Can Atlanta create/build a water feature in the city? (Auburn: hotel, employment)

[gtcorndog]

The new Braves Stadium pictures show a water feature...

[Psykomonkee]

Water Works park will be nice if they ever do it. I don't quite get why it is taking so so long anyway, since it was already open to the public prior to the Olympics. Why so hard to return to that?

But none of those are quite the kind of water feature I mean. Lake in Peidmont (what a gross lake close up though. I hate when I bring visitors there, they always say the same thing... "Dang, this lake is dirty..."), Water Works, the fountains, Old Fourth Ward Park, the Rock Quarry Lake at Westside Park... All will be nice, but none are quite the same as the man-made lakes I posted.

In Vegas, that didn't require a natural depression that needed flooding. Those aren't the only ways to create a manmade lake. That was how it worked for Allatoona & Lanier, but not the same. I'm imagining if Atlanta could do exactly as Vegas & Dubai and take an empty lot in the heart of town, dig it just a few feet deeper, and fill it with water. Create a creative lamp lined walkway along the shores (like the walk along Vegas Blvd. in front of Bellagio, or the walk around Epcot's Lagoon), and line the walkway and lake with shops.

The lake in Dubai is somewhere around 30 acres. The lake in Bellagio isn't much smaller and the Lagoon in Epcot isn't much bigger.

Imagine this: The huge empty lot (for parking) on the north side of GWCC, what was the proposed "North Site" for the new Falcons' stadium. Imagine creating an urban mixed use development there. It already has a target crowd from the GA Aquarium, GWCC and Falcons' games.

That lot is large enough to create a lake that is only maybe 5-6' deep, and over 30acres of water. Can center the lake with large fountains (same as Dubai) with evening fountain shows. This feature can anchor the development as the center attraction.
Also, have the lake snake through the development under a series of bridges connecting both sides of the development. Allow paddle boats to float around the lake (except into the center where the large fountain shoots water every evening).

Around the lake, develop in the fashion of Atlantic Station, with street & walkway front shops & restaurants, topped with high rise apartments, condos & hotel space. Add a theater & a performing arts center as part of GWCC. Boom... Becomes just a new extension of Downtown.

The water can be recycled water collected from various sources, filtered and sent back out to the city. Yes, drinking water, but well before being filtered.

All this concept is, is the same thing as a water tower, except instead of being kept up in a tower, have it down in a lake. When it's ready to be used, it is pumped into a filtration system and sent out.

Tempe Town Lake in Phoenix is also drinking water that is also used for recreation. Hey, wait, so is Lake Lanier. It is a doable project. Just need one of you multi-millionaires reading this thread to pursue it.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Psykomonkee

Water Works park will be nice if they ever do it. I don't quite get why it is taking so so long anyway, since it was already open to the public prior to the Olympics. Why so hard to return to that?

But none of those are quite the kind of water feature I mean. Lake in Peidmont (what a gross lake close up though. I hate when I bring visitors there, they always say the same thing... "Dang, this lake is dirty..."), Water Works, the fountains, Old Fourth Ward Park, the Rock Quarry Lake at Westside Park... All will be nice, but none are quite the same as the man-made lakes I posted.

In Vegas, that didn't require a natural depression that needed flooding. Those aren't the only ways to create a manmade lake. That was how it worked for Allatoona & Lanier, but not the same. I'm imagining if Atlanta could do exactly as Vegas & Dubai and take an empty lot in the heart of town, dig it just a few feet deeper, and fill it with water. Create a creative lamp lined walkway along the shores (like the walk along Vegas Blvd. in front of Bellagio, or the walk around Epcot's Lagoon), and line the walkway and lake with shops.

The lake in Dubai is somewhere around 30 acres. The lake in Bellagio isn't much smaller and the Lagoon in Epcot isn't much bigger.

Imagine this: The huge empty lot (for parking) on the north side of GWCC, what was the proposed "North Site" for the new Falcons' stadium. Imagine creating an urban mixed use development there. It already has a target crowd from the GA Aquarium, GWCC and Falcons' games.

That lot is large enough to create a lake that is only maybe 5-6' deep, and over 30acres of water. Can center the lake with large fountains (same as Dubai) with evening fountain shows. This feature can anchor the development as the center attraction.
Also, have the lake snake through the development under a series of bridges connecting both sides of the development. Allow paddle boats to float around the lake (except into the center where the large fountain shoots water every evening).

Around the lake, develop in the fashion of Atlantic Station, with street & walkway front shops & restaurants, topped with high rise apartments, condos & hotel space. Add a theater & a performing arts center as part of GWCC. Boom... Becomes just a new extension of Downtown.

The water can be recycled water collected from various sources, filtered and sent back out to the city. Yes, drinking water, but well before being filtered.

All this concept is, is the same thing as a water tower, except instead of being kept up in a tower, have it down in a lake. When it's ready to be used, it is pumped into a filtration system and sent out.

Tempe Town Lake in Phoenix is also drinking water that is also used for recreation. Hey, wait, so is Lake Lanier. It is a doable project. Just need one of you multi-millionaires reading this thread to pursue it.

That would be incredible! Love you idea.

[Psykomonkee]

In fact, this may be a good idea for the Turner Field site project if GA State doesn't get the approval (which I hope they do).

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Probably not...Atlanta should have been founded near the Chattahoochee or Stone Mountain.

Need a time machine or a tardis.

[jazzcat22]

I agree with Red. The Chattahoochee River, the water feature in Old Fourth Ward, lake at Piedmont Park. We have them---let's appreciate them.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Probably not...Atlanta should have been founded near the Chattahoochee or Stone Mountain.

I've always thought Stone mountain would be a great backdrop for a city. On the other hand it is so huge that it would pretty much block access on one side of town. There's no way you could tunnel through that son of of a gun.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by jazzcat22

I agree with Red. The Chattahoochee River, the water feature in Old Fourth Ward, lake at Piedmont Park. We have them---let's appreciate them.

Is very much built along the Chattahoochee? It's not easy to appreciate it unless you float down it on an innertube. And is there anything you can do on Lake Clara Meer? Pittsburgh brought in the giant Rubber Duck.


Crazy but it was popular.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Is very much built along the Chattahoochee? It's not easy to appreciate it unless you float down it on an innertube. And is there anything you can do on Lake Clara Meer? Pittsburgh brought in the giant Rubber Duck.


Crazy but it was popular.

I'd give just about anything to see that duckie floating down the Chattahoochee.

[Psykomonkee]

cracks me up when people say "let's just appreciate what we have..." as if building new equates to not appreciating what we have... You do realize you can do both, right?

Plus, I do like what we have (which isn't much though), but our water features are very under functional.

So, I propose we add to what we have. Create ambiance in the city by creating romantic water feature settings.

I did a little research into some URBAN man-made water features and here's what I find:

Burj Khalifa Lake, Dubai
Features: Lake rides and the "Dubai Fountain" that shoots water 500ft into air
Size: 29 acres.
Creation: Man-made. Dig & fill.
Cost: approx $218 million (Built by WET design)
To put into perspective: Centennial Park is 21 acres.

World Showcase Lagoon, Epcot Center, Orlando
Features: Lake rides and a fireworks show
Size: 38 acres
Creation: Man-made. Flood already existing lagoon
Cost: Unknown (Built by Disney)

The Fountains of Bellagio, Las Vegas
Features: No lake rides. Fountain show shoots water 240-460ft into air
Size: 8 acres (ONLY 8 acres!!!)
Creation: Man-made. Dig & fill.
Cost: approx $40 million (Built by WET design)
To put into perspective: The lake at Bellagio is only 8 acres & cost 40 million.
The lot north of GWCC is approx 50 acres... Enough room to build a 16-20acre lake with fountains for in the neighborhood of approx 80+million. And still have over 20 acres of land to build into a mixed use development around it.