Marta train ride from Airport to Five Points is very ugly. (Decatur: nicest, architectural)

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

MARTA rail going south goes into poor neighborhoods, so that fact that they look bad isn't going to change much. I think it's kind of silly to think that local government needs to clean up that part of the city just because it's the train coming from the airport and we need to somehow hide from visitors that there's poverty in this city.

Every city in this country has nice areas and poor areas. Anyone with common sense coming here from out of town would know that. Why try to put up some front that all of Atlanta is safe, clean and prosperous? The only thing that can be done to clean up the areas mentioned as to impress visitors coming in from the airport is to relocate the poor population out of that area. And why should these people be moved to make the city look good to out-of-towners? It's not as if visitors don't have poor and run down areas where they live as well.

The reality is that there are lots of poor people in the city and many of those poor people live by the airport and along the southbound MARTA route. And unfortunately a lot of those poor people tear up their neighborhoods. But I think the idea that something needs to be done to basically hide that from visitors is a little far-fetched.

Actually the houses on the route into downtown are not bad. College Park, East Point, and West End all have beautiful homes. However its insane to have dilapidated half burn down commerical buildings on that lines up the the train route into the city. I think it is a city or government functions. Hell if the city makes us get permit do silly little construction project, start fining owners of idle commercial property that need some TLC. Either make them tear the war like looking building down or renovate them. It's a hot mess.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Actually the houses on the route into downtown are not bad. College Park, East Point, and West End all have beautiful homes. However its insane to have dilapidated half burn down commerical buildings on that lines up the the train route into the city. I think it is a city or government functions. Hell if the city makes us get permit do silly little construction project, start fining owners of idle commercial property that need some TLC. Either make them tear the war like looking building down or renovate them. It's a hot mess.

The problem is a lot of those property owners cannot be found. Not all reside in GA and finding who owns the property is a huge task that costs taxpayer money. The city cannot just bulldoze a half-burned down building because it wants to. That's how the city gets sued.

[HH82]

Fort Mac and Murphy Crossing Park will spruce big chunks of this ride up. That being said, the premise of this thread is ridiculous. The entire ride to the airport from downtown shares ROW with freight rail. All those old abandoned warehouses used to be factories where people (many of whom lived in those neighborhoods) worked. The factories and businesses moved out. What do you want lower income residents to do about maintaining old industrial properties that don't have anything to do with them? I'm renting a house right near the stretch of Lee Street in question. You think it's my job to go do something about those buildings? We can't all live in Morningside, you know. "The poors" don't have to make their neighborhood easier on the eyes just to accommodate your upper middle class sensibilities. Don't like the view from the train? Read a book.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by HH82

Fort Mac and Murphy Crossing Park will spruce big chunks of this ride up. That being said, the premise of this thread is ridiculous. The entire ride to the airport from downtown shares ROW with freight rail. All those old abandoned warehouses used to be factories where people (many of whom lived in those neighborhoods) worked. The factories and businesses moved out. What do you want lower income residents to do about maintaining old industrial properties that don't have anything to do with them? I'm renting a house right near the stretch of Lee Street in question. You think it's my job to go do something about those buildings? We can't all live in Morningside, you know. "The poors" don't have to make their neighborhood easier on the eyes just to accommodate your upper middle class sensibilities. Don't like the view from the train? Read a book.

Well said.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Graffiti, half torn down building is our first introduction to the city for visitors. Why want the City of Atlanta, East Point, Marta beautify the route. While approaching Oakland city you have horrible folk art and graffiti. Then from Oakland city to West End, you have huge abandon buildings and graffiti again. Can graffiti be removed or will it be pointless. Could they get real artists to paint something pretty that graffiti people would respect and leave alone. It's not a good look for first time visitors.

I also notice graffiti starting to spread in Buckhead.

LOL at the name of this thread. I have not even read the replies. The South leg and West leg of the Marta are the ugliest and every thing north of Civic Center is pretty and nice. Very interesting. By first time visitors do you mean the eyes of White People?

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by BlackPeach2

LOL at the name of this thread. I have not even read the replies. The South leg and West leg of the Marta are the ugliest and every thing north of Civic Center is pretty and nice. Very interesting. By first time visitors do you mean the eyes of White People?

So Peachtree Center Station, the cathedral of MARTA, is ugly? That is the nicest station on the whole system.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by soulcontroller

Definitely one of the funniest threads I have read in a while.

No doubt about it. Hopefully that Greg guy wont shut it down cause it very entertaining.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by HH82

Fort Mac and Murphy Crossing Park will spruce big chunks of this ride up. That being said, the premise of this thread is ridiculous. The entire ride to the airport from downtown shares ROW with freight rail. All those old abandoned warehouses used to be factories where people (many of whom lived in those neighborhoods) worked. The factories and businesses moved out.

Yes it is! Very good points. I personally enjoy seeing the abandoned industrial stuff as I enjoy the history and have always wanted to try my hand at the urbex thing. Looks like tons of great opportunity along the tracks.

What do you want lower income residents to do about maintaining old industrial properties that don't have anything to do with them?

Yes, apparently many people do. It seems to come from a very uninformed observation of the surroundings. Its current condition makes a whole lot of sense when you consider that its on a rail line and very industrial. The route was chosen as it is the cheapest place to add a couple more tracks. The idea of tunneling or covering the tracks is ASTRONOMICALLY expensive. This is only done now where it is absolutely necessary.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by Staysean23

It kills me people have no backbone these days. They think everything is just supposed to be glitz and Glam.

The Irony

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by cqholt

So Peachtree Center Station, the cathedral of MARTA, is ugly? That is the nicest station on the whole system.

I never said anything about Peachtree Center Station