10 Things that must happed for Atlanta to be considered a "World City" (Decatur: apartments, condos)

[bayarea-girl]

Atlanta needs to create jobs and jobs that bring in all people. Jobs that will hire its community primarily college grads and attract people from other states. Jobs that aren't held for friends and family. Atlanta needs to also have more of an active police force. Everything else to me is fine.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

Not trying to "attack" here, but why dont you say what you want to say instead of beating around the bush: you want atlanta to stay majority black.

The fact is, atlanta only became majority black in early 70s-late 80s. Before that it was much more "diverse", so really the demographics now are a relatively new phenomenom relative to atlanta's long history.

Demographics dont define a city. They couldnt, because they are always changing. And demographics are not under anyones control, so we cant "forge" any path. I hate to tell ya, but it looks like the city is taking a different path than the one youd like, one more akin to the one the OP prefers. If current trends continue, it will turn out to be more diverse indeed, probably within the next decade.

Um...no, my brotha.

The problem is that many people in this country equate a large, robust black population as a negative thing. I actually don't think the city proper of Atlanta will stay majority black (nor should it). However, there is a problem when people don't see Atlanta's uniqueness (and really, I'm talking Metro Atlanta here), and think Atlanta should have a population like Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, etc. in order to be a true city.

Whatever happens to Atlanta's population demographic will be its destiny--"make-believe" scenarios that really could never exist in this region, etc. end up just wasting people's time...with the addition of being insulting to Atlanta and the American South.

Atlanta, Georgia, and the American South should capitalize on what they truly are...

And for the record, a majority-black population in the city proper when the metro area is 35%-40% black reveals an imbalance--not good and not healthy in the long-term (since it shows that something is amiss).

[neil0311]

Here we go again....another "Atlanta isn't a real city because it doesn't look like <insert city name here> and it doesn't have these requisite attributes that make it urban and meet the specification of a real city."

Where the OP is coming from with the Asian mayor thing is beyond me. That's just bizarre.

I just got back from Jacksonville on Tuesday. Are you seriously comparing Atlanta to it? They don't even deserve an NFL franchise. The only reason the city has 800K people is because the city limits are the largest in the US and include swamps. Once you leave the city limits there is nothing and no one. Atlanta has 5 million people in practically the same area.

[Saintmarks]

The Beltline with a true rail system, park network and dense development surrounding the central city (read downtown and midtown) is the biggest piece of the puzzle for Atlanta to move up the ranks from a Beta + to a Alpha- IMO. This would establish a new feel/boundary for the central city, create unique pockets but establish a footprint for a large completely urban, dense yet liveable, vibrant core. Let the suburbs sprawl as suburbs will, but a denser city center is what is needed.

Commuter rail on existing track lines into the suburbs would be number two, more lightrail/streetcars in the mix as well. Many great proposals are out there. Someone needs to step forward like the city did to land the Olympics and infuse the beltline to get it from the drawing board into reality.

[US-Traveller]

When you consider that the Chicago metro area is more than 80% White I don't think diversity is a extremely important criteria.

[DiderotsGhost]

Good list. I'd disagree with some.

#1 is not really accurate. Atlanta is larger than Jacksonville. Jacksonville's city boundaries are simply much larger than Atlanta's. Same deal with Charlotte and Memphis. While I'd like to see more people live in the core of Atlanta, that does not detract from the fact that Atlanta is already the largest city in the South.

#2 is true. I live up in the DC area right now - while I don't expect Atlanta to ever rival DC on the museum front, it does seem like Atlanta needs a bit more.

#3 - I don't know enough about to say, but interesting ideas.

#4 - I think this will come in due time. I especially believe that if the state of Georgia were to commit itself to MARTA rail expansion, dramatic improvements would be seen in many of the core Atlanta neighborhoods. Rail stops mean higher home values and more upward development, because they are very desirable locations. This hasn't become completely true in Atlanta yet - but only because of MARTA's limited reach. Higher gas prices will start changing things dramatically on this front.

#5 - I don't know about this, but I would like to see a MARTA rail stop at Emory. I'm getting ready to travel down to Emory here in a month or two and I sort of dread getting there via bus. I've also scouted out some of the neighborhoods near Emory online and found that MARTA bus service to Emory is terrible. Even 5 miles away - you could be forced to endure 1 hour worth of bus trips to get there. Emory University would benefit significantly from expanded public transit.

#6 - I'd like to see that, but I think it's unlikely in Georgia, unless the Federal government initiates it. Seems more likely to happen in places like Virginia and North Carolina. Even in spite of how terrible GA politicians have treated MARTA, I think we'd see MARTA expansion before commuter rail to Athens, but maybe I'm wrong. As a random note, I once had a dream that MARTA had expanded all the way to Greenville, SC.

#7 - When I lived in Atlanta, I found much of Midtown walkable, but I was only there so often. I will say that I believe Midtown Atlanta is one of the best places in America in terms of value, potential, and livability - but I would like to see it improve even more.

#8 - Atlanta is already diverse. You can't really force more diversity. If people come, they come. If they don't, they don't. I don't think it really needs more diversity to be a world-class city. It's already a pretty diverse place.

#9 - Now you're just getting ridiculous. Atlanta needs a good, non-corrupt mayor, regardless of race. It also sounds like you're saying, "Atlanta would be really great if only it elected me as mayor!" which seems to detract from the purpose of your post (presumably).

#10 - Most definitely. I think Atlanta is ignoring its potential. Some of the deep exurbs are going to become ghost towns and/or low-income/high-crimes areas if gas hits $5+/gallon permanently. Crime has already increased in the 'burbs significantly. Atlanta needs to focus on developing its core - expanded MARTA service inside the Perimeter (and in the area immediately outside the Perimeter) would improve it's long-term economic prospects significantly.

All in all, good list. Maybe you should run for mayor one day


As for additional thoughts, I think another thing Atlanta could use more of is parks and bike trails. Of all the places I've lived, Atlanta always struck me as the one with the least land dedicated to public parks. Here in the DC area, there are parks everywhere. Atlanta is also a terrible city for bicycling - one of the worst in the nation.

In general, I think Atlanta has to break away from being "Sprawlanta" if it wants to remain economically viable in the next half-century. It has a lot going for it, but it's often ignored.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

When you consider that the Chicago metro area is more than 80% White I don't think diversity is a extremely important criteria.

Exactly. When talking about entire Metro Areas, Atlanta is actually fairly unique (35-40% Black, with total Minority of 40-48%).

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Exactly. When talking about entire Metro Areas, Atlanta is actually fairly unique (35-40% Black, with total Minority of 40-48%).

When you look at so-called diversity (which is used to mean racial demographics), Atlanta and the metro area are much more "diverse" than many cities. As stated, cities like Chicago or Boston are overwhelmingly white with specific pockets of black population but yet held up as great examples. Is it because they are politically very left wing?

[bizchick86]

And mind you, D.C, has a racial majority (55% black), while New York has a significant racial plurality (much higher percentage of whites than any other race), both cities that are indeed "world-class."

Considering how Atlanta's unique demographics are beneficial, it was in fact Atlanta having a black mayor (Maynard Jackson) that our city became a thought in the international community with the investment Jackson made in our airport. And yet another black mayor (Young) who lobbied for the Olympics that spurred Atlanta's significant commercial and residential growth in the 90s.

I think progressive ideals make for a world city. Politicians that are capable and unafraid of making smart changes that can benefit the entire city and elevate it to the next level.

Originally Posted by neil0311

When you look at so-called diversity (which is used to mean racial demographics), Atlanta and the metro area are much more "diverse" than many cities. As stated, cities like Chicago or Boston are overwhelmingly white with specific pockets of black population but yet held up as great examples. Is it because they are politically very left wing?

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by TheFab5

*snip*

Interesting list. If you made it on your own, I can tell you spent a lot of time on it.

1) True. IIRC, Atlanta is finally learning that it can grow upwards, not just outwards. Even if its city borders don't expand--which they won't--well-planned, high density should help spur this.

2) Dunno about you but I think that Atlanta has quite a few museums already. If there's any highly-underused resource for tourism, it's the Chattahoochee. Why did past leaders allow so much of its land to be privatized?

3) I don't mind as long as potentially displaced people's needs are met. This area has got to get over this mindset that poor person = bad person.

4) See #3. Gentrification should not be used as an excuse to dump poor people into just another locale.

5) That might be good, but trust me, it will never fly. At least not in the next decade or two.

6) Definitely. Did you know that there are conceptual plans in the works for SIX commuter lines? Check out Concept 3 for more info.

7) The idea of getting rid of a homeless shelter, without a concrete plan for a viable replacement, sounds to me like the very idea of how gentrification can go wrong. We cannot solve our homeless problem simply by displacing the homeless; we as a community must address the core causes of homelessness.

8) It's not just the percentages but the mixing that needs to improve. Atlanta is still quite a segregated town, in terms of residence.

9) ...Maybe. If he or she could do an effective job, he or she would likely get my vote.

10) Again, check out Concept 3 (http://tpb.ga.gov/Documents/TPB/June08/062608%20-%20Presentation%20Impact%20of%20C3.pdf - broken link).