Atlantic Station-Atlanta's city within a city.

[Student]

I didn't mean it offensively.

Go Gators, It would look something like this.

I took this photo while being driven south on the Connector. But remember, you can't access it directly from the highway.

[Go Gators]

Thank you IC and student.

Remember, Im not from Atlanta, but want to move there after college. I need those detailed descriptions for a while...then I will learn!

[Student]

You're welcome.

Don't die over it. It's not all that. But then again, we all have our own opinions.

[ironchapman]

I certainly spent a good half hour trying to navigate my way out of the complex. They need more detailed exit signs in the parking garage (I used a car to get there, so sue me ).

A good fast food place or two there would be nice, too.

Aside from that, I and my family enjoyed our trip there.

[Student]

Was it really? I found navigating it very easy. The street directly south of the lake (17th Street) will have you back on Peachtree St. in a flash. I think they could have done a better job at IKEA with accessing the parking garage, but it's pretty simple after you've done it once.

Has anyone here seen the underground parking garage at IKEA. It's always packed, ike a tourist attraction.

[ironchapman]

It was probably because we were new to the area. Once we get used to going tere, it may be a bit easier to navigating the garages.

The streets were very easy to use, though, a little small, but the emphasis here wasn't on the car, so it was understandable. Once we parked our cars, we spent a good hour walking around the streets of it.

[atlla]

I found the navigation in the parking garage at AS to be a little confusing because of the signs. I also think the Xmas tree at AS, looks ten times better than the one at Lenox. The tree at Lenox seems to be leaning towards one side. Though, I would prefer a tree with only white lights. AS was very busy yesterday and there was a plethora of parking space on the lower levels. I was there for about a hour and a half. Most of that was spent at the Cheesecake Bistro, where I had a great time. I really hope they seek more stores I would have interest, because after I went into the BR, Guess, and Taste. There were no more stores I wanted to shop. The BR and Guess at Lenox have more of a selection. FYI

[Student]

I found the residential in the area very nice. I wish I could live @ the Art Foundry, walk to my job @ Wachovia, eat @ the California Pizza Kitchen, Go back to my Job @ Wachovia, Go to the Regal Movies Theater with my family, and then eat steaks and Sushi at the Strip.

[atlla]

I would get sick of looking at Atlantic Station. It's not that nice looking, and to me, it would get boring. I would prefer true Midtown or Buckhead.

[Student]

Yeah Buckhead is nice too. I could picture myself living at the Buckhead Grand, buying my wife an expensive dress for Christman from phipps, working at some office, and taking the family out to dinner at Piebar.

Yeah Buckhead is nice too. I could picture myself living at the Buckhead Grand, buying my wife an expensive dress for Christman from phipps, working at some office, and taking the family out to dinner at Piebar.

[teshadoh]

^ FYI, Piebar is in Midtown, though it is just across the freeways from Buckhead.

But does anyone go to Piebar for the food? The food isn't that appealing to me, I would rather stick with a pizza from Nancy's or a neighborhood joint like Village or Liro's.

[Designerbee]

I'm pleased with Atlantic station in that it finally offers something walkable in midtown (although I still have to drive to get to it). But - coming from Savannah, I found it to be.. well monotonous in design. They couldn't switch up the building matierals a bit? I wish it looked more aged and mismatched like a real city center. It felt kind of like disney world or something.

The shopping is good and the movie theater is great but there could be a few more restaurants since it caters to walk ins as well as destination diners.

Once again.. Ive been spoiled by Savannah.

[Martinman]

I'm pleased with Atlantic station in that it finally offers something walkable in midtown (although I still have to drive to get to it). But - coming from Savannah, I found it to be.. well monotonous in design. They couldn't switch up the building matierals a bit? I wish it looked more aged and mismatched like a real city center. It felt kind of like disney world or something.

The shopping is good and the movie theater is great but there could be a few more restaurants since it caters to walk ins as well as destination diners.

Once again.. Ive been spoiled by Savannah.

There are at least six more restaurants coming to AS plus The Grape wine bar and PJ's coffe bar.

[ironchapman]

^Any news on some lighter fare restaurants, i.e. (though not limited to) fast food?

[Andrea]

^ FYI, Piebar is in Midtown, though it is just across the freeways from Buckhead.

Gee, not to be argumentative, Brad, but that area doesn't seem like Midtown to me, though I don't think of it as Buckhead either. I kind of associate it with Ansley, but then it's sort of Cheshire-Bridgish, too. Maybe it's the true unknown epicenter of Atlanta!

I remember reading this comment from the Business Chronicle:"It's kind of an odd location because there's not a lot of residential right there, but it's less than a mile or two from Midtown, Buckhead, Ansley and even Virginia-Highland," [restaurant broker Harold] Shumacher said.

And yeah, the decor is very cool but the food did not blow me away. I frankly feel the same way about ONE.Midtown Kitchen and TWO.Urban Licks, although I'm glad we have all three restaurants and hope they keep getting better.

Where the heck is Piebar, anyway?

[Martinman]

^Any news on some lighter fare restaurants, i.e. (though not limited to) fast food?

There will be a Moe's Southwest Grill, Doc Greens Salad and Boneheads. All of them are "fast casual" restaurants. If you've ever been to a Moe's, the other two are chains by the same company so it'll be similar in concept.

[teshadoh]

I don't mind Andrea - I'm speaking of the 'greater Midtown area', which I lump Ansley Park & the other neighborhood sandwiched between Monroe & Piedmont. But technically you're right, it isn't in Midtown either. For that matter it would even be further from Buckhead then - based on the village of Buckhead & everything south are various neighborhoods.

[Andrea]

I don't mind Andrea - I'm speaking of the 'greater Midtown area', which I lump Ansley Park & the other neighborhood sandwiched between Monroe & Piedmont. But technically you're right, it isn't in Midtown either. For that matter it would even be further from Buckhead then - based on the village of Buckhead & everything south are various neighborhoods.

Atlanta's neighborhoods are such a hodgepodge that we could make a board game out of defining them precisely, Brad!

Maybe we should make up a new name for that area -- SoPie (South Piedmont), Armourville, or Bufordwood Park might work, although we'd probably want to get some community input. That whole Cheshire Bridge strip is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing and underrated corridors in Atlanta.

[teshadoh]

Based on the City of Atlanta, the name of the neighborhood Piebar is in is called 'Piedmont-Cheshire', which is just north of the residential Piedmont Heights neighborhood.

[Martinman]

Based on the City of Atlanta, the name of the neighborhood Piebar is in is called 'Piedmont-Cheshire', which is just north of the residential Piedmont Heights neighborhood.

I agree that area needs its own identity. I hate when people call everything between Midtown and the Perimeter Buckhead. I've also seen it call South Buckhead.

[Andrea]

Brad, is there an official city map of Atlanta neighborhoods? I'd love to see the link if it's available online.

Martinman, I tend to think of South Buckhead ("SOBU") as the area along Peachtree from Brookwood Station up to around Colonial Homes, yet for some reason not including the areas east of Peachtree Creek. Why is that, I wonder? That 1.5 mile or so stretch of Piedmont/Cheshire Bridge is really a critical linkage among the city's historic intown neighborhoods.

It's like the Rodney Dangerfield of that part of town. Maybe the Beltline and some of the stuff going on around Lindbergh will be the cure.

[ironchapman]

Brad, is there an official city map of Atlanta neighborhoods? I'd love to see the link if it's available online.

This one is from the Atlanta DA. I hope it works it took me a while to figure out how to get the link (it was a popup originally, so it didn't have the link showing originally):

Atlanta Neighborhoods Map

Atlanta Neighborhoods Legend (PDF file)

[Andrea]

Very cool, IC, thanks!

I'm assuming that's still not the map Brad was looking at, however, since I don't see a Piedmont-Cheshire neighborhood listed.

[ironchapman]

^I don't know why it doesn't show up.

Is it an "official" neighborhood (i.e. one recognized by the maps and the city), or is it just a well-known part of a bigger neighborhood.

I saw "Piedmont Road-Cheshire Bridge Corridor" come up in my searches, but no neighborhoods of that name. Could that be it?

EDIT: I Googled "Piebar" on the Google Maps feature. Here is what came up.

Here is the result for "Piedmont-Cheshire"

[Andrea]

^I don't know why it doesn't show up.

Is it an "official" neighborhood (i.e. one recognized by the maps and the city), or is it just a well-known part of a bigger neighborhood.

I saw "Piedmont Road-Cheshire Bridge Corridor" come up in my searches, but no neighborhoods of that name. Could that be it?

Yeah, that's where it is, IC, near the intersection of Cheshire Bridge and Piedmont. However, Brad indicated the City of Atlanta had actually given the neighborhood the name Piedmont-Cheshire. I live near there and am in and out of the area all the time, but didn't realize the city had given it an official moniker. Locally, I just hear people refer to that part of town as "Cheshire Bridge" or "Piedmont Circle." I get my car fixed over there and usually do my bowling at the Express Lanes. (Sugar Daddy's is highly recommended if you haven't been there before).