Cityscape: Ponce
Ponce, near Freedom Parkway
One simple question: Would you walk here for pleasure?
To elaborate, would you stroll here? Would you hang out with friends here, take photos, lollygag?
I’ll answer: NO!
Sure there’s a sidewalk, but that doesn’t make you want to walk there.
As new urbanist Andres Duany said last week when he visited Atlanta, “We made places that were unpleasant for pedestrians.”
A stone’s throw from the heart of the city, it’s classic suburban architecture and streetscaping — buildings pushed way back from the street so the super-attractive parking lot can go out front, revolting store signage and an ATM thrown in the mix for good measure.
Just to add insult to injury, you can see something more attractive — something that actually inspires us as humans — in the distance but trust me: visually, you can’t get there from here (it’s the Bank of America building on North Ave.).
And it’s not as though I chose the one bad spot in that particular stretch of Ponce de Leon. It’s pretty unpleasant from every angle. Let’s take a look!
Here’s how things look across the street at the Ford Factory Lofts. I guess I am supposed to shop at the Kroger and the other stores they’ve assembled there, but life’s hard enough. Why should I choose to surround myself with depressing buildings?
It would be one thing to find such streetscaping on Buford Highway or Ashford-Dunwoody, because those roads are unquestionably in the suburbs. This is Ponce, for chrissakes! One of two iconic streets in Atlanta (try to find a Ponce or a Peachtree Street in New York).
It seems like we are immune to such considerations here. Look at the Bookhouse Pub in the strip mall seen in the photo above.
The bar, which has an interesting menu, open last year and instantly became a hipster magnet. And inside it’s a really cool spot. Even the signage outside makes me want to go inside.
But if you happened to turn your head as you were headed into the hipster cavern, here’s what you would see:
Really doesn’t make me think “hip.” Certainly doesn’t make me think, “City in the Forest.”
I’m guessing this is what the folks at the Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association may have been thinking when they launched plans last month to create a Master Plan for the neighborhood.
Some of the questions they are asking are:
How do we promoting walking, bicycling, and transit use?
What can we do to improve the neighborhood’s visual character?
How can we calm traffic and make our streets serve everyone, not just drivers?
How can we accommodate and encourage smart growth and redevelopment while protecting the neighborhood’s existing character, businesses and residents?
Sounds like questions for just about all of Atlanta.
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Comments
6 Comments on Cityscape: Ponce
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Anna on
Tue, 30th Jun 2009 1:13 pm
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Jeanne Bonner on
Tue, 30th Jun 2009 3:20 pm
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Jonathan Peterson on
Tue, 30th Jun 2009 3:49 pm
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Jeanne Bonner on
Tue, 30th Jun 2009 4:21 pm
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Samantha Harris on
Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 8:36 pm
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Jeanne Bonner on
Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 11:36 am
hi Jeanne, I appreciate your insight and so glad you stopped by my neighborhood. You are right – these areas are HIGH on our list of things to address in our Master Plan. As a resident of Poncey-Highland for 35 years I have seen a lot of bad planning and redevelopment happen along the Ponce corridor. But, with our carefully constructed Master Plan and a commitment to that plan from the City, we can make positive change for the NEXT 35 years.
Anna
Thanks for your comment, Anna.
I’m really impressed with just the questions and the parameters you guys have set for yourselves. I will be following the process eagerly.
I do wonder how these things happen, though. I mean, your neighborhood has long been one of the most desirable in intown Atlanta. There are some gorgeous houses right off that section of Ponce and the people who live there have nowhere nice to stroll on Ponce. I think Ponce could be a grand promenade like you see in Europe.
It’s also interesting that there are so many great businesses there already — not only Bookhouse but Java Jive and Marco’s Pita and Paris on Ponce.
Anyway I wish you guys luck and I hope you will continue to visit us here at Atlanta Unsheltered.
You DID pick just about the worst hunk of ponce. I drive past it every day. A big piece of the problem is stupid zoning. Marco’s Pita – which is within 200 feet of your shots is a great little spot, bu the previous owner (who had an excellent Italian place) essentially bankrupt himself in building his own parking lot, which was required by the city. Never mind that there is parking for 300 cars or so within 1 block of his building.
So we added more impermeable paving, and made it even less pleasant to use.
Let the suburbs pave themselves into oblivion. Atlanta is a city. Parking and walking a couple blocks, or eating and shopping within walking distance of where you live is what you do.
Thanks, Jonathan. I think the area over by the old Goody’s is also pretty bad, and Midtown Place actually doesn’t help foster walking, strolling, experiencing Ponce et al, as one might like, so I think there are a few spots on Ponce that are bad.
What you say about zoning is so true. It’s a problem everywhere in Atlanta (and actually elsewhere as well). It would be interesting to go back and see what precipitated the rise of these parking requirements. I’m guessing existing residents (everywhere) objected to people parking in front of their houses and walking to nearby shops.
Thanks again for your comments.
Great job, Jeanne!
Thanks, Sam! I’m just trying to do my small part to improve Atlanta.
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