New Urban Roswell Review

I had a heck of a time finding anything going on here in Roswell over the past month.  It's summertime and everyone is on vacation.  Well, here goes nothing.  Another installment of the update.  bon appetit!

Roswell

Roswell Moves Heaven and Earth to get Roundabout - AJC

I think everyone got what the wanted on this one.  Now, let's get started on the Roundabout and make the streets safer for everyone.

Region

Atlanta Passenger Terminal to Seek Developer - AJC

I love the idea of putting a multi-modal passenger terminal in the Gulch location.  However, I'm skeptical that it can compete with all of the other big time projects that we see on the horizon over the coming years.  The Beltline, Fort McPherson Redevelopment, Aerotropolis, GM Doraville Plant, Georgia Dome Renovations, etc.  I'm skeptical that we'll ever see this one but let's explore the opportunity.

State Doles out Grants to Metro CIDs - Atlanta Business Chronicle

The following community improvement districts are divvying up $10M.  Buckhead CID, Town Center CID in Cobb County, Gwinnett Village CID, South Fulton CID, Downtown Atlanta Improvement District, Perimeter CID, Evermore CID and Cumberland CID.  CIDs are becoming more and more popular with area businesses as a way to organize community efforts and raise funds to make infrastructure and community improvements.

New Midtown Festival to Close Peachtree in September - Access Atlanta

This should be a fun new festival.  I'm sure it will be a huge draw for area and regional artists and vendors.  It gives us a chance to take back Peachtree if only for a weekend.

Georgia Power to Make First Foray into Solar - Atlanta Business Chronicle

They are going to nowhere near the levels that they need to or could but at least it is a step in the right direction.

Beyond

Foreclosures Point Toward Waning of the Suburban Era, Study Says

It is bad to take pleasure in other people's misfortune.  However, I do feel that moving away from the suburban building model is not only a good thing but an absolute necessity.  I wish the proof of the need could have come in a different way.  However, we Americans often need a swift kick to the head to wake ourselves up.  Here's a notable excerpt:  

How each region responds to the challenges of transit and development will vary, producing contrasting results. Greater Atlanta and greater Washington, DC, illustrate the two extremes, in Lucy’s view. “Washington, DC, and some suburban cities and counties planned for transit-oriented development, and use of transit rose to the second-highest level in the United States,” he notes. “Atlanta’s transit use lagged, which may be one reason why Atlanta has the most declining suburbs in the country.”

Birmingham Neighborhood Takes a Stand for Walkability and Wins - NRDC Switchboard

Way to go Birmingham.  We need to make more fast food joints and big box stores, for that matter, fit into the neighborhood.  The current pattern creates a building that is almost always out of pattern with anything that is present in the area.  Here's an excerpt from the story:

The design is not architecturally compatible with the neighborhood. Other, historic buildings are clearly adaptable into multiple uses, while the Chick-fil-A building is designed to be ONLY a Chick-fil-A, to look like other Chick-fil-As across the country, and to not be easily adaptable as something else.

Is the Homeownership System Broken - NPR

This article/audio clip makes a case that we overshot our capabilities of homeownership in the last decade and that we need to encourage more people to rent.  It also poses the question of whether we should do away with or reduce the mortgage interest tax credit.  I enjoyed this quote:

"Why doesn't the president of the United States ever get up and say, 'You can be a full-fledged American citizen and rent an apartment — it's OK,' " Wessel says. "That's not what presidents have traditionally said."

Divide and Conquer: Should States Impose Regions Based Taxes - The Infrastructurist

The Infrastructurist recaps a recently published article from The Economist about Georgia's recent transportation bill asking whether dividing states up into regions is a good idea in order to allow regions to tax themselves as they see fit.  

Facts & Fun

Street Fail - FailBlog

Which way do we go George?

Map Showing Where Atlantans are Moving - Forbes

I wonder who moved to Hawaii.  That must have been a nice change.

The Worst Commutes in the World - The Infrastructurist

This is one list I'm glad Atlanta isn't on.