Reshaping the future

[Lady Celeste]

I don't know if this article has been posted on the Atlanta section already but I find it very interesting in discussing Atlanta's past development patterns and it's future development vision.

Quote from the article:

American cities with the most heralded and recognizable skylines have two things in common -- long histories and natural barriers to sprawl. New York is an island, while Lake Michigan boxes in Chicago, and San Francisco is confined to a peninsula.

However, with no mountains or water to confine development, Atlanta's skyline stretches for miles -- 13 miles to the north of downtown is Perimeter Center, Ravinia and the "king and queen" buildings at Concourse. And 12 miles to the northwest of downtown are the skyscrapers of Cobb County's Galleria.

If Atlanta had developed differently, all of these buildings would have been grouped together into a central urban core and Atlanta's skyline would resemble that of Chicago or New York

Now that would have been an interesting sight to see. Unfortunately that is only a vision but there are different directions current and future developers can take.

Read more here:

Reshaping the future- learning from the past, gearing up for the future.

[ironchapman]

You know, if you look around many areas around and in downtown and Midtown today, you can see evidence of this vision being begun right now. I think it's going to be more than just a vision. It's so nice to see us try to redensify, repopulate, and (re)urbanize these areas. I'd really love to see some of the older neighborhoods of Atlanta (like Fairlie-Poplar) come into prominence again and those that have been ruined by past mistakes (like Pittsburgh) become revitalized. Let's hope Atlanta follows this vision.

Of course, I guess this article was to provide us with some reassurance, but it's always nice to hear these things. I wonder what our cynics have to say about this? (teshadoh?)

[teshadoh]

I agree that we're in the right direction, the short 15 years I've lived in Atlanta, I think the past 5 years have been very promising - ESPECIALLY what is proposed & planned.

I feel besides Miami, there are no other southeastern cities developing in a pro-urban manner as much as Atlanta is. We're not just talking about density, or mixed use - but all the ingredients that require a vibrant pedestrian oriented urban core.

I'm probably more optimistic of what is going on in the neighborhoods than anything else - we have 3 new restaraunts in the past month in my neighborhood alone & no additional parking was required.

[Martinman]

I agree that we're in the right direction, the short 15 years I've lived in Atlanta, I think the past 5 years have been very promising - ESPECIALLY what is proposed & planned.

I feel besides Miami, there are no other southeastern cities developing in a pro-urban manner as much as Atlanta is. We're not just talking about density, or mixed use - but all the ingredients that require a vibrant pedestrian oriented urban core.

I'm probably more optimistic of what is going on in the neighborhoods than anything else - we have 3 new restaraunts in the past month in my neighborhood alone & no additional parking was required.

I agree. We tend to spend more time talking about the skyscrapers and the more visible projects but its all of the development and growth throughout the neihborhoods surrounding Midtown and Downtown that is really changing the fabric of this city.

[Newnan]

The Atlanta skyline is really spread out. Almost in a straigt line. You start seeing syyscrapers downtown then you go to midtown, then you can see the Buckhead skuline in the distance, then ther's that shing building you drive under and the buildings around that, the the King and Queen Building, and that's just up one highway! It would be cool to see what our skyline looked like with all the buildings together.

-oh, and of course I think the new growth is great!

[krazeeboi]

I feel besides Miami, there are no other southeastern cities developing in a pro-urban manner as much as Atlanta is. We're not just talking about density, or mixed use - but all the ingredients that require a vibrant pedestrian oriented urban core.

I would say that a smaller city developing in quite a pro-urban fashion would be Greenville. Relatively speaking, I think Greenville is comparable in this regard, as both cities have historically been plagued with disproportionate sprawl.

But this thread is about Atlanta and I don't want to hijack it, so...

[ironchapman]

The Atlanta skyline is really spread out. Almost in a straigt line. You start seeing syyscrapers downtown then you go to midtown, then you can see the Buckhead skuline in the distance, then ther's that shing building you drive under and the buildings around that, the the King and Queen Building, and that's just up one highway! It would be cool to see what our skyline looked like with all the buildings together.

Very true, Newnan.

I think that our skyline would probably resemble that of Seattle or Minneapolis if it was all condensed to one area.

Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston (either of its skyline), and Detroit could be argued here for possible resemblance, too.

[Newnan]

The Houston Skyline is very spread out too. They have like 10 skylines!

[ironchapman]

Hey Newnan, just so you know, you'd probably like this if you're interested in what Atlanta's skyline might look likeif it was crammed together.

[teshadoh]

I would say that a smaller city developing in quite a pro-urban fashion would be Greenville. Relatively speaking, I think Greenvilel is comparable in this regard, as both cities have historically been plagued with disproportionate sprawl.

But this thread is about Atlanta and I don't want to hijack it, so...

You know - perhaps I was tooting Atlanta's horn a little more than usual. I honestly don't know, just based on the little I've seen online. What has made me more of a believer is this - there are now numerous actual townhome projects that are street oriented, parking in rear & nearly more importantly is not gated.

[krazeeboi]

No, I don't think you were necessarily being a "booster;" any progress the city is making should rightfully be highlighted. The townhouse developments you cite are a good thing, especially the fact that they are not gated. Are many of them actually affordable, or are they mostly for the more affluent?