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Old 07-02-2012, 06:09 PM
 
230 posts, read 491,002 times
Reputation: 87

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Quote:
Originally Posted by cwkimbro View Post
not at all!

It is all about Location-location-Location.

You have great schools, well landscaped lots, nice houses.

However, the more important element of what I have been saying... They have immediate access to jobs throughout the Northpoint/Alpharetta corridor, they can easily commute to the jobs in the I-85 corridor, and they have a direct route to Peachtree Corners.

For longer commutes to places like Perimeter Center they have a route they can drive that lets them stay away from Spaghetti junction at I-85. That is big. It also isn't a horrible drive to keep driving down Peachtree to get to Buckhead.

One thing people should consider... If people really do start turning away from the suburban fringe (and they haven't quite yet!), the suburbs closer to town are going to become more valuable for those who still want a suburban lifestyle. Johns Creek is no longer at the exurban fringe.... Cumming is.
Not arguing that J.C. will diminish, they have good demographics and schools, but I do not agree with you on location. There is no easy highway access at all, and the arterial roads get jammed up (abbots bridge, 141/state bridge, etc.). Even though my friend lives closer to Athens (just of Bell Rd.), it takes him longer to get to U.G.A than me Dunwoody). He has to deal with secondary roads, where as I am on the highway within 5-7 minutes.

Agree with Bryant that Johns Creek doesn't have a Downtown. They really need to start doing something (Johns Creek Walk????). I go there around 3-4 times a month, and there is nothing unique there. J.C. need to distinguish itself (other than great schools).A great place to raise a family, just needs to be more accessible. It takes me 30 minutes to get to my friends house, Atlantic Station is quicker to get to!
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Old 07-02-2012, 06:34 PM
 
9,008 posts, read 13,985,831 times
Reputation: 7638
Quote:
Agree with Bryant that Johns Creek doesn't have a Downtown.
I don't know about that.

I will say that downtowns tend to really help communities and looking for a town with one was one of the best pieces of advice a realtor ever gave me.

But I'm not exactly in the Johns Creek demographic. I know not everybody there is ludicrously wealthy, but if you consider that many of the communities there are exclusive gated communities, I just don't think these people care about having a downtown. They have purposely sought an area to cut themselves off from the masses, why would they want to create a space to mingle with them?

The idea of a downtown is great for most areas where the people like to rally around something and go out and see each other. I just think the Johns Creek types are more entrepreneurial and tend to like to do things their own way and maybe just mingle with who they choose to, not whoever happens to be downtown. Once you are already very well established with wealthy residents, having a historic downtown seems to matter much less. I don't think Johns Creek cares if you, as an outsider who doesn't live there, has good access to it or finds anything unique about it. They'd probably be happier if you didn't go there at all.

I'll eat my hat if I'm wrong, but I bet that Johns Creek is just fine 30 years from now regardless of whether or not they build a downtown.

On a side note, I have seen some reluctance from Johns Creek to connect with neighboring communities. Duluth already has the funds to restore Rogers Bridge and build a path across it that will connect bicycle and pedestrian trails across the Chattahoochee, but Johns Creek won't reciprocate and chip in to build their half. I think some of it has to do with just not caring, but some of it also has to do with not wanting more access for us dirty Gwinnetians to be able to walk or ride across the river into their town.

Even though I don't always like the Johns Creek attitude, I don't displace those feelings on saying it will go down when clearly it won't.
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Old 07-02-2012, 06:43 PM
 
31,995 posts, read 36,572,943 times
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Johns Creek is rock solid, downtown or no downtown. Gated communities are proliferating all over the world and they make for great living. You simply don't have to fool with the hoi polloi.
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:27 PM
 
Location: Atlanta, GA
1,050 posts, read 1,684,134 times
Reputation: 498
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLTJL View Post
By selling them for $1 million?

Maybe when we talk about "McMansions" we are talking about different things.

I'm talking about what they put up in St. Marlo and other areas where the homes are above $350k and into the millions.
That is not how much a quality 6k sq. ft. home would sell for.
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:30 PM
 
Location: Atlanta, GA
1,050 posts, read 1,684,134 times
Reputation: 498
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLTJL View Post
I don't know about that.

I will say that downtowns tend to really help communities and looking for a town with one was one of the best pieces of advice a realtor ever gave me.

But I'm not exactly in the Johns Creek demographic. I know not everybody there is ludicrously wealthy, but if you consider that many of the communities there are exclusive gated communities, I just don't think these people care about having a downtown. They have purposely sought an area to cut themselves off from the masses, why would they want to create a space to mingle with them?

The idea of a downtown is great for most areas where the people like to rally around something and go out and see each other. I just think the Johns Creek types are more entrepreneurial and tend to like to do things their own way and maybe just mingle with who they choose to, not whoever happens to be downtown. Once you are already very well established with wealthy residents, having a historic downtown seems to matter much less. I don't think Johns Creek cares if you, as an outsider who doesn't live there, has good access to it or finds anything unique about it. They'd probably be happier if you didn't go there at all.

I'll eat my hat if I'm wrong, but I bet that Johns Creek is just fine 30 years from now regardless of whether or not they build a downtown.

On a side note, I have seen some reluctance from Johns Creek to connect with neighboring communities. Duluth already has the funds to restore Rogers Bridge and build a path across it that will connect bicycle and pedestrian trails across the Chattahoochee, but Johns Creek won't reciprocate and chip in to build their half. I think some of it has to do with just not caring, but some of it also has to do with not wanting more access for us dirty Gwinnetians to be able to walk or ride across the river into their town.

Even though I don't always like the Johns Creek attitude, I don't displace those feelings on saying it will go down when clearly it won't.
All real money high end areas have a downtown area. Have you been up north? Greenwich Ct(one of the wealthiest areas in America) has a downtown area. As does every other high end town outside of NYC(In Westchester Co. NY, Nassau Co. NY, Fairfield Co. CT, and I am not sure about New Jersey).
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:53 PM
 
Location: Georgia native in McKinney, TX
8,057 posts, read 12,798,537 times
Reputation: 6318
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch View Post
All real money high end areas have a downtown area. Have you been up north? Greenwich Ct(one of the wealthiest areas in America) has a downtown area. As does every other high end town outside of NYC(In Westchester Co. NY, Nassau Co. NY, Fairfield Co. CT, and I am not sure about New Jersey).
Make your comparison with other sunbelt cities with similar growth patterns to Atlanta. You are naming suburban areas of NYC that have been cities and towns in their own right for decades if not centuries.

For example: Southlake, TX in the DFW metroplex would be considered the most affluent suburb of all the DFW cities. Only the Park Cities (Highland Park and University Park, totally surrounded by the city of Dallas) are considered more tony. Southlake would line up very closely with Johns Creek, the Park Cities would be like if the core of Buckhead was an independent city surrounded by Atlanta. Southlake has built a town center, but it is much like The Forum in Peachtree Corners or one of the Avenue developments, not a traditional downtown. No one in DFW is predicting Southlake's demise.

As John's Creek continues to develop its own sense of identity, I am sure that something will come along that will be like a town center. But even if it doesn't, don't see that is any reason to predict the area's demise.
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:53 PM
 
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
11,334 posts, read 25,998,406 times
Reputation: 3990
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryantm3 View Post
i grew up in forsyth county, born in 1990. every person's house i went to was what they call a McMansion. i've seen them being built, i've been inside them when they're finished, etc. it's all plywood and drywall with a façade pasted over the outside. how'd you think they could make any money off of selling 6000 square foot homes?
The million dollar houses by me are AFV houses built out of stone. Most of the rest are generally in subdivisions alongside scores of other houses similar to themselves.

Not sure either qualify as McMansions.
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:54 PM
 
Location: North Fulton
1,039 posts, read 2,418,216 times
Reputation: 616
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch View Post
All real money high end areas have a downtown area. Have you been up north? Greenwich Ct(one of the wealthiest areas in America) has a downtown area. As does every other high end town outside of NYC(In Westchester Co. NY, Nassau Co. NY, Fairfield Co. CT, and I am not sure about New Jersey).
Instead of real money, you probably mean "old money." I think most of the people in north Fulton are high income and not necessarily "old money."

Not that it matters, Alpharetta has a downtown and so does Roswell. And those areas are high income and pretty similar to JC. I think ATLTJL is probably right in his post. Johns Creek will be fine without a real downtown; it's a solid area even if it looks all the same (suburban bedroom-communities chocked full of large houses).

JC was only created in 2006 so that the entire area of North Fulton could incorporate into cities in order to keep some of their own tax revenue for their own communities and infrastructure. Not very unique, no, but upscale and affluent, it is and the area is very desirable for families relocating particularly from high cost areas like the Northeast to Atlanta. JC and the areas around it tend to attract younger people with children who make a very good income.
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Old 07-02-2012, 08:50 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
7,574 posts, read 10,706,619 times
Reputation: 6512
Quote:
Originally Posted by chalvey View Post
Not arguing that J.C. will diminish, they have good demographics and schools, but I do not agree with you on location. There is no easy highway access at all, and the arterial roads get jammed up (abbots bridge, 141/state bridge, etc.). Even though my friend lives closer to Athens (just of Bell Rd.), it takes him longer to get to U.G.A than me Dunwoody). He has to deal with secondary roads, where as I am on the highway within 5-7 minutes.

Agree with Bryant that Johns Creek doesn't have a Downtown. They really need to start doing something (Johns Creek Walk????). I go there around 3-4 times a month, and there is nothing unique there. J.C. need to distinguish itself (other than great schools).A great place to raise a family, just needs to be more accessible. It takes me 30 minutes to get to my friends house, Atlantic Station is quicker to get to!
Its all about where the jobs are... and the highly educated base those jobs want to locate around.

Your falling into the classic bedroom suburb commuter trap. Many people in Johns Creek don't even need to get on a highway to find a good job. Alpharetta, Northpoint, a mini edge city near McGinnis Ferry and Peachtree pkwy is popping up, Peachtree Corners, Suwannee, and Duluth...

Johns Creek is surrounded by the major N. Fulton and Gwinnett job bases. It is why the area is as nice as it is today.

And yes they do primarily deal with secondary roads and a few core arterial roads, but that comes with the territory and advantage of being half way between major job corridors.
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Old 07-03-2012, 02:05 AM
 
Location: East Point
4,790 posts, read 6,832,121 times
Reputation: 4782
Quote:
Originally Posted by arjay57 View Post
I hate the term "McMansion." It's derisive and insulting.

Most of the homes that I've seen built in modern times are excellent. Sure, there's some junky stuff in the mix but that's true of older homes as well.
the problem with modern homes is that they're built with square footage and amenities in mind, and aren't built to last a very long time. the reason homes were smaller in the past was because building a solid home was a given, the money had to be there to build a solid house, size was a secondary issue. nowadays building standards are not the same.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Onthemove2014 View Post
Your are 22 years old and you are a master contractor and carpenter? Man, how do you find the time to be on city-data.
age is a non-sequitur. i don't see you posting your credentials. my parents built their own home in 1998, i have first hand experience with the way modern homes are built.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BobKovacs View Post
What's it supposed to be built with, exactly?? With very few exceptions, every house is built with plywood and drywall- even multi-million custom homes.

Born in 1990??? I was building houses before you were born......
that's why hurricane andrew blew them all away. in the 90s they enacted more stringent building standards in florida, now they're starting to back down on them due to cost.

if you don't believe me, go in any home built since the late 60s and kick the wall. i'll guarantee you'll knock a pretty sizable hole in it. kick a little bit harder and you might have a new window.

a less destructive method— stand on the first floor and jump up and down a few times and see how much stuff falls off the walls and shelves, even on the second floor.

homes are built shoddily today. before the late 60s, every wall was solid, including interior walls, either with brick and mortar or a poured in material, covered by wooden slats and coated in plaster. try and kick that, you'll get a broken toe.

have you noticed the way they build skyscrapers today? you won't see plywood and drywall going up over the skyline because if they built them out of that cheap stuff, even with steel support girders, the whole thing would collapse and kill everyone. they don't use brick and mortar anymore because of the cost— but they used to build skyscrapers in the method i described above that are still standing solidly today.
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