Atlantic Station or Buckhead Area? (Lenox: how much, houses, safe area)

[Interwebs]

Amazing that anyone would recommend Atlantic Station over Buckhead. This is a no-brainier. Better entertainment options, better restaurants, and a better crowd in Buckhead by a mile. It's not even close.

Midtown is great, but Atlantic Station not so much.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by Interwebs

Amazing that anyone would recommend Atlantic Station over Buckhead. This is a no-brainier. Better entertainment options, better restaurants, and a better crowd in Buckhead by a mile. It's not even close.

Midtown is great, but Atlantic Station not so much.

I guess it boils down to differences of opinions...so it's not so amazing after all that everyone doesn't agree with you.

[Psykomonkee]

I say, stay in Midtown easily...
Somewhere near the Arts Center and Piedmont Park. Somewhere like the W if that's an option.
You can walk to Arts Center MARTA station, Piedmont Park, Peachtree Street, The High Museum, and a long walk or short taxi to Atlantic Station.
Short MARTA ride to Buckhead, or downtown to see the Aquarium and all... Hands down, Midtown/Arts Center area.

IF you stay in Atlantic Station, it's a long (depending on what you consider long) walk to Peachtree Street, and the closest MARTA station, so you'll definitely want to have a car.

IF you stay in Buckhead, that's fine, but I feel there's more to walk to in Midtown than Buckhead. You missed the days of Buckhead Village, so it's not quite AS the hip spot that it once was. It's still popular, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying it's not the #1 like it once was many years ago.

[Interwebs]

I'm making the distinction between Atlantic Station and the rest of Midtown. There's a huge difference. Midtown > Atlantic Station

Which hotel would you recommend in Atlantic Station? The drug-dealer infested Twelve? I'm sure OP would be thrilled to vacation with the thugs that inhabit that place.

[Ant131531]

People keep ignoring the guy even after he said he can't afford the hotels in Midtown.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Interwebs

Which hotel would you recommend in Atlantic Station? The drug-dealer infested Twelve? I'm sure OP would be thrilled to vacation with the thugs that inhabit that place.

No disrespect intended, but I find that hard to believe. Why would a high end hotel in a family oriented development like Atlantic Station allow that sort of thing?

[MarkInMidtown]

Either Buckhead or Atlantic Station would serve your purposes. I would not pay much heed to those making negative comments about Atlantic Station. While Atlantic Station had its problems a few years ago, there has been new ownership which has worked to turn the place around. I'm a resident of Atlantic Station and I can say that without a doubt, the improvement over the past 2 years has been pretty substantial and maybe even close to remarkable. If that trend continues, then I suspect that Atlantic Station will one day be viewed as being among the premier places to live in the city of Atlanta. There are those who know just how much Atlantic Station has been improving, and there are those who don't and who still cling to the negative reputation that Atlantic Station had developed several years back. But that negativity while justified a few years ago, is really so out-of-date now.

[Interwebs]

No disrespect intended either, but you're kidding right? You've obviously never spent any time there. I've owned a condo across the street for the last 3 years and I can tell you from personal experience the Twelve hotel is full of drug dealers and thugs.

I know several people who moved out of the building for this very reason, and I know one NFL player who owns a condo there but won't set foot in the building. One former resident who manages a restaurant in Atlantic Station said the staff at the Twelve refuses to do anything about the problem.

That said, MarkInMidtown is right about the huge improvement the new owners of Atlantic Station have made over the last couple of years. Those improvements however, are limited to the retail shopping area. Although the new owners did eliminate the Section 8 housing that used to be allowed in the apartments in Atlantic Station, the caliber of the tenants in the residential part of Atlantic Station has not improved much. (No offense Mark, I'm sure you're a great guy)

[MarkInMidtown]

I'm aware of the problems that have been at the Twelve, but I do think that building today has improved over what it was a few years back. The quality of residents at the 2 low-rise apartment buildings on the north side of 17th street has also been getting better as well, much better if what I hear is correct.

Is Atlantic Station a panacea? Hardly. But neither is Buckhead nor any area of Atlanta. I do think the problems of Atlantic Station are overstated and that the trend is certainly positive, and not just in the retail area. I realize that perception can trump reality, and that the perception of Atlantic Station is still negative among too may people. Many think it's crime infested. But I'd argue a resident walking the streets at night in Atlantic Station is less likely to become a victim of crime than one walking the streets at night in mid-town or Buckhead, or a few other Atlanta areas which have very positive reputations. I would not have made that claim 3 years ago, but I would today.

As well, the amount of vandalism seems to be way down in Atlantic Station from a few years ago. There was a time a few years back when it was common to wake up in the morning and go to the parking deck of one's respective building and find a car up on cinder blocks. Unless I've become totally oblivious to my surroundings, that's an event that hardly happens anymore in Atlantic Station.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Interwebs

No disrespect intended either, but you're kidding right? You've obviously never spent any time there. I've owned a condo across the street for the last 3 years and I can tell you from personal experience the Twelve hotel is full of drug dealers and thugs.

Thanks, Interwebs, I appreciate the info. No, I haven't spent much time at the hotel other than attending a few affairs and meetings there.

Sad that the hotel is in that condition. Are these people who live there more or less permanently, or just guests?