Commissioners approve ‘in-town’-style mixed-use development near Infinite Energy Center (Atlanta: apartments, shopping center)

[ATLTJL]

Commissioners approve

Just wondering what you all think of this.

I think that work is progressing to create some of that "drive-to" walkability that is discussed here. And I think that for a while, this may seem a bit out of place.

But since I believe it is inevitable that Gwinnett Arena will SOMEDAY be a mass transit node with a MARTA station, I think it makes sense to create all the infrastructure that will support that, so long as they leave room somewhere to actually make a station.

Thoughts?

[Stormhammer]

Some may lament, as you say, about it being "drive-to", but I look at it this way - hopefully, it's laying the foundations/an anchor to where the surrounding areas develop in a similar fashion.

Of course, there will still always be a bit of a "drive-to" to it, in the same manner that it can be in Atlanta itself. However, businesses will locate themselves there, people will move in, the surrounding area will develop in a similar fashion.

What would be cool is if they connect to the greenway up by the Mall of Georgia and it's mixed use they're building. Maybe have Suwanee Town Center as another waypoint.

Plus, with how populated Gwinnett county has become, I think it's a great thing.

tl;dr - it's going to start out as almost an "outdoor mall" like the Avalon is, but as a result, the surrounding area will develop itself to compliment the mixed-use lifestyle.

[DJDeadParrot]

Duluth sure is building out a lot of high[er] density residential.

- There's a $64m development of Brookhaven-style apartments, 375 units in all, going up on the old Proctor Square shopping center adjacent to downtown Duluth.

- 330 apartments opened last year at the newly completed Sugarloaf Market.

- Actual buildings are being constructed at Berkeley Village, which is located on Pleasant Hill between Buford Hwy and Shorty Howell Park.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Commissioners approve

Just wondering what you all think of this.

I think that work is progressing to create some of that "drive-to" walkability that is discussed here. And I think that for a while, this may seem a bit out of place.

But since I believe it is inevitable that Gwinnett Arena will SOMEDAY be a mass transit node with a MARTA station, I think it makes sense to create all the infrastructure that will support that, so long as they leave room somewhere to actually make a station.

Thoughts?

It looks good to me. I don't get these complaints about "drive to urbansim."

[roadtrip75]

These places make Disney World look like a hipster's quirky paradise.

[tikigod311]

Tear the entire thing down so the glads have to move to Phillips. That's the only good option

[cwkimbro]

Well admittedly if I was a commissioner I would have voted yes in that sometimes we have to take what we deem good opportunities where developers will put them, especially when they keep wealth in the county.

But I actually echo the warning of Gwinnett's planners.

The problem with the project is what's around it, not just how it's individually built. There are other areas that are intended to general more commercial growth in the future. Ie. Walkability isn't all about building design, but how neighboring properties interact.

As far as density goes, this isn't all that dense compared to other things in the county. Many people ignore just how dense existing 90s era apartment buildings are.

The real reason this project has traction is the proximity of well paying jobs to this area, but there is a problem that planners don't see too much commercial growth next to this development, compared to other nearby areas.

Other problems gwinnett currently has is we need more apartments in less trendy areas that likely won't be walkable, but will give workers short drives. That is key sometimes too. For example the 124 corridor is lacking enough housing for the very retail workers that work there. This promotes longer 10-15 mile drives over 2 mile drives.