The battle for urban development (Atlanta, Reynolds: apartment, rent, condo)

[cqholt]

Traffic is ridiculous and parking is worse.

That is what residents of the surrounding NPU's are trying to prevent. that amount of traffic on 2 lane Glenwood and a parking situation like Edgewood Retail District. They would rather have a mixed use development that outside residents can get to via walking or cycling.

[bfarley30]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, those drawings show the buildings that would be around the edge of the project. Most of it is a surface parking lot.




The second picture shows what the Beltine calls for.

This is a no brainer when we know the city of Atlanta is wanting more denser development. I wonder why the developers can't see that and design something more urban. I'd much rather deal with a parking garage surrounded by dense mid to high rises than another "tar field" big enough to get a street football and basketball game in.

[bfarley30]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Maybe the developer is thinking about people like me. OTOH, those type developments are more attractive and better for the environment, but for me, it's almost impossible to find the bloody store. I mean, it's one thing if I live nearby and know a certain store is in a development. But if I'm driving by, or only have an address, I'm screwed. I'm not one whomakes a habit of just roaming around a shopping center to see what they have. If I'm at a store it's because I need something that store has, and it helps if I can find the store. It's a bonus if I can park easily (No parking garages, imposdible when you're navigating strollers and such. The spaces are too tight!) It drives me insane when the stores are set back and turned away from the road so you can't tell what they are, and trees obscure what little signage exists. Again, I know it's more aesthetically appealing, but it's not particularly user friendly.

Sounds like Cobb and Gwinnett are the places for you. The 'burbs! We don't need anymore of that in the city. Either you are going to walk, bike, or use transit. If you are going to drive you are going to have to use on street parking where available or a deck. That is just city life.

[cqholt]

Either you are going to walk, bike, or use transit. If you are going to drive you are going to have to use on street parking where available or a deck. That is just city life.

That's what Atlanta citizens are pushing for, but developers seem to not hear us.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by cqholt

That's what Atlanta citizens are pushing for, but developers seem to not hear us.

Nope. Because developers are listening to shoppers. I still think there can be a happy medium, but hey, I've never been one to spend my money where it's not wanted.

[cqholt]

Nope. Because developers are listening to shoppers.

One would think the shoppers to that development would be the local citizens that have objections to it. Don't think you would drive to Grant Park to do shopping at a WalMart?

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I didn't say otherwise, just brought in the mindset of a typical shopper which I think I am. I understand there is a push toward a more pedestrian friendly environment, but the fact ofthe matter is that while it sounds great it is not our current reality. If I'm the developer looking to put millions of dollars ino something I want to attract as many people as possible. Women control 80% of the spending in this country and most of us have children. Sure all this lovely pedestrian friendly development is great for the younger crowd with hours to spend "discovering" new stores and such. But for the rest of us, not so much. This is especially true if you make it darned near impossible to use a troller which parking garages o. What's pedestrian friendly about that?

As someone who shops several times a week, usually with at least one kid in tow and most often two I will tell you that I will pick the store with the surface parking lot over a parking deck any day, especially when my son was small and I had to get his massive car seat into a stroller. Space between cars is crucial for that maneuver and parking decks are always short on space. I just spent six months taking my son to physical therapy a couple times a week at Scottish Rite. Even though the hike from the parking deck is very long I wouldn't use my stroller because there wasn't room for it. I'm willing to do that to go to physical therapy, but for shopping? That would be no. There's too much retail in this area for me to be inconvenienced by having to carry my son for blocks while trying to hold on to hupis brother. And no, I'm not saying that the needs of the community should be ignored. I even agree with them. But I do think that when these lovely ideas and plans are drawn up someone should take the end user into consideration as well, after all we're the ones the developers are trying to lure.

Correction people would pick the big box retailers and strip malls because commonly that's what is available and what dominates American culture. Your so set on a car your thinking about the problems of rolling up to a mix use vs the big box store. Not thinking it's a mix use and now people have the options to live there or near there with out a car. Not to mention a big box store would bring more traffic to the neighborhood. Most of the Atlanta has been zoned in a way that it separate retail, residential and especially employment, The goal is bring this stuff together. You can live on a block and the store is closer to you rather than you walking across a giant parking lot, across a giant big box store and then you could save that gas money, and not worry about traffic also. We need cars because of distance in which we built our self in a bad zoning trap.

You kind of solve your on conflict yes that's not walkable. The goal is be walkable this isn't like looking for a store in a strip mall this would be a neighborhood you could live in. Residential and commercial would be zoned together. What's to explore? this would be your block, the basic stores you need would be across the street. You wouldn't have to push that stroller far. Again cars are for traveling distance. The developers kind of underscore the point of the belt line. Why build that big box project in a area set for people who want to live an urban lifestyle. There are plenty of suburban areas the big box development can go.

TEDAtlanta - Ryan Gravel - Building the City We Want to Live In - YouTube

You might want to watch this second video too. First off America really started sprawling at the same time of the baby boom began. Now the baby boomers are getting older the elderly population is going to increase. Mean while we built un walkable communities, when we are about to have a increase in population, that not can drive. Of course this was done not thinking about the future, This isn't how traditional urban areas are built so this was never a problem. You think this is about playing to the young crowd making cute developments it's not.

ARC's Lifelong Communities Charrette - 7:00 Overview - YouTube

[RoslynHolcomb]

Like I've said before, I think it's great. My experience with "mixed use" development is that it's usually far too expensive for me to live there. Now I understand why. I remember a place like that back in Huntsville. I was very excited about the concept until I saw the base price for the homes. Unfortunately I think thse type developments are great, if you have lots of money, but that serms to be what everyone is aiming for. Carry on.

Originally Posted by chiatldal

Correction people would pick the big box retailers and strip malls because commonly that's what is available and what dominates American culture. Your so set on a car your thinking about the problems of rolling up to a mix use vs the big box store. Not thinking it's a mix use and now people have the options to live there or near there with out a car. Not to mention a big box store would bring more traffic to the neighborhood. Most of the Atlanta has been zoned in a way that it separate retail, residential and especially employment, The goal is bring this stuff together. You can live on a block and the store is closer to you rather than you walking across a giant parking lot, across a giant big box store and then you could save that gas money, and not worry about traffic also. We need cars because of distance in which we built our self in a bad zoning trap.

You kind of solve your on conflict yes that's not walkable. The goal is be walkable this isn't like looking for a store in a strip mall this would be a neighborhood you could live in. Residential and commercial would be zoned together. What's to explore? this would be your block, the basic stores you need would be across the street. You wouldn't have to push that stroller far. Again cars are for traveling distance. The developers kind of underscore the point of the belt line. Why build that big box project in a area set for people who want to live an urban lifestyle. There are plenty of suburban areas the big box development can go.

TEDAtlanta - Ryan Gravel - Building the City We Want to Live In - YouTube

You might want to watch this second video too. First off America really started sprawling at the same time of the baby boom began. Now the baby boomers are getting older the elderly population is going to increase. Mean while we built un walkable communities, when we are about to have a increase in population, that not can drive. Of course this was done not thinking about the future, This isn't how traditional urban areas are built so this was never a problem. You think this is about playing to the young crowd making cute developments it's not.

ARC's Lifelong Communities Charrette - 7:00 Overview - YouTube

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Nope. Because developers are listening to shoppers. I still think there can be a happy medium, but hey, I've never been one to spend my money where it's not wanted.

They been listening to suburban shopper and clearly not that neighborhood. And just because it would make money doesn't mean it's right. Hell developers are taking away the rain forest too, makes money? maybe, but in the long run is it a good idea? no.

[RoslynHolcomb]

If the development is only for the people who live nearby, why bother with parking at all? Problem solved. No congestion. No traffic. Probably no people either, but it sure LOOKS nice.