Cobb Vs. Gwinnett (Atlanta, Marietta, Lawrenceville: real estate, crime rates, sales tax)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Whether it "works" is not the point. It's a fake plastic facade, a cookie cutter drive-to-urbanism modern strip mall disguised as a downtown.

They had so much potential with that area with its history. It's not even about the parking, to me it's more about that design. Just something about it.

You can still develop a town center a la Market Village, Jubilee, and Serenbe and still incorporate history. I think Market Village has enhanced Smyrna's historical connections.

And a community center, etc. "working well" has to be the point.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by DreamerD

This is what so many people try to emulate. Its really sad. The way we treat each other but dogs and cats gets treated better lol.

DreamerD,

This is the only way.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

I don't know why that can't still be accomplished, the grid is there. And would look more realistic in the long run if it happens organically and piecemeal rather than the ultra master planned areas you mention. You gotta at least give it props that it isn't a big box row with acres of asphalt in front.

Yes.

[evannole]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

Thanks for providing the videos and URL’s to street view. Don’t get me wrong, I agree the area is beautiful particularly with the vistas from the foothills (one of the many reasons I enjoy hiking).

I just wish there were more established towns (meaning larger street grids, not how old people have lived somewhere) instead of meandering culdesacs and subdivisions. Even historic Roswell, Decatur, and Marietta Square are quaint compared with any random town in the Midwest, northeast, or seaport towns. I’d just love if the neighborhoods and roads fed into more of a small city that’s built to accent the surrounding topography like the downtown areas of Greenville, Boulder, Spokane, or Asheville.It’s one of the main reasons why I’m hoping Marietta continues to develop around and build out the grid around their square. Obviously it’s okay to have quiet secluded homes. I just think we should be providing a much better built out environment for everyone with a little more foresight instead of the strip malls, considering our booming population. Like what if instead of a culdesac or lone apartment complex we had a town square on top of one of those hilltops. Or town square with one of those rolling creeks coming through to feed the chattahoochee where people would congregate- eg Sope Creek (I know it’s a cultural/NPS site- just a nice place for reference).

This goes for pretty much all development across the US, not just Cobb.

The area immediately surrounding the Square has seen probably $500M or more in residential development either completed or put in the pipeline in the last 5 years, along with substantial pedestrian-accessible commercial development. So, I think you'd be pleased. We certainly are.

[primaltech]

I wish we could take all of Cobb and Gwinnett and N Fulton and OTP- all the population, all the interesting developments and walkable and historic areas, all the mid rises and high rises, all the attractions, all the parks- pretty much everything except the generic subdivisions/strip malls- and dump it all into ITP. Like, compact it all, into one connected, dense, urban area.

Like, for example, the Marietta Square, Avalon, Downtown Duluth, and the Buckhead Village. They're all pretty cool, but imagine if they were all in the same spot. One big village in Buckhead.

Metro Atlanta has so much, but there's so much sprawl and everything is all separated from each other by car drives. It's such a shame to me. If you could somehow compact the whole metro area into about the area of ITP, it would be all the same stuff and the same people, but so much better, something more than the sum of its parts, because of being able to walk to it all. And tourism would go way up because Atlanta would be like a jewel that everyone would want to visit and experience.

Anyway. I'm dreaming over here.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by primaltech

I wish we could take all of Cobb and Gwinnett and N Fulton and OTP- all the population, all the interesting developments and walkable and historic areas, all the mid rises and high rises, all the attractions, all the parks- pretty much everything except the generic subdivisions/strip malls- and dump it all into ITP. Like, compact it all, into one connected, dense, urban area.

Like, for example, the Marietta Square, Avalon, Downtown Duluth, and the Buckhead Village. They're all pretty cool, but imagine if they were all in the same spot. One big village in Buckhead.

Metro Atlanta has so much, but there's so much sprawl and everything is all separated from each other by car drives. It's such a shame to me. If you could somehow compact the whole metro area into about the area of ITP, it would be all the same stuff and the same people, but so much better, something more than the sum of its parts, because of being able to walk to it all. And tourism would go way up because Atlanta would be like a jewel that everyone would want to visit and experience.

Anyway. I'm dreaming over here.

Were you the one mentioning you’re looking to move? I don’t blame you if you are- it’s been a big item I’ve debated with as well considering Atlanta will likely never be the level of density/walkability/transit accessibility/progressiveness I would prefer during my lifetime. Many cities will have what you are looking for- even on the suburban outskirts. Philly for example has some great suburbs that feel and likely are more urban than any of our neighborhoods other than a select few. Chicago is great, too and also relatively affordable from a big city perspective. That said, there are several smaller cities you may learn to love, too. To be honest lately I’ve been enjoying smaller cities with a tight urban fabric. The big ones are great, too, but I’m more interested in local neighborhoods and places to walk to more so than anything else.

Errrrr to keep this on topic... I’m with you and wish we’d build more neighborhoods intown. West End MARTA station could be bigger than Decatur, for example. Ashby is another prime spot to support a town center. It’s asinine how little development is surrounding our HRT system... guess I didn’t keep this on topic after all

[primaltech]

Yeah, I am planning/hoping to move to Chicago next spring, but we’ll see how it all works out.

To keep this on topic, I think Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton should have joined MARTA in 1965 or whenever Fulton/DeKalb did. That one thing would have changed everything for Atlanta.

And I think Gwinnett should have zoned the Gwinnett Place area for high rises and higher density since the 1980s when the mall was built. That was their chance for a Cumberland.

And as far as Cumberland, just imagine if there waa a MARTA HRT station at the Galleria, 30 years ago.

In general it just blows my mind how little vision and how much opportunity blown.

[aries4118]

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by aries4118

DreamerD,

This is the only way.

Lol...you're getting eerie now. Haha. I'd rather not fill myself with desires. Come to think, I want to use this year to remember why it's important to not be bound by desires, be around people who are, and make sure I don't settle for basic friends/dates. I guess it's better to be at home than to be around that.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by DreamerD

Lol...you're getting eerie now. Haha. I'd rather not fill myself with desires. Come to think, I want to use this year to remember why it's important to not be bound by desires, be around people who are, and make sure I don't settle for basic friends/dates. I guess it's better to be at home than to be around that.

DreamerD,

This has all been in good fun. Come on, now.

But...you still need to decide:


Do you want to be a steak sprinkled with chives or an onion bagel?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzM0lYcBnMc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PjZAeiU7uM