SaportaReport interview with new Beltline CEO
Maria Saporta, as usual, is on the case and has an interesting story about the Beltline’s new CEO, Brian Leary, who worked previously with the group that gave us Atlantic Station.
Leary’s appointment was announced Wednesday; he replaces Terry Montague.
I will share one little nugget of her story that meshes with discussions we’ve had here.
Maria asked Brian about density, and here’s how he responded.
“It’s unfortunate that density in general has been given a bad rap. Density is a more efficient way to use our natural resources. A great deal of the economic model for the BeltLine is tax increment financing. It’s going to have to be densified.”
Density is a more efficient way to use our natural resources. Hmmmm…..
Hope you guys know how to swim. It’s weather for ducks out there!
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Comments
One Comment on SaportaReport interview with new Beltline CEO
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Darin on
Mon, 21st Sep 2009 11:32 am
I think it’s true that density has a bad reputation in Atlanta. I’ve wondered why this is.
Part of the problem may be that density hasn’t been developed in a smart way here in many instances. There are a lot of places in the city where single-use residential density was developed in places that had no support services for residents nearby, such as grocery stores, restaurant, libraries and public parks.
And there are also places where mixed-use projects were developed in the city without adequate improvements in transportation being made to service the increase in traffic. Thinking about this issue reminds me of your post not long ago regarding developments in Atlanta needing to be squeezed together instead of being spread out and disconnected as they are (and being auto-dependent and unwalkable as a result).
I think there’s a lot of potential for the Beltine project to help correct some of these development wrongs but I think it would be a mistake to rely on the Beltine completely for improvements in density — it should work together with other aspects of city planning.
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