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Also, I doubt that Nashville will keep up with CLT in its growth. 30 yrs from now, Nashville prob. wont be much bigger than it is now, where as CLT's population could double.
No city is going to double anytime soon, especially Charlotte. In my opinion they have some extremely hard times ahead of them with this banking crap. Plus double digit unemployment. Atlanta has plenty of unemployed as well, but Atlanta's economy is more diversified.
Atlanta has always been bigger than Charlotte and always will be. The metro ATL hit 1 million in 1960, 51 years ago.
1980's Atlanta was incredible, especially the bar/night scene, you had the Buckhead Village which was crazy and huge gay bars that were hopping every night of the week, those days have definitely changed.
Who remembers the Softball Country Club just off 285 in Dekalb County? They had at least 9 lighted softball fields and lots of parking and clubhouses. Area workers played on corporate sponsored softball teams after work. It was a very active place.
Alpharetta was just starting to grow. Windward office park was started but there was only a few buildings there. There was no North Point Mall and anyone that worked at Windward had to go to Hwy 9 in either Alpharetta or Roswell for lunch. S Forsyth pretty much didn't have any of the subdivisions that are there now. It was beautiful rolling hills with horse farms and a few older brick ranches here and there.
Sandy Springs was one of the places where younger folks went to hang at the bars...there were several places that had outside decks and they were always packed to the max with people.
There was a big truckstop on Pleasant Hill near the I85 exit, not far from Gwinnet Place.
OMG...there was a totally happening nightclub in Stone Mountain. Was it called Midnighters? I am not sure of the name. That place had a big dance floor that had a city landscape scene on the wall behind it. That place was packed with hundreds and hundreds of party happy people on the weekends. It was one of the places to hang out in the 1980s.
Also in Stone Mountain was a 1950s themed nightclub that had an old car-Thunderbird built into the front facade. It was called Thunderbird's.
Stone Mountain Park was a neat place to go to the laser light show at night.
Folks were moving to the Atl area from other parts of the country. Traffic wasn't the problem that it is today. Folks loved Atlanta when they moved from elsewhere and the natives Georgians embraced everyone. It was a great place to be in the 1980s. You could go to the N GA Mountains on weekends and you would not get stuck in traffic, even in the fall.
Last edited by sware2cod; 08-31-2011 at 06:25 PM..
No city is going to double anytime soon, especially Charlotte. In my opinion they have some extremely hard times ahead of them with this banking crap. Plus double digit unemployment. Atlanta has plenty of unemployed as well, but Atlanta's economy is more diversified.
Atlanta has always been bigger than Charlotte and always will be. The metro ATL hit 1 million in 1960, 51 years ago.
1980's Atlanta was incredible, especially the bar/night scene, you had the Buckhead Village which was crazy and huge gay bars that were hopping every night of the week, those days have definitely changed.
So what happened with the nightlife and how did Atlanta/state of Georgia lose its "can do"/progressive attitude?
My brother in law had seats a couple of rows behind the Hawks bench during the 70s and 80s and we saw some great basketball from our perch. I still remember the playoff series against Boston in 1988 as some of the greatest ball I ever witnessed and recall the final game of the series (played in Boston) that some regard as the best playoff game ever played, especially the 4th quarter duel between Bird and Wilkins. I don't think I ever sat down that quarter, despite watching the game from home. Those were some good times.
That was an unbelievable game....I was on Cape Cod listening to the game on the radio....Bird and Wilkins just went at each other time and time again, and unfortunately for Atlanta, Bird won the duel....a classic. 1980s Atlanta also a classic. Lots of partying amongst the young professional set....cocaine got a little out of hand from my perspective. I remember happy hour at the Country Place/Colony Square...from 5-7 every night drinks were $1 and free appetizers. The place was filled with gorgeous women from the Ad Agencies in the office towers.....good times for cheap....I never ordered dinner anywhere.
So what happened with the nightlife and how did Atlanta/state of Georgia lose its "can do"/progressive attitude?
Thats a good question....
a few ideas I have to consider...
-First, I think we still have it... but I also believe we also have had more barriers to overcome and we haven't always been able to.
-The political situation (metrowide...but more so at the state level) isn't as progressive. While Georgia has always been a more conservative state there has been a trend away from moderately conservative democrats changing into republicans. I read an interesting comment in an op-ed about gerrymandering/redistricting that mentioned strange republican-black democrat redistricting alliances in the 90s led to the creation of state legislature districts diluting white democrat votes either by creating major black democrat or majority white republican districts. Regardless of the cause, there has been a definite shift in state legislative control from moderate to conservative democrats to really conservative republicans. The problem this presents for Atlanta (and other Georgia cities) is because the suburban republicans and the urban democrats don't get along... power has actually shifted towards rural Georgia a little bit. We had things like GRIP siphon alot of GDOT resources away from Metro Atlanta and to rural Georgia. Metro Atlanta doesn't get back as much as the state tax money it produces as it use to. Most of the problems Atlanta has today are almost directly caused from 20 years of less infrastructure growth and maintenance. This trend is starting to reverse a little bit
-The other major problem we have grown so big we are becoming increasingly sectioned off from each other. In the 80s my family moved to Gwinnett/Lilburn. We were somewhat on the outer bands of suburban growth, but it wasn't uncommon that many people lived even further out than us in Lawrenceville or Snelleville.
The point is whether it was Lilburn, Dunwoody, Marietta, or Clayton Co.... everywhere was more of a true suburb of Atlanta- Downtown/Midtown centric. All roads led there...it's where most people worked.
Today things are different/changing. Cobb, Gwinnett, and N. Fulton/Dunwoody's has experienced huge amounts of job growth that go far beyond just local retail services. Many suburbs today are not ideal for commuting to Atlanta, but might be great for getting to Alpharetta, Kennesaw, Duluth, Peachtree Corners, or Perimeter Center. The problem is this creates multiple Atlanta's. We are the same region, but we are starting to behave like multiple major cities crammed next to each other socially. You can see these issue cause problems in alot of the discussions about transit, even though it isn't always discussed directly. Alot of people ITP tend to think and plan on an Atlanta (downtown/midtown) centric way. Whereas increasingly people in Cobb, Gwinnett, and N. Fulton are increasingly not living, working, or playing ITP. It use to be the daytime population of Cobb and Gwinnett would be lower than the nightime population, because people traveled intown to work. However, the daytime population these days doesn't change hardly at all. For every commuter these counties send intown... It has commuters coming in from other counties.
This means we are more fragmented and we have more types of people with more types of needs. It makes it harder to create cohesive planning for the whole region, particularly with such weak support from the state government..... Kind of interesting when you look at the current list put together for the 1% transportation sales tax... it is a little of something for everyone
I moved to metro Atlanta in 1987. We were building houses at the time in Roswell, which was transitioning from bedroom community to proper suburb. I was only vaguely aware that there was an Alpharetta. I remember Alpha Drug & Soda but that's about it. Traffic on GA400 didn't really start until Holcomb Bridge Rd. Everyone was excited about the population boom in Gwinnett. I remember living in Cumming and having to drive down to Holcomb Bridge or over to Gwinnett Place to get a decent selection of restaurants.
Retail was a lot more regional. Target hadn't come into the area yet, but I saw a lot of Richways and Roses. Rich's was the end-all be-all department store to many locals (and deserved it back then). And I was really confused because apparently Macys in the area used to be Davidsons and a lot of locals still called it by its old name. Uptons was a popular mid-to-low-end department store. Rio Bravo was a small chain restaurant that was very popular at the time. North Point didn't exist and Perimeter Mall was a lot smaller than it is now. There was a Roswell Mall, but by the time I moved to the area, it already had an entire wing shut down and wasn't in the best shape. Lenox was a nice mall but it didn't feel as upscale to me as it does now.
What I remember about the city itself was that it was an absolute pain in the rump to get to. The GA400 toll didn't exist yet so we had to take I285 to I85 to get downtown and traffic on I285 was already pretty bad around that time. The Georgia Dome and Turner Field didn't exist yet so we watched the Falcons and Braves games at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. I have to be honest, what I actually went into the city for wasn't too different that it is now. I went there primarily for the Braves, Falcons, High Museum, Fernbank, and Zoo Atlanta. Those things were there in the 80's and are still there today. So in that respect not a whole lot has changed, but the city itself (and the surrounding metro area) has absolutely exploded in size.
I moved to metro Atlanta in 1987. We were building houses at the time in Roswell, which was transitioning from bedroom community to proper suburb. I was only vaguely aware that there was an Alpharetta. I remember Alpha Drug & Soda but that's about it. Traffic on GA400 didn't really start until Holcomb Bridge Rd. Everyone was excited about the population boom in Gwinnett. I remember living in Cumming and having to drive down to Holcomb Bridge or over to Gwinnett Place to get a decent selection of restaurants.
Retail was a lot more regional. Target hadn't come into the area yet, but I saw a lot of Richways and Roses. Rich's was the end-all be-all department store to many locals (and deserved it back then). And I was really confused because apparently Macys in the area used to be Davidsons and a lot of locals still called it by its old name. Uptons was a popular mid-to-low-end department store. Rio Bravo was a small chain restaurant that was very popular at the time. North Point didn't exist and Perimeter Mall was a lot smaller than it is now. There was a Roswell Mall, but by the time I moved to the area, it already had an entire wing shut down and wasn't in the best shape. Lenox was a nice mall but it didn't feel as upscale to me as it does now.
What I remember about the city itself was that it was an absolute pain in the rump to get to. The GA400 toll didn't exist yet so we had to take I285 to I85 to get downtown and traffic on I285 was already pretty bad around that time. The Georgia Dome and Turner Field didn't exist yet so we watched the Falcons and Braves games at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. I have to be honest, what I actually went into the city for wasn't too different that it is now. I went there primarily for the Braves, Falcons, High Museum, Fernbank, and Zoo Atlanta. Those things were there in the 80's and are still there today. So in that respect not a whole lot has changed, but the city itself (and the surrounding metro area) has absolutely exploded in size.
I remember Uptons! It was everywhere.
I'll just add.... Atlanta gained an aquarium, lost a scitrek, and lost an underground Atlanta people use to actually go to. I can't say we lost underground.... it is still there, but it was in much better shape, had nice restaurants, and the stores were better when it was re-opened in the 90s. It was the closest thing we had to a central plaza for the city. I remember the news coverage of all the people there for the announcement of Atlanta getting the '96 summer games. Although, I should add ... I have jumped up to the 90's to be saying this... and I am ignoring what Underground was in the 70s, because I wasn't around for that.
I think nowadays if anything needed to be a central plaza for they city... it would be Centennial Park.
Back then, the Hartsfield Airport was already big, and was the hub for Delta and Eastern. There were only 4 concourses (A-D), and one thing I remember in particular was the people mover (now Plane Train) having a robotic voice like the Cylons in Battlestar Galactica.
"Please move to the center of the vehicle and away from the doors."
In the early 80's, Panasonic built a new office building off of Beaver Ruin Road, the road was dirt, you could take it all the way down to Pleasant Hill Rd and drove on dirt the entire way.
Not sure how to answer this, but I'll just tell you what I remember of the 80s in Atlanta and you make your judgment.
I remember no Olympic park, but Techwood Homes instead.
I remember when the “IBM” building went up and my mom thought it was nice. I remember her saying it looked like a “castle” but I also remember her saying “why is it way out here.”
I remember the First Union building was new because my mom worked there “in the new building” for a short while.
I remember when the Marriott Marquis was brand new and we had a family reunion there. I was so amazed to be able to look so far down into the lobby from higher floors inside.
I remember actually thinking Atlanta was among the biggest cities in the nation. I actually remember thinking that the order went: 1. NYC, 2. LA, 3. Chicago 4. Atlanta… That was before I knew anything outside of Atlanta, SC, Alabama, Savannah and NC.
I remember when my parents split and both fell on some seriously hard times, so I began to move around a LOT. Lived all over ATL and for some short times in LA, East Palo Alto, CA, & Columbia, SC. During that time, I realized Atlanta was a LOT different than other places.
I attended 7 elementary schools, 4 middle schools and 3 high schools. Lived in Atlanta, Austell, Avondale, Decatur, Stone Mountain, East Point, College Park and Union City.
I remember feeling hurt when I found out Atlanta was not even 30th of the nation’s largest cities.
I remember everyone I knew was a Bulldogs fan, so I became a UGA football fan early. I remember the Hawks were good and I attended some Hawks games in the OMNI. I remember Moses Malone, Dominique & Spud Webb. I remember Spud Webb winning a slam dunk contest. I remember the Falcons sucked, and so did the Braves. I remember both playing in the Fulton County Stadium.
I remember plans for a new north side Marta line.
I remember feeling proud of Underground Atlanta, but having never been there yet. I only felt proud because every time family came in from out of town, they all wanted to go to “the Underground” and World of Coke.
I remember catching a rash after playing in kudzu in East Point behind my apartment complex along 285.
I remember getting jumped by a group of kids in Decatur because they found out I had just moved there from East Point. Apparently they didn’t like that.
I remember going to LA and my aunt being surprised to hear that Atlanta had a train. She actually thought Atlanta was dirt roads, cows and farms (because it was in the south).
I remember my cousins in LA being surprised I knew who Prince was and who NWA was because they thought people in Atlanta only listened to country music and didn’t get MTV.
I remember not having ever known a single Hispanic person in Atlanta, and only one asian family (my Vietnamese neighbors).
I remember cops sitting me, my brother and my dad out on the curb of a road, IN THE RAIN while they searched my dad’s car (and we were under 10). They let us go afterward. Not sure how true the story is, but the story goes, my dad was pulled over for speeding because he tried to beat a yellow light. Then when they pulled him over they said he fit the description of someone they were looking for.
I remember both of my parents spending a short time homeless (which is why I was sent to live with family in Cali until they got back on their feet). I remember living for a short time in Perry Homes and Carver Homes. I remember having a friend named “Crackrock.” YES! Crackrock… Ofcourse it wasn’t his real name, but I never knew his real name. Other kids called him Crackrock, and I can’t remember ever seeing his parents. I remember finding a .38 revolver in the sand on a playground and it was piping hot when we picked it up.
I remember being inside a strip club on several occasions. YES! I wasn’t even a teen yet. I had a friend named “Tank” who’s father would take us to this local strip club and let us play in a backroom. YES! I was a child, playing in a room full of drunk, half naked strippers. I think his father either owned the place or some girls worked for him. All I know is he seemed like he had business there, but he had us, so he had to take us there with him. It wasn’t for his enjoyment I’m sure because I remember him always arguing with some women there over money.
I remember visiting Zoo Atlanta and seeing animals inside small cages. I remember seeing the big cats in small cells in an inside facility. I also remember seeing Willie B in what resembled a jail cell, as he just layed there and watched the 3 Stooges on a B/W TV.
I remember bears at Zoo Atlanta.
I remember thinking Lenox was the biggest mall in the world.
I remember visiting an art museum (I think it was the High), and getting scared when I visited an exhibit somewhere at the bottom, where there was a VW Bug halfway through a wall. I can’t explain now what was so scary about it, but I remember the feeling.
I remember hearing about an Eastern Airlines crash.
I remember hearing about a death on the Z-Force (a rollercoaster at Six Flags). I also remember lying to friends by telling them I had been on Z-Force (I wasn’t old enough or big enough. Can’t believe they bought it).
I remember hearing about new HOV lanes and thinking that was something new and unique to Atlanta.
I remember thinking swimming at swimming pools WELL before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. (in the North East, swimming pools open on Memorial weekend and close on Labor Day. That sucks!).
I remember thinking it never snowed in Atlanta. I actually can’t remember ANY snow before the 90s. I may be wrong, but I definitely can’t remember any.
I remember my parents were fans of both Carter and Reagan… Today, that’s like blasphemy. Gotta pick a side, but they’ve always believed in supporting our president, no matter who he was, he was still OUR president.
I remember a place called Rio Mall or something like that, and I think it had some cool large globe structure on top of it. Not sure if it still exist though, but I thought it was real cool.
I remember my friend “Tank” and I would play down a steep hill in SW Atlanta where we found a crystal clear creek and I remember us jumping in and swimming in it. Get this: When I grew older and visited home, I went to that old neighborhood and found that place I used to play in. That “creek” was sewer drainage!!! YUCK!!!
I remember playing with my cousins in a music studio that my uncle owned somewhere in SW Atlanta. Get this: I also remember there was an intern there that had the task of babysitting us while my uncle and other musicians went to work in the studio. That intern’s name was Jermaine Dupree. I wonder if he’d remember me now! Lol.
I remember my brother loved this group called R.E.M.
I remember thinking Stone Mountain was like Atlanta’s Central Park. Had no idea it was so far from the city center.
Then came the 90s
I can remember being in class when a teacher burst into the class telling our teacher “WE GOT IT! WE WON THE OLYMPICS!!!”
I remember when 191 Peachtree, SunTrust and Bank of America buildings were all going up (seem like all at the same time). That’s when I wanted to be an architect/developer and build skyscrapers in ATL.
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