Turning around America’s dying cities — from “Reason”
I saw an article from Reason somewhere else on the Web that talks about Cleveland and other cities gasping for life.
There are so many great points here but I would like to just highlight one paragraph.
“When down-on-the-heels cities are not simply holding their hands out, they tend to work the same frayed ropes over and over again: building convention centers that will never make money, betting the farm on light-rail systems that always underperform, shoveling tax dollars at stadiums and sports franchises that don’t generate any new revenue, redeveloping the waterfront. If the basic definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again while praying for different results, then huge swaths of urban America are certifiably nuts. For its part, Cleveland has turned all the usual tricks and more while manifestly failing to address the most basic quality-of-life building blocks that might generate jobs, attract people, and build hope. What Cleveland and other slump towns refuse to do is decentralize and deregulate, pushing decisions and dollars back to the people so they can navigate their own courses through life.
You can find the whole story here.
Building has new life, and new address, too
I’ve been meaning to post a story I produced about the old Macy’s building in downtown Atlanta since last week. And a story in yesterday’s AJC reminded me to get going.
My piece was for WABE 90.1, and focused on one aspect of this building’s renewal: it now has two addresses. The upper floors of the building will remain 180 Peachtree Street, but the lower three floors, which are being converted to event and conference space, have been “re-addressed” to 200 Peachtree because the owners think that has more cachet.
You can find my piece here, and the AJC piece here. The AJC piece is very interesting, and goes into much more detail about the history of the building.
Addresses can be an interesting thing for companies. There are companies off of Powers Ferry Road in COBB COUNTY that have an Atlanta mailing address. I always find that one funny because the companies didn’t see fit to locate in Atlanta, but they know that around the country and around the world, no one knows Marietta but everyone knows Atlanta.
I hope the investors succeed in turning 200 Peachtree into a grand space. As I told one of the investors, even if I have a natural skepticism about any real estate development now and especially in downtown Atlanta, I am at the same time naturally excited by the idea of restoring a grand old building like the Macy’s building.
Owner-occupied — now I know what this means
I have nothing against renters, and I understand that buying and rehabbing properties is a way to make money and also a means by which a neighborhood can have a new life.
But this house in my neighborhood tells a different story.
It’s a story of someone — I’ll leave his name out of it — buying a house in Grant Park in 2001 and NOT fixing it up. And then renting it to people who sat on the porch all night, carrying on and occasionally chasing after the dog rather loudly.
House in so-so shape = tenants who aren’t going to pay top dollar and hence probably don’t require the landlord to mow the lawn, maintain the property, etc.
I think the photos make this house look better than it is — probably because it does have potential. But the front and back yards are completely overgrown (see below); the netting is ripped from the screened-in porch you see in the photo; the paint is peeling; and there’s a note on the window warning trespassers to go away (too late; three air-conditioning units were stolen).
The tenants who carried on eventually moved on. And the house sat empty. It’s been empty for at least a year. And at first, that was good. I mean, there were no more disputes with drunk girls who thought nothing of yelling in the middle of the street at 4 a.m. on a Monday night.
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GSU gives new life to a vacant field
Georgia State University has taken a neglected asphalt lot across the railroad tracks from Grady Hospital and made it the site of its new football practice field. You can listen to my piece about it for WABE 90.1 here.
The property, on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on the western edge of Grant Park (real western edge), includes a warehouse that officials say has been used for many things over the year, including manufacturing. It was most recently Blood N Fire Ministries, and will eventually house a locker room, team meeting rooms and other facilities.
As James Greenwell of GSU said, it’s a site that otherwise would probably not have been redeveloped. Adaptive re-use — nice!
Abandoned in Midtown
Photo credit: Johnny Urban via Flickr
If you read this blog, you may know that Johnny Urban is a frequent commenter. Well he’s also a prolific taker of photos around town!
Here’s one he took of a house in Midtown in February. And below is the description he added on Flickr. What I like about the photo is it captures the crazy mish mash of building styles in our city.
“Abandoned and forlorn after serving as a restaurant, this modest bungalow on a backstreet in Midtown was at one time the home of Celestine Sibley, a very popular writer in Atlanta. Although she is most remembered for the stories she wrote about her ancient farmhouse named Sweet Apple in Crabapple (near Roswell, GA), she raised her children in this home. I remember reading somewhere that she found joy in being an urban mother, as she wasn’t obliged like her suburban counterparts in having to play the role of chaffeur. They could simply walk out the door to stores, entertainment, the park. Who knows how much longer this place will still be around….”
Hey Johnny, where is this exactly? And while I’m at, I love your photo stream on Flickr! You’ve got an eye for what’s great, and not so great, about Atlanta.
The upside of commercial vacancies (not)
I suppose if you had a whole bunch of empty storefronts under your control and New Line Cinema came along and said, “Hey we’d like to film a Farrelly Brothers movie called ‘Hall Pass’ that stars Owen Wilson in your empty shops,” you’d say yes.
But isn’t it a bit sad that that’s how you’re using these empty shops, recession or no?
Isn’t a bit sad, and potentially a sign that your strategy isn’t working, if the only use one particular corner shop has seen is as a fake Borders and now a fake real estate office?
That’s what’s happening at Glenwood Park (above), the planned, new urbanist community between Grant Park and East Atlanta.
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Keep walking — in Boston, that is
Happy New Year friends!
From Jeanne’s “broken record” file, I offer a link to a great story in the New York Times on a Boston neighborhood that has been revitalized in part by the burying of one of the city’s main highways, which previously cut through the neighborhood like a gash, separating areas that should have been joined and making walking unpleasant, if not treacherous.
My favorite line? “Keep walking” — the author, Sara Rimer, uses the phrase twice as she describes fantastic itineraries that take visitors and residents alike through the city’s North End and along HarborWalk, which is a 34-mile path along the water.
Yes, yes broken record. But I’m not talking about New York, and I’m not talking about a city that was born perfect.
I’m talking about a city that 30 years ago began re-planning areas so people could enjoy city life where it’s meant to be enjoyed — out in the streets (some of the best things I saw last night on New Year’s Eve were out in the street — including a bride dashing along Crescent Avenue after midnight).
You know, as in,
When I’m out in the street,
I walk the way I wanna to walk
When I’m out in the street, girl
Well, I never feel alone
When I’m out in the street, girl
In the crowd I feel at home
(Thanks Bruce!)
Enjoy the story here!
Cityscape: A favorite corner
I’m at the intersection of Boulevard and Edgewood the other day, and I’m reading the New York Times and I’m drinking mint tea and the sun is shining and out the window businessmen are shaking hands and a hipster is on his cellphone and cars are passing and tourists are coming into Danneman’s for a cup of joe, and all is right with the world.
At least from this little corner of the world.
The intersection of Boulevard and Edgewood is really centrally located; it’s along one of the main north-south streets in Atlanta, and has just an awesome view of the skyline.
And oh what handsome buildings there are there.
It’s one of the few places in Atlanta with a traditional urban street grid that has retained some of its original buildings.
Unfortunately, of the four corners of this intersection, only one currently has an occupied building on it. Two of the other corners have old buildings that have sat empty for a long time, and the third corner is an empty lot.
I know many people will say we’ve come a long way. In fact, a friend of mine likes to tell the story that back when she first moved to Atlanta, her boyfriend was mugged at this corner, and years later she marveled that it was now home to a hipster coffee spot.
I don’t think we have come far enough, for two reasons.
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Stuff
I’d like to mention two things today.
First off, Creative Loafing has a really good story on the folks who want to open a nightclub in Midtown. This is something we had talked about a bit here so I thought I would add the link. Maybe you guys already saw it, but just in case.
And also a reminder that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be in Atlanta on Sept. 21 to speak at the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Fifty Forward Transportation Forum.
I know sometimes attendance at ARC forums can be limited by space but this event will be held at the Georgia World Congress so I’m guessing a few more folks can squeeze in. Grace, if you’re out there, shed some light!
Here are the details from the folks at the ARC:
What: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will discuss the future of transportation in metro Atlanta and around the world at ARC’s Fifty Forward Transportation Forum on Monday, September 21, 2009.
Who: Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
Johnny Isakson, U.S. Senator
Sam Olens, chairman, ARC and Cobb County Commission
Shirley Franklin, mayor, City of Atlanta
Why: One of the largest factors sure to impact metro Atlanta’s transportation future is the shifting federal policy environment. Indications are that federal policy may be shifting in the direction of a more holistic and sustainable approach to transportation infrastructure. On September 21, US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood will speak at ARC’s Fifty Forward forum. This is an opportunity to hear about the future of transportation from one of the most influential people in the transportation sector.
When: Monday, September 21, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Where: Georgia World Congress Center, Room B-405
For more information, please visit www.atlantafiftyforward.com.
Bulldozer on Boulevard at Urban Gardener and other GP happenings
Is someone answering my prayers?
I’m not sure. In fact, I’m going to be really bloggy and just post this photo of dirt moving and bulldozers and activity at the vacant Urban Gardener property on Boulevard near I-20, without being able to share any details.
UPDATE: See comments for details on new garden center slated for the spot.
I’m looking through council agendas right now, but I have to say, the city council appears to post a wealth of documents online without making the information easy to navigate.
Or, I’m a tool.
Anyway, it’s such an important property in Grant Park that I am thrilled to see any movement there at all.
I spoke with someone at the Urban Gardener when the shop moved to East Atlanta, and the woman said the drought did them in. It’s a large property, and as you may know, the Urban Gardener folks had fittingly outfitted it with a ton of flora and fauna.
Boulevard is such a key thoroughfare on the east side of the city, and yet design-wise, it blows. Like so many streets and intersections in Atlanta, it’s just allowed to be ugly, even though for the most part it has good sidewalks, and is a natural conduit between Grant Park, Cabbagetown and development on Memorial.
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