympic Park if I felt like(nice walk tho).And the cityscape is OK to me....just like everywhere else. But to each his own

Here's the report he referenced: Carfree Database Results

You are correct though in that it is not literally true that many people ride transit to work but a statically calculation. It's probably pretty close to reality, but it also does not account for those situations where people only use transit occasionally or, such as the case in Atlanta, places where there often large events that swell the ridership by several orders of magnitude on a regular basis.

[SLIMMACKEY]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Here's the report he referenced: Carfree Database Results

You are correct though in that it is not literally true that many people ride transit to work but a statically calculation. It's probably pretty close to reality, but it also does not account for those situations where people only use transit occasionally or, such as the case in Atlanta, places where there often large events that swell the ridership by several orders of magnitude on a regular basis.

Thanks for the link...im checkin it out as now.

[SLIMMACKEY]

That link is interesting.....

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Here's the report he referenced: Carfree Database Results

You are correct though in that it is not literally true that many people ride transit to work but a statically calculation. It's probably pretty close to reality, but it also does not account for those situations where people only use transit occasionally or, such as the case in Atlanta, places where there often large events that swell the ridership by several orders of magnitude on a regular basis.

Thanks waronxmas although that chart is outdated. The 2010 census has DC at 54% total non-car commuting and I think that number will be so much higher in 2020. DC proper added 16,000 people last year alone swelling the population as of last year to 618,000 people. That number is approaching is somewhere in the 620,000's right now. The city is projected to reach 700,000 by next census and the cranes in the sky may even outpace that number so there are going to be plenty of new units. The 37 mile 8 line street car network is really going to be the difference maker for transit in DC though. Mayor Grays sustainability plan that just came out has a goal of 75% non-auto usage commuting in DC by 2032. The next few decades will interesting.

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by back2dc

I think the Atlanta urban core is pathetic.

Skylines and hi-rises do not determine the health of a city's urban core. In fact hi-rises in Atlanta are rather pointless since there is so much available land around. What's the point of building up when there is an endless supply of empty lots surrounding these buildings? Real cities build up because they have nowhere else to build out.

The key words are density and walkability. Yes, higher density is achieved by taller buildings, but ONLY if the buildings are connected together seamlessly. DC only has 14 story buildings in its core. Much of residential London and New York (in the boroughs) are rowhouses, which are low-rise. But the density factor is still impressive in all three cities because of continuous development with plenty of planned retail.

The same anti-government, anti-tax cultural values of the South which have thwarted public transportation planning in Atlanta, hinder private developers from working together to properly zone and plan Atlanta. It's each man for himself, the rest be damned. Those are not civic-minded attributes.

As a result, most of Atlanta's hi-rises in the core are set back from the street, completely nonintegrated with their neighbors, and surrounded by parking lots and grass, which reflects a suburban, car-oriented mindset. It discourages people from walking from one building to another, especially in high crime cities like Atlanta where people are paranoid that thugs are lurking in the dark. Well, often they are because the lack of foot traffic facilitates muggings and street crime. Safety in numbers is not something law abiding citizens feel in Atlanta.

Atlanta can build all the hi-rises it wants, but until they are built flush out to the street, with sidewalks and plenty of ground floor retail, in addition to a multiple line heavy or light rail transportation system, people are going to continue to drive and park their vehicles in the ample parking lots and garages. No one is going to want to come "visit Atlanta for its urban core." That's ridiculous.

What the hell are you talking about? There is PLENTY of zero-lot development in the Downtown/Midtown core? Have you ever been to Atlanta? Seriously, this is just ridiculous!

Walk on Peachtree Str. from Five Points to Colony Square in Midtown or even the I-85 Bridge. Almost the whole 3 mile stretch has zero-lot development. Yes, there are a few parking lots and some "free space", but it isn't much. I think this is a high density stretch.

Go to the area around Fox Theatre! It is incredibly urban. I just walked it today and continue to be surprised by the development along Peachtree St. There were PLENTY of people walking around. Midtown is very lively. Very. At nearly all points of the day and even some parts of the night. Even Downtown is lively during the day. Very lively.

As I said, Atlanta isn't a DC, New York, Sf, or Chicago. I'm very much aware of those cities and their current urban footprint and density, but some of the assumptions and claims you make are absurd and ignorant.

If you hate Atlanta, fine, but don't put your hate bias by making ignorant and ill-informed statements like that.

Google some areas of the Atlanta urban core that I mentioned.

[noah]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Go to the area around Fox Theatre! It is incredibly urban. I just walked it today and continue to be surprised by the development along Peachtree St. There were PLENTY of people walking around. Midtown is very lively. .

Yep, as a resident of this neighborhood I agree. There are people out all the time and thousands of people live in this area (my building alone has 250+ homes and its not even one of the big ones people refer to). Go to any of the restaurants any day of the week, check out local places like Papi's off of ponce, Escorpian on Peachtree to name a few, the tech square corridor of restaurants, Peachree corridor or any other area and you will see there is an energy in these areas.

On top of this there are 3 new midrise/highrise buildings going up right now. Its a fun place to call home.

[Mutiny77]

Not one of the best, but not the hellhole that some people make it out to be either. I think Atlanta's urban core has advantages that its Southern peer cities don't have, but some smaller cities throughout the region could teach Atlanta a thing or two also.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Not one of the best, but not the hellhole that some people make it out to be either. I think Atlanta's urban core has advantages that its Southern peer cities don't have, but some smaller cities throughout the region could teach Atlanta a thing or two also.

I think the one big problem we have in the core/City of Atlanta as a whole is that there are some very easy wins we could have to day that cost next to nothing that we just aren't doing. I suppose we need more advocates, less whiny transplants pining for their long lost home.

[cqholt]

Atlanta has a great urban core. Downtown offers the older, historic feel while being grittier than Midtown that offers the new glass office towers and yuppy oasis. Atlanta's urban core is linear, following the MARTA Red/Gold Line and Downtown Connector. The 60's and 70's devastated Atlanta's core. Historic building were torn down and replaced with new office buildings or parking lots, we lost a lot of great buildings. There is an image of downtown being dangerous that has to be broken. I enjoy downtown the best out of the 3 business districts. I live intown and use MARTA to get around everyday. I could live car-less, except for traveling home to see the family. We have to be willing to spend money to improve the urban core, but no one wants to spend money on things that are good for the whole metro area, eg: TSPLOST.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Atlanta has a great urban core. Downtown offers the older, historic feel while being grittier than Midtown that offers the new glass office towers and yuppy oasis. Atlanta's urban core is linear, following the MARTA Red/Gold Line and Downtown Connector.

More like, it follows Peachtree Street.