When were the best days for Atlanta? (Kennesaw, Buford: crime, neighborhoods)

[SEAandATL]

Of course as we all know, Atlanta just like pretty much everywhere else has seen better days than 2020. So when would you say were the best days? My vote goes to the 2010's because of everything accomplished over that decade: The Beltline and adjacent neighborhoods like the O4W/PCM area and Krog Street Market, the Eastside Atlanta in general, attractions such as Skyview and College Football HOF, crime hitting a 40 year low, Atlanta United and the MLS Cup, Mercedes Benz Stadium, growth in Midtown with many companies moving there, and the growth of the film industry.

[markjames68]

I think Atlanta’s best days are yet to come.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by markjames68

I think Atlanta’s best days are yet to come.

That's very optimistic and I hope you're right. Hopefully we'll recover from this as we have from past trials, such as the late 2000's recession and literally rising from the ashes.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

That's very optimistic and I hope you're right. Hopefully we'll recover from this as we have from past trials, such as the late 2000's recession and literally rising from the ashes.

As bad as it seems right now it’s better than many places in the NE that faced COVID, high COL and now lower QOL. Many people will say “why am I paying so much to get this?”

Note however that I look at “Atlanta” as the metro, not just the city proper.

[Southern man]

I enjoyed the 60’s. No freeways, not much traffic, Rich’s and Davidson stores, Morrison’s cafateria.

[citidata18]

It depends on what criteria you're using for "best days."

For Metro Atlanta, definitely the 90s and 2000s. Subdivisions and shopping centers were going up everywhere at a break neck pace and there were still a ton of good-paying blue collar jobs in the region. It didn't feel like all of the prosperity was only in the favored quarter of Kennesaw - Cumming - Buford - Buckhead. There also seem to be a lot more willingness to expand road infrastructure than there is today.

Politically, it was also far less polarizing than things are now. Yes, Georgia was a much more solidly Red state, but everyone seemed to put their differences aside in order to help make Atlanta into a world class city. Today, there is quite obviously a stark urban / rural divide and embitterment has settled in response given the behavior of leaders at the Gold Dome and Governor's mansion with Georgia on the verge of becoming a purple state and Atlanta's growth having overshadowed every other place in the state.

For Atlanta proper, one could argue the 2010s was the best decade so far. It has experienced an unprecedented amount of residential and commercial infill and may just surpass its previous peak population in the 2020 census. Not to mention it has seen notable QOL improvements such as The Beltline.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by markjames68

As bad as it seems right now it’s better than many places in the NE that faced COVID

this is only a supposition at the moment given how testing in our State is an absolute joke. The only ray of light is that hospitals aren't overrun and there has been a lot learned about how to treat COVID since the pandemic began. What I understand from my friends that work in COVID wards around town, things are getting scary. The next few weeks/months is going to be make or break.

[AnsleyPark]

The glory days between being awarded the Olympic Games to the beginning of the Games. Was super exciting!

[M3Guy]

I'd say 2007-2010 when hipsters and alternative people densely populated the east side. Fun times.

[Joe_P]

Subdivisions and shopping centers were going up everywhere at a break neck pace

So uncontrolled sprawl = best?