Blue Atlanta Attracting Investment Away From Red Georgia (Pitts: real estate, 2014)

[LynnHarris]

For 25 years, a near-vacant Sears, Roebuck & Co. building symbolized what the rest of Georgia hated about the city that dominates its economy. Owned by the Atlanta government, it was seen as scruffy, wasteful and unsafe.

No more.

Today, a landscaped corridor called the BeltLine carries bikes where the homeless had once set up camp across the road. The nine-story structure is reopening this year as one of the city’s hottest residential and commercial projects. It’s part of a rush of jobs to pedestrian and transit-friendly sections of Atlanta, mirroring developments in Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Pittsburgh and Portland, Oregon.

“There has been an undeniable employment shift occurring in the state, away from the suburbs and toward the city,” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, 45, said in an interview. “Businesses are moving in a non-traditional direction. It’s not one or two. It’s decision after decision...”


Full Story: Blue Atlanta Attracting Investment Away From Red Georgia: Cities - Bloomberg

[mattee01]

A very interesting article. I imagine some of what's been happening, as mentioned in the article, is Republicans preimptive action as they know their time is running out.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

For 25 years, a near-vacant Sears, Roebuck & Co. building symbolized what the rest of Georgia hated about the city that dominates its economy. Owned by the Atlanta government, it was seen as scruffy, wasteful and unsafe.

No more.

Today, a landscaped corridor called the BeltLine carries bikes where the homeless had once set up camp across the road. The nine-story structure is reopening this year as one of the city’s hottest residential and commercial projects. It’s part of a rush of jobs to pedestrian and transit-friendly sections of Atlanta, mirroring developments in Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Pittsburgh and Portland, Oregon.

“There has been an undeniable employment shift occurring in the state, away from the suburbs and toward the city,” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, 45, said in an interview. “Businesses are moving in a non-traditional direction. It’s not one or two. It’s decision after decision...”


Full Story: Blue Atlanta Attracting Investment Away From Red Georgia: Cities - Bloomberg

Great article, thanks for sharing.

[LynnHarris]

Originally Posted by cqholt

great article, thanks for sharing.

yw...

[gt6974a]

...yawn, same crap different liberal.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

...yawn, same crap different liberal.

While you are yawning, companies are looking to relocate jobs from the suburbs, closer to existing transit to give employees commuting options. Eg: State Farm's campus in Perimeter Center.

[netdragon]

I don't see a difference between GA blue dog democrats and GA republicans. They both stink and the politics in this state is destructive.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

...yawn, same crap different liberal.

insightful....

very well argued... you seem sooo smart

[cwkimbro]

Ok so on a more serious note....

I have two huge issues with the article

They made things way too white and black, figuratively speaking

The black, liberal city vs the white republican suburbs.

And the northern suburbs are doing pretty well too. I don't get the feeling they really know the area that well other than pushing an older more stereotypical, traditional view on who are in cities and who are in suburbs.

Now everything about new development and being the state's whipping boy.... spot on

[AtlantaIsHot]

While the article was somewhat enjoyable as it describes some of Atlanta's comeback stories, it's still nothing more than an anti-Republican hit piece that twists data.

Statistics can be made to say what you want. They are trying to correlate several things that would wilt under scrutiny. Correlation doesn't always equal causation. The truth is, the "red" suburban areas continue to grow faster in jobs, population, and construction. The comeback of the cities is driven largely by highly educated professionals. The companies and real estate developers take advantage of these higher levels of education and invest in them. This is really the only way cities can make it and justify their existence. People (some of them) enjoy the lifestyle and are willing to pay for it.

The evidence is perfectly clear: "red" areas attract FAR more people and jobs and investment than "blue" areas. This trend is only accelerating. Atlanta's comeback is laudable but it is no more "stealing" from Georgia than the man in the moon. Their own data never stated that. All their talk of MSA fails to note the MSA is mostly "red" and accounts for MOST of GMP output, not the city. None of this is to discredit or bash Atlanta, it's true in most Metros.

Nice try, though.