WHY is the Westside getting so much development or will get so much? (Atlanta: apartments, lofts)

[Ant131531]

I keep hearing from people that the Westside is 'set to explode' over the next few years, but why?? I don't get the appeal to developers to develop a corridor that lacks any sort of transit, but buses. I've already been hearing that this area is becoming traffic ridden... It's a decent neighborhood, but without transit, it seems counter intuitive...you drive there and then walk around...basically, it's a neighborhood trying to be walkable, but still auto-oriented lol.

Anyways, yeah...thought maybe we could get a discussion on this area.

[erick295]

I've wondered the same myself. It's not too easy to get there by car either, but I guess with the land being so cheap and its proximity to Buckhead the retailers don't need to be easily accessible to turn a profit.

I do wonder why people want to live there now, but I thank them for it, because they're the reason it will (sooner or later) become a well-developed and easily accessible neighborhood. For now, though, it's just a hard-to-get-to, dismal, industrial mess with a few good stores and restaurants peppered around.

[Mutiny77]

Grant Park doesn't have MARTA access either; that has stopped anything.

[gerrythesnake]

IMO it is a good place to live if you can't afford to move to Midtown, it has great views of the Atlanta skyline, you are close to the city without living in the city, etc

[Ant131531]

It's just strange to me that this area is still getting a lot of development like Elan Westside, but the Edgewood Ave. corridor right outside of downtown hasn't really gotten any. That area is not only in a cohesive urban environment and connected directly to the core, but it has MARTA and a streetcar coming to the neighborhood, but we have yet to hear of ANY new big developments in that area. Hell, if they were to fix that neighborhood up, I might want to live there in 5-10 years.

[alinka72]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

I keep hearing from people that the Westside is 'set to explode' over the next few years, but why?? I don't get the appeal to developers to develop a corridor that lacks any sort of transit, but buses. I've already been hearing that this area is becoming traffic ridden... It's a decent neighborhood, but without transit, it seems counter intuitive...you drive there and then walk around...basically, it's a neighborhood trying to be walkable, but still auto-oriented lol.

Anyways, yeah...thought maybe we could get a discussion on this area.

It is called 'brash boosterism'. Has been applied to Terminus since 1893. Look it up. It may enlighten on why Atlanta city dwellers fabrications usually 'stick' with the local populace.

[ATLJR]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

It's just strange to me that this area is still getting a lot of development like Elan Westside, but the Edgewood Ave. corridor right outside of downtown hasn't really gotten any. That area is not only in a cohesive urban environment and connected directly to the core, but it has MARTA and a streetcar coming to the neighborhood, but we have yet to hear of ANY new big developments in that area. Hell, if they were to fix that neighborhood up, I might want to live there in 5-10 years.

I think you have to look at each area distinctively. The Westside has / had larger, underused lots ready for development with little in the way of obstacles and despite its ramshackle appearance in certain areas, tends to be a bit more well off and separated from "rough" neighborhoods. They've had proven success with retail, restaurants, and other recent residential developments so its inherently less risk. When you look at the Edgewood corridor however, you have a few obstacles currently in your way. One, there's not a lot of huge lots ready for large scale multi-family development. There are a few, just not a lot, and some redevelopments have been hampered by historical preservationist. There's also an element still found around Edgewood that makes developers a little cautious and how the Auburn Glenn Apartments have turned out probably doesn't provide a lot of confidence to would-be developers.

It will definitely come though, because as you mentioned there's too many positives for the neighborhood.

[cqholt]

The Westside is convenient to national-chain retailers and grocery stores at Atlantic Station, eg: Publix, Target, IKEA, etc. Its a lot like the Pearl District in Portland, except the streetcar. Warehouses turned into lofts, art galleries, restaurants and now there is a lot of new apartment construction.

[Sprial]

I'll add that the Westside has some older industrial buildings that make for interesting commercial/residential space and there have been some developers willing to make an effort to work with what is already there - a departure from a long history of bulldozing as the first option. The obvious is White Provisions/Jamestown, but there have been others.

Plus....Northside Tavern!!

[CCATL]

I've always thought the Westside is similar in appearance to Castleberry Hill - lots of empty warehouses, lofts, etc. Except, I think Castleberry Hill has the infrastructure - street grid, transportation access, and pedestrian friendliness - that should have made THAT neighborhood the hip/trendy place that the westside has become. Unfortunately, Castleberry Hill is located downtown, which is seen as less desirable. I'm not saying that I don't like what the Westside is becoming, it's obviously great for that area, but I think infrastructure is going to end up holding it back, which wouldn't have happened if all this development was in Castleberry Hill.