Why a critic is disappointed by what’s developing around the Beltline Westside Trail (Atlanta: 2015, apartment)

[equinox63]

My Guidelines for Great Neighborhoods

Your thoughts?

[bu2]

Originally Posted by equinox63

My Guidelines for Great Neighborhoods

Your thoughts?

I think the trail will do fine just connecting green spaces. But warehouses doesn't seem like a prime use for that land.

[bu2]

And overall, I think Atlanta should be focusing distribution facilities out towards 285 and/or Fulton Industrial Boulevard to get it out of the most congested areas.

[Clayton white guy]

Capital View Manor and Sylvan Hills especially are really beautiful neighborhoods in my opinion. Capital View Manor has always felt like Morningside to me with all of its brick Tudor Revivial homes. Capital View west of Stewart (Metropolitan) along Dill Avenue never was as nice as Capital View Manor to the east or Sylvan Hills to the south, not even decades ago when it was primarily a middle class White enclave, and the abandoned warehouses along the tracks, come-on, but I never have been into the industrial look when Atlanta offers so many lovely tree shaded single family neighborhoods. I do wish they would give the area residents at least a nice grocery store and pharmacy. As of now they probably do have to either head to West End or maybe down 166 to East Point. By the way, if you were in Ormewood over a decade ago, why did you simply go to the Kroger or Giant Foods on Moreland Avenue? Much closer (just out from Woodland Hills an Ormewood adjacent neighborhood) instead of treking it to Ponce? Single digit millage, has to be. Really, the Publix on Glenwood just east of East Atlanta Village or the Wayfield in the same area would have been a little closer to your former residence than anything on Ponce. Anyway, just like you I have great hopes for the future of Southwest Atlanta. One of my favorite parts of town and definitely under rated. Hopefully the West side trail can change that.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by equinox63

My Guidelines for Great Neighborhoods

Your thoughts?

He's absolutely right. I lived in Capitol View for a few years, up until about a year ago. The Annie E. Casey Foundation site at one point was going to be a UPS distribution/shipping facility, but they opted for another site and donated the land to the foundation. It has sat empty for a very long time, and is a HUGE swath of land directly adjacent to the Beltline on the south. This area sorely needs a grocery store and a lot of other retail options. We never bought anything but gas in the neighborhood because there was hardly anything to buy. The nearest grocery stores were the Kroger on Ralph David Abernathy and Cascade, and the Kroger on Cleveland Avenue in East Point. The nearest restaurants were in West End. There really is hardly anywhere worth spending money between Lee Street and Pryor Road, and even then it's mostly fast food. If the Beltline is being developed with more warehouses in mind for that area, considering that there is a ton of unused warehouse space on Lee Street and Murphy and Sylvan, then they really aren't thinking about the big picture. That would be a terrible waste of a great opportunity.

[Flmike3]

I took the Beltline tour Friday and they pointed out this property as being developed as a mixed use project. They also said it was the largest (longest) property on the Beltline. I live 100 yards from the eastside trail and I agree with the author on many of her points. The trail has many uses for many different people. I don't know why they would use that property for a warehouse type project. After going on the tour and seeing the area they could put a warehouse anywhere. It would be waste of prime Beltline property. The Beltline was not envisioned as just a walking path amongst warehouses. I would rather it sit vacant until the Beltline is developed and see what the market demands. Who knows, maybe they could build some affordable housing. There is a limit to the amount of people on that can afford $1400-$1500 for a small apartment

[Gulch]

Foundation seems pretty clueless.

[equinox63]

Is there anything that a group of citizens and/or local residents can do about this?

[ATLTJL]

The Beltline is going to be pretty long when finished.

There's no reason to believe that every single mile of it will be desirable. I imagine the Beltline will have good parts, and no so good parts.

That's why I think it's a mistake to think just because you're buying near the Beltline, you're going to be ok. There may be parts of the Beltline that are pretty crummy.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Is there anything that a group of citizens and/or local residents can do about this?

They can try, but the people in that part of town don't have the political clout of the Grant Parks, Morningsides, or Inman Parks of the world. And Councilwoman Cleta Winslow would rather raise a grandstanding stink about a so-called "satanic" mural than really do anything transformative for her constituents. If there's a proposal with big money involved, Cleta won't do anything to stop it, no matter what it is. She's not exactly an ethics hound.