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Agreed. Atlantic Station is a better comparison, I know that. But Atlantic Station is very much the exception to the rule and I think we all know that. Look the point is that back2dc is right. Atlanta is a victim of it's own success in the 80s. Anytime someone wants to bring up a discussion about, "okay, how can we make the inner city better and more pedestrian friendly?" Every single time, you have a virtual mob of people taking a defensive stance of: "There's nothing wrong with it now. It's this, it's that... It is... It is..." So WHAT. Now lets make it BETTER. So what the train in Manhattan doesn't drop you off in front of the door step, does that mean we shouldn't strive for that to be Atlanta's reality? Should we just shut up, stop complaining, and learn to sit in traffic and like it? Thats just stupid. My point is this kind of thinking has held back development in Atlanta's core since the 80s. It's time those crusty old folks that want Atlanta to remain the same old Atlanta they remember, died off and let the Atlanta of the new south spread it's wings. Bring your ideas, and let's make it happen without all the "why do we need that? If you want this go back to where you came from..." Kill it or you move somewhere else that isn't growing. Or better yet, we should sent those people somewhere like Dubai to slow down there progress a little... lol...
Atlanta needs more innovative thinkers
There's a handful of posters, you included, that fit one of the several archetypes of the typical Atlanta poster. One such being who has traveled the world and been to a lot of cities, and now they feel a sense of "enlightenment" and "superiority", and they now come back to the ATL and get on their self-righteous soapbox and preach their "vision" to all the lowly peons. They tear off their shirt to reveal the big P(progressive), and claim to bring "advancement" and "forward-thinking" ideals, when all they do is get off to the sound of hearing themselves talk(or type, in this instance), and declare anyone who doesn't go with their opinions as uncultured, regressive troglodytes. In other words, these holier-than-thou souls are trying to introduce what caused so many liberal cities and states to enter economic freefall. And this supposed "crusty old hag who wants the Old South" is not impressed.
Throw that in with high amounts of racial and crime threads, overbearing moderators, and oversensitive members who can't get along with each other, and you have the mess that is the Atlanta forum. So much for all that progress.
There's a handful of posters, you included, that fit one of the several archetypes of the typical Atlanta poster. One such being who has traveled the world and been to a lot of cities, and now they feel a sense of "enlightenment" and "superiority", and they now come back to the ATL and get on their self-righteous soapbox and preach their "vision" to all the lowly peons. They tear off their shirt to reveal the big P(progressive), and claim to bring "advancement" and "forward-thinking" ideals, when all they do is get off to the sound of hearing themselves talk(or type, in this instance), and declare anyone who doesn't go with their opinions as uncultured, regressive troglodytes. In other words, these holier-than-thou souls are trying to introduce what caused so many liberal cities and states to enter economic freefall. And this supposed "crusty old hag who wants the Old South" is not impressed.
Throw that in with high amounts of racial and crime threads, overbearing moderators, and oversensitive members who can't get along with each other, and you have the mess that is the Atlanta forum. So much for all that progress.
There's a handful of posters, you included, that fit one of the several archetypes of the typical Atlanta poster. One such being who has traveled the world and been to a lot of cities, and now they feel a sense of "enlightenment" and "superiority", and they now come back to the ATL and get on their self-righteous soapbox and preach their "vision" to all the lowly peons. They tear off their shirt to reveal the big P(progressive), and claim to bring "advancement" and "forward-thinking" ideals, when all they do is get off to the sound of hearing themselves talk(or type, in this instance), and declare anyone who doesn't go with their opinions as uncultured, regressive troglodytes. In other words, these holier-than-thou souls are trying to introduce what caused so many liberal cities and states to enter economic freefall. And this supposed "crusty old hag who wants the Old South" is not impressed.
Throw that in with high amounts of racial and crime threads, overbearing moderators, and oversensitive members who can't get along with each other, and you have the mess that is the Atlanta forum. So much for all that progress.
There's a handful of posters, you included, that fit one of the several archetypes of the typical Atlanta poster. One such being who has traveled the world and been to a lot of cities, and now they feel a sense of "enlightenment" and "superiority", and they now come back to the ATL and get on their self-righteous soapbox and preach their "vision" to all the lowly peons. They tear off their shirt to reveal the big P(progressive), and claim to bring "advancement" and "forward-thinking" ideals, when all they do is get off to the sound of hearing themselves talk(or type, in this instance), and declare anyone who doesn't go with their opinions as uncultured, regressive troglodytes. In other words, these holier-than-thou souls are trying to introduce what caused so many liberal cities and states to enter economic freefall. And this supposed "crusty old hag who wants the Old South" is not impressed.
Throw that in with high amounts of racial and crime threads, overbearing moderators, and oversensitive members who can't get along with each other, and you have the mess that is the Atlanta forum. So much for all that progress.
Lol... Wow...
But it does beat the heck out of coom by ya...
Progressive thinking doesn't have to come from outside influences... The point is, that when or if it does, we as Atlantans should stop shutting down and writing it all off as "pseudo-enlightened arrogance."
Hell, maybe those New Yorkers have a point sometimes. I get so sick and tired of them coming to Atlanta and talking about "oh, ya'll don't have sidewalk... blah blah blah..." But you know what? Maybe they have a little bit of a point. Why the HECK aren't there sidewalks along many major streets such as Columbia, and Memorial??? I used to walk those streets ALL THE TIME growing up, and I always had to either walk in the muddy grass and mess up my only nice sneakers, or walk in the street and risk getting hit... Maybe they have sidewalks now, but the point is once apon a time I would get SO PISSED with those "stink'n" New Yorkers always coming down and complaining about my hometown that I wouldn't stop to think, "hey, maybe they DO need to build some sidewalks here... Maybe I wouldn't have almost got hit by DeaconJ..." Lol...
For the record, I HATED HATED HATED living in Brooklyn while I was there.
I love Atlanta more than any other place.
But, I do also love DC, and the Bay area.
It's not about satisfying the outsiders, so whether they keep moving to Atlanta or not is not the issue.
You also confirm my point. Marta doesn't get any state funding. Whose fault do you think that is? "I'm not going to pay taxes for their transportation system... It's not here in Cobb Co., and it's not coming." etc, etc...
Also, Atlanta started this boom in the mid 80s.
Marta opened in the late 70s with 28 stations.
Atlanta's Metro area population was about 2.5 Million when Marta opened it's doors. 30 years later, Marta has 38 stations. That's 10 more stations all within the Inner Core area. Atlanta's Metro population now is about 5.3 Million now. Nearly 3 million in 30 years!!! And ONLY 10 stations? The Metro Atlanta area added the equivalent of every single Chicago resident in 30 years, and the transit response was 10 stations. And the thing is, it's NOT MARTA's fault. It's the people that keep slowing progress.
Marta is the nation's largest transportation system that is not publicly funded. Had the other's got with the program and allowed the taxes, back in the mid 80s when they saw the growth happening and knew it was coming, Atlanta could be looking at 80 stations right now as opposed to 38. And it's not like they couldn't predict the population growth. Everyone knew we were getting the Olympics 6 years before it happened. Did anyone think, they'd all just come and leave like it never happened and there would be only little growth? That's not what the Olympics has EVER done to a city (besides St. Louis), so to think that would just be stupid. Take a page from history, in 1990 when the Olympics was awarded to Atlanta we should have ALL known we'd be looking at a 5.3 million person Metro area soon, especially when we were already booming having grown over 1 million the past 10 years. It's just a matter of thinking for the future. I'm seeing it more and more in Atlanta's recent leaders, but we're still not quite there yet. Some cities do great with future planning. We should strive to be x10 better than they are at it.
My thing is then Why do we keep Talking about marta? we know its not going to expand no time soon as long as gwinnett and CObb keep voting against it. that expanded system will never be built. Marta is not a bad service It hits all the key points to Atlanta I think it could go to emory. Lets talk about The good things that they are trying to do to make the CITY A better more urban district. Everytime i am on this thread Its people are always talking about what Atlanta should have done are what its lacking no one ever wants to talk about whats good thats happening around Atlanta. Ill be the first lets start with MIdtown Mile here and what happening with the old Macys building. These are things that are going to make Atlanta downtown and midtown come to Life.
Not much happening with the Midtown Mile right now, economy is in the sheeter! I'd be surprised with all the vacant and for lease office/restaurants spaces if the whole "midtown mile" even evolves like people say it will.
I think you hit the nail on the head with your post. People in Atlanta are very defensive when it's pointed out that it's not quite the ideal city as many make it out to be.
That attitude is what's going to keep Atlanta from ever achieving the world-class status and the respect it desires.
No, I think that "People in Atlanta" are quite aware that their city is not an ideal one, as if there were such a thing.
The truer statement would be that they will defend their city against comments that they deem to be inaccurate, and certain posters seem to have a problem with that.
I kind of fall into the middle of each group. I think the city does need a lot of work, but I also don't want to live in a world-class tourist-mecca of a city. If I wanted to live in a world-class city, I would. I, for one, hate extremely busy, touristy cities. I like to be able to hop in my car, head to a destination, find some decent parking, and go about my way; rather than fighting through a non-stop throng of people at every street corner and trying to find that one elusive parking spot that costs $10 for 30 minutes.
For instance, Chicago. Great city. It has all the shopping, parks, lakefront area, rail, restaurants, etc. But I could never live there. At every intersection in town, you have to wait for an endless stream of people to walk before you can make a turn. Parking is ridiculously expensive (my hotel was $44/night). I don't care about boutique shops and bohemian cafes. There's just too much hustle and bustle for me in places like that. But I don't want to live in a small city with limited resources either.
Here, I get the best of both worlds. I get a big city with big-city amenities, but without the overburdened tourist-mecca feel. I can drive into town and do my thing easily.
However, I would love to see a more robust rail system in Atlanta. This has been touched on throughout this thread. It would definitely be expensive, and there are a lot of people fighting it, so it will probably never happen. If there was a line that ran from the Cumberland Mall/Cobb Energy Centre area, down Cumberland Parkway through Vinings and West Village, then down Atlanta Rd/Marietta Blvd, then hit the Howell Mill area, Atlantic Station, Georgia Tech, Midtown, VaHigh, then to Decatur...I would ride that thing every day. I can think of numerous other routes that would be well used, but the time and cost to implement it all will probably never be approved.
I could also go for some more sidewalks, although I'm a lazy bum so I don't know how much walking I would do anyway (maybe it would inspire me!).
I have traveled a lot for work in the past, and have been to almost every major "world-class" city,, so I know what's out there. I just don't want it here.
Not much happening with the Midtown Mile right now, economy is in the sheeter! I'd be surprised with all the vacant and for lease office/restaurants spaces if the whole "midtown mile" even evolves like people say it will.
Here is 2 statments that were maye back in November and beginning of feburary othey will tell that there is still progress it doesnt say they are not doing well these are recent updates
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