Anyone know if Music Midtown damaged Piedmont Park? (Atlanta, Columbus: homes, neighborhoods)

[ATLondoner]

Originally Posted by CAWjr

I find the people complaining about events being held at Piedmont Park to be comical. On average, how many MAJOR events are held at the park? 8-10 a year? I'm talking everything from the PRR to MM to Dogwood to the Red Bull soapbox races. I'm not counting events like concerts at Park Tavern, softball games, tennis, etc. To hear some people talk, there is a never ending stream of major events every weekend. But even if that was the case, what's the point of having a wide open green space in the middle of the city if you can't use it for these kinds of events?

The grass in the park will be fine. The trash will get picked up. The mud will dry. When its time for the next major event, the park will show little to no signs that MM was ever even there. Nothing that was done is irreparable.

As for the surrounding neighborhood, this is part of what you have to deal with. Growing up in New Orleans, we owned a condo in the French Quarter one block off Bourbon St. We stayed there a lot & you knew that you were always going to have to deal with the drunken spillover. In the end, the luxury of living in the heart of the action & being so close to so much fun stuff far outweighs the occasional inconvenience of a drunk kid pissing in your bushes, beer cans in your front lawn, or concert noise after 11PM.

Excellent post. When we decided to move to 12th Street we knew what we'd be encompassing....occasional noise and inconvenience? yeah you bet....but we get to live in the center of pretty much everything which greatly outweighs the negatives.

[arjay57]

I never cease to be amazed by the posters who say, "Hey, you live in Atlanta, get used to rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior, crime, six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, strip clubs, late night partying, you name it, all in your front yard. You should have expected all this when you decided to live here."

[ATLondoner]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I never cease to be amazed by the posters who say, "Hey, you live in Atlanta, get used to rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior, crime, six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, strip clubs, late night partying, you name it, all in your front yard. You should have expected all this when you decided to live here."

I'm not saying that at all....and I also get angry when I see those posts that read things like 'well you live in the city center so you have to put up with crime etc'

All I'm saying is that we are choosing to live in an area where there is lots going on (compared to most other districts in the Atl) and that inevitability leads to more of everything 'else' going on whether that's good or bad.

I don't accept that we have to put up with drunken behavior and robberies and the like and I'm 100% for more surveillance cameras or patrolling officers but give me a vibrant city center any day over no foot traffic and my nearest restaurant being a Chilli's.

[CAWjr]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I never cease to be amazed by the posters who say, "Hey, you live in Atlanta, get used to rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior, crime, six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, strip clubs, late night partying, you name it, all in your front yard. You should have expected all this when you decided to live here."

Well, let's deconstruct that a bit.

If you live in vine City, should you expect to have to deal with traffic & crowds when there is a game or event at the GA Dome or Phillips Arena? If you live in Summerhill, should you expect to have to deal with traffic & crowds when there is a game at Turner Field? If you live in Va-Hi, should you expect to have to deal with late night parties & drunks spilling over from Taco Mac, Fontaines, or Moe's & Joe's?

Now, if you live in Alpharetta, should you expect any changes to traffic if the Braves are hosting the World Series?

If you live adjacent to a major attraction in this city, you have to know that your chances of encountering rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior is higher. Your chance of encountering crime is increased as well. As for six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, those don't pop up overnight, so if you are dealing with that, you knew it was there in advance. Strip clubs & late night partying are to be expected if you live next to a strip club or a bar/restaurant district.

Living in-town has it's perks. You are in the heart of everything fun & exciting, but you can't expect it to have the tranquility of the suburbs when you are in the heart of everything fun & exciting. Living there doesn't give you exclusive rights & access to the city's amenities & sometimes those amenities draw a crowd that can be a giant pain in the ass at times.

[JPD]

I only ever hear the whining from Midtown people. You never hear Cabbagetown residents complain during or after Chomp and Stomp. Or Candler Park people complain during any of the massive events in their park. Or EAV people complaining about the East Atlanta Strut. Or Va-Hi people complain about Summerfest. Or Decatur people complaining about Book Festival. Or Downtown people complain about Dragon Con parade. Etc.

What are Midtown people so quick to complain?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLondoner

I'm not saying that at all....and I also get angry when I see those posts that read things like 'well you live in the city center so you have to put up with crime etc'

All I'm saying is that we are choosing to live in an area where there is lots going on (compared to most other districts in the Atl) and that inevitability leads to more of everything 'else' going on whether that's good or bad.

I don't accept that we have to put up with drunken behavior and robberies and the like and I'm 100% for more surveillance cameras or patrolling officers but give me a vibrant city center any day over no foot traffic and my nearest restaurant being a Chilli's.

I hear you, ATLondoner, and agree.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by JPD

What are Midtown people so quick to complain?

Like many of the long-time Buckhead residents who complained about the old Buckhead Village... They purchased there expecting a quieter (not sure that's the right word) existence. When you pay $30k plus a year in property taxes, there is just a basic quality of life level that you expect. And, Music Midtown came after most of the long-time surrounding residents. Further, most of us old cagers just don't really "get it" - that we have to have large rowdy festivals in, essentially, our back yards for Midtown to be a great place.

It's a matter of generational differences, too, I imagine. The folks in the Peachtree condos are generally much younger than those of us who have been rooted for 20+ years and have pumped a gagillian dollars into the area. I appreciate that the younger folks don't necessarily have the same concerns that the older folks have (at least, I imagine, not to the degree that we have it anyway) and that those folks appreciate events and activities that the older folks may no longer appreciate. But, at the end of the day, that goes a long way in keeping a healthy balance in the area.

So, in my humble opinion, it is good we have these conversations. Keeps us more centered and respectful of all of all of our neighbors, I believe.

But, since I am one week removed from the area, I'll drop out of the conversation. Ya know, we OTPers don't know a thing about ITP living!

[bhammaster]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I never cease to be amazed by the posters who say, "Hey, you live in Atlanta, get used to rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior, crime, six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, strip clubs, late night partying, you name it, all in your front yard. You should have expected all this when you decided to live here."

Why would you live in an active area if that stuff isn't something you can ignore? Go move to Duluth or Canton if you need constant quiet.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by CAWjr

If you live adjacent to a major attraction in this city, you have to know that your chances of encountering rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior is higher. Your chance of encountering crime is increased as well.

Why is that? I've lived in several big cities and have visited dozens more. Rowdy, disrespectful, drunken and criminal conduct is not the norm and there's no reason it should be. Cities aren't places to run wild.

As I've said many times, I don't have any problem with crowds or heavy traffic, so long as people obey the law and behave with respect toward the community.

As for six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, those don't pop up overnight, so if you are dealing with that, you knew it was there in advance.

Obviously if you move next to a mega road that has already been built (or is about to built) you have no basis to complain. I once bought some property near a freeway and it actually turned out to be a good deal.

However, that's not what's being proposed here. People on this board are talking about running such roads through prized, healthy long-established residential neighborhoods after the fact.

That's in no way sustainable urban practice. Take a look at Jane Jacobs' classic battle against Robert Moses in NYC. If people had not stood up, there would be no Village, no SOHO and no Washington Square. We've been through similar struggles here and the communities are finally starting to heal. This is not the time to assault them again.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

Why would you live in an active area if that stuff isn't something you can ignore? Go move to Duluth or Canton if you need constant quiet.

So you think "that stuff" -- rowdy, disrespectful, drunken behavior, crime, six lane, controlled-access median-divided thoroughfares, strip clubs, late night partying, all in your front yard -- should be the accepted norm for life in the city of Atlanta?

If so we have very different visions of our city.

If that view becomes the dominant one, I'm out of here. Let those who believe in running wild pick up the tab.