Support the City Hall Green

This is an open letter from local designer and urban planner Lew Oliver in support of the DDA's vision for the City Hall Green. There is a presentation of the project tonight at 530 at City Hall for anyone interested...

Hats off to Monica Hagewood and the DDA for championing a winning design for the City Hall Green. This project will provide the much needed active civic space that is essential to revive our historic core.

As an active design participant in Woodstock Downtown, Avalon, Vickery, Serenbe, Glenwood Park, of recent, Savannah River Street West, as well as many more downtown revitalization projects worldwide, I have seen the successes of many parallel projects.

When implemented, the project design, along with the street scape improvements shown in the master plan, will stimulate new development in our downtown. Without it, Roswell will fall behind. The real danger now is of losing momentum, and failing to attract top talent, new families, creative youth, the new class of empty nesters, and ultimately, our ability to develop a new economy.

This project should be endorsed wholeheartedly by you, our elected
officials, with full funding. Many of us have anticipated bond referendum money to be made available at this time. While it is prudent and responsible to consider phasing of the project, the full aesthetic impact and usability of the project cannot be achieved without full implementation--that is, no one will use a park that is not complete with excellent detailing. The project will achieve efficiency in construction by condensing many phases into one. We are now in a positive upturn, and must now seize this opportunity. This window may not stay open long.

Many have rallied behind you for this very goal to be achieved. It is the product of diverse visions which have united behind a common cause...to provide the catalyst for our renaissance.

While the plan needs tuning and polishing, it can be done so now with full City support. It is time to act proactively, showing the DDA and your community that you are indeed leaders with bold vision and action.

Thanks for your support.

Lew Oliver

Comments

[John]

Michael,
Just read another article online saying the Mayor has already approved moving the Faces of War memorial to a dedicated spot closer to the Smith Plantation area...thus helping clear the way for the DDA's suggested "city green" park / plans.

Have you seen any more on this?

[Michael D Hadden]

The Faces of War memorial is a big piece of the plans. From what I know, and that's not much, the interested parties are in agreement on the new proposed location of the memorial which will move closer to the Smith Plantation.

[Nathan]

I think this project is a nice idea, but not sure I like it for 12 million. In a vacuum I would probably support it, but couldn't that money be better spent fixing atlanta st./ alpharetta highway? The intersection at azalea and riverside? The green is a nice to have but the city has been talking about the need to fix the Atlanta st/riverside intersection and road into the heart of roswell for years and have done nothing. I used to live at the Chattahoochee landing apartments and the road is incredibly unsafe for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. It has the most accidents of any intersection in all of Fulton county and nothing has been done to improve it. Spend 12 million for some grass and a nice view of the gas station from city hall? Really? People will NEVER walk from city hall to canton street because Americans are inherently lazy. City needs to get its priorities straight and stop being jealous of another city's town squares. Don't spend 12 million to keep up with alpharetta spend it to fix actual problems with this city.

Am I missing something? Is there a solution in the works I don't know about? Otherwise we need to put our focus on fixing a real issue vs. addressing purely aesthetic concerns.