Dirt Lots, Economic Development and Holcomb Bridge

Roswell

Roswell OKs Economic Development Contract - AJC

City Council voted recetly to approve a $103,775 contract to develop a strategic economic plan. The plan has been signed with RKG Associates. RKG is based out of New Hampshire but has consulted many local and regional muicipalities. One of the most notable to me is Greenville, SC which has done a fantastic job rejuvinating its downtown.

New Study will Pinpoint Ways to Improve Traffic on Holcomb Bridge - Alpharetta Neighbor

The study will look at the 1.5 miles between Warsaw Rd and Holcomb Woods Pkwy. The total cost of the study should not exceed $463k and Roswell's share will be just under $100k. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of this.

Big Creek Wetlands Workday - RoswellGov.com

The city is holding a work day for wetlants restoration, plantings, and litter removal at Big Creek on March 5th.

Region

Developer Promises No Dirt Lot at Mixed-Use Site Near GA 400 - Alpharetta-Milton Patch

There has been a lot of talk about the proposed development at the MetLife/Peridot campus in Alpharetta. Naysayers complain that Alpharetta doesn't need more mixed-use and are requesting a moratorium on approvals of proposals. Proponents say there is nothing even close to similar in N Fulton and that Alpharetta should encourage this type of development because demographic trends show that it is becoming more ad more desirable. We can all agree that another dirt lot similar to Prospect Park is undesirable.

Public Concerns Spur Alpharetta to Reconsider MetLife Project - AJC

The city council has tabled this until the February meeting. I hope they are not persuaded by the naysayers who are using faulty statistics and clinging to a 1990's land development model.

Tough Questions for Mayor of Johns Creek - CBS Atlanta

My only question is this: $400k for 9 Electric Bikes???

MARTA to Spend $117M on Train Control Technology - AJC

At first glance, this seems staggering but according to MARTA has been planned for some time. However, it was plainly obvious after the DC Metro crash in 2009 that MARTA would be spending some money since our systems are essentially identical (except that DC decided to build neighborhoods around their stations and we decided to build parking lots, that's another story though)

Beyond

Miami21 Wins National Planning Excellence Award - CEOs for Cities The form based code that has been adopted in Miami is a model for the 21st century. I would love to see something like this adopted here in Roswell and in the larger metro area. We're a long way off.

Are Cities Any Place for Children - Shareable

This is an interesting piece on why cities are percieved (in some cases rightly so) as bad places for children.

Survey Finds "Buy Local" Message Beneffiting Independent Business - NewRules.org

Notable Quote:

For the fourth year in a row, a national survey of independent businesses has found that those in communities with an active "buy local" campaign have experienced markedly stronger revenue growth compared to those located in areas without such a campaign.

I wonder how Roswell's buy local campaign Find it All Roswell is doing.

Pedestrians, Parking and Prospect Park

It's been a while since the last update. Today's post primarily focuses on Roswell and Alpharetta. There's been a lot going on lately especially in Alpharetta. Enjoy!

Roswell

City Considering Ways to Warn Drivers of Pedestrians - Roswell Neighbor

10 Stories, Driving Trends and Regions

It's amazing how much can change around the city in two weeks. This post is pretty long but I think there are a bunch of juicy articles for everyone. Also, as you know, we have a new Governor who will have to take on the challenges of the state and region. I'm looking forward to seeing his position on transit in the metro region.

Roswell

North Fulton Cities Affirm Billion Dollar Transit Plan - AJC

This is just one piece of a metro-wide plan that is being put together by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Notable Excerpt:

The north Fulton proposal includes three layers of projects. The top layer has about 18 projects, including greenway connections and capacity improvements on Hammond Drive in Sandy Springs, McGinnis Ferry Road in Johns Creek and on Ga. 9 in Alpharetta.

Roswell Sued Over Holcomb Rezoning - NorthFulton.com

Now, this is about as boring as it gets but it struck me as interesting because a developer couldn't get his land rezoned from office to retail to provide what he believes the market wants.. a strip center that will house a car wash, dry cleaners and day care... maybe we can throw in a nail salon, tanning bed and a wing delivery joint. I think the market is demanding some of those too.

$100M, 10 Story Office Project OK'd - NorthFulton.com

I don't think this one's ever going to get built.. Do we really need two 10 story towers in a park in Alpharetta? Unless the roads are more interconnected, you can rest assured that you'll be seeing more traffic in the area around these two towers (if/when they get built and occupied).

Roswell gets $400k Grant for Holcomb Bridge Rd Study - AJC

The study is supposed to recommend ways to improve traffic from Warsaw Road to Holcomb Woods Parkway, including the Ga. 400 interchange. We need to be sure that the improvements are not completely oriented to auto travel. There are pedestrians and bicyclists that would also like to see notable improvements in that area.

Alpharetta Readies Downtown Changes - NorthFulton.com

I was a huge proponent of the now dead mixed-use (with residential) proposal for downtown Alpharetta. However, that is long gone and they are now looking at streetscaping as an improvement measure that is cheaper and more in line with the times. The project will go just from the Roswell border at Hembree Rd all the way up to Windward. I like the idea and I hope that it can encourage them to bring back the old proposal sometime.

Region

Obama's DOT Chief Calls for Leadership in GA - WSBRadio.com

Ray LaHood was in Macon a couple weeks ago making a case that leadership in GA can get us where we need to go.. literally. Notable Quote from LaHood:

If Georgia wants a rail line and wants to be connected to high-speed intercity rail, you can make it happen.. You need to have leadership from all of you, but you need it from the governor's office, too.

Georgia Conservancy Promotes Healthy Growth Through Blueprints Program - Saporta Report

I'm currently taking the Good Urbanism 101 class that the Ga Conservancy offers and it is a well put together program to educate leadership in Georgia on the ecological benefits of smarter development. Katherine Moore gives a good overview of the program in this guest piece on the Saporta Report.

Mayor Calls for Elimination of 'Food Deserts', 25 Percent Reduction of GHGs by 2020 - Creative Loafing

Mayor Reed wants to establish Atlanta alongside New York, Chicago and Seattle as one of the top 10 greenest cities in the US. One of the goals is to bring local food available within a 10 minute trip of 75 percent of all residents by 2020. You can check out an 8 page summary of the plan here. There's only one problem with this.... They are talking about the City of Atlanta not the Region of Atlanta... we need to be doing all of this Regionally.

"Cities" May Not Matter as much as We Think - Regions and Neighborhoods are Where Things Actually Happen - Kaid Benfield NRDC Switchboard

So, adding on to the statement above that we need to be doing more regionally, this post focuses on the city vs. region debate and mentions Atlanta. Notable excerpt:

One might say that Atlanta is a sprawling metropolis and powerful economic engine with a population of 5.4 million people; but, using the second, Atlanta becomes a much smaller area confined within an artificially drawn boundary containing only some 540,000 residents. The smaller, jurisdictional Atlanta may mean something to candidates for city office and cartographers, but it has very little to do with economic or environmental reality.

Why You Should Stop Bitching and Embrace the Streetcar - CitySearchBlog

As I look deeper into the Streetcar, I like it a lot more. The amount of ridership from GSU students as well as office workers in the area will probably be a lot larger than most expect. Plus, it's a good start for a project (eventual Peachtree Streetcar) that has to start somewhere.

Branded! Municipal Identity and the Selling of Cities - PlaceMakers

This post focuses on the new branding campaign for the City of Dunwoody which looks very similar to the Wal-Mart logo. Notable Excerpt:

If your leadership fails to engender trust, you can t sell strength. If your policies are not incentivizing what you want and penalizing what you don t, you can t sell vision. If your zoning promotes sprawl and your citizens are disconnected from civic participation, you can t sell community. No matter how pretty your logo or clever your tag, you are wasting your time.

Transit Links Crucial to Suburban Prosperity - Jay Bookman - AJC

Uneasy Alliance of Officials Meets on Metro Atlanta's Transportation Needs - AJC

Rail Between Atlanta and Charlotte Looks Promising with New Funds - Politic365.com

Solar Powered Green Home for Atlanta - Jetson Green

Council Asks Haddix to Resign from RTR - FayetteDailyNews.com

Beyond

Is the Digital Age Changing Our Desire to Drive? - Infrastructurist

The statistics used are from an Advertising Age article about the diminished importance of the automobile in the digital age. The piece points out that in 1995 people age 21 to 30 accounted for roughly 21 percent of automobile-miles driven in the United States. By 2001 that figure had dipped to 18 percent, and in 2009 it had fallen below 14 percent. All this while the proportion of people in this age group actually increased.

A Very Impressive Two Weeks for the Federal Sustainability Partnership - Kaid Benfield NRDC Switchboard

This is a great summary of how EPA, DOT, HUD and the white house have teamed up to support smart growth initiatives around the country with the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Smart Grids are a Dumb Idea - Tree Hugger

In essence the smart grid advocates are saying we can't afford what we have, so let's build something else we can't afford. We need to be building local power systems that are more efficient at transferring energy to the end user.

Investing in Metro Areas is the Key to Sustainable Growth - Grist

One of the fundamental beliefs of new urbanism is that the region is the true economic engine of the country. Two plus two equals five in cities.

Christopher Leinberger Explains Why Washington DC is a Model for Walkable Redevelopment - Tree Hugger

Good case for why future train stops should go to walkable centers and not to spots along 400. In my opinion, stops should go along Notrhridge's low income area, Roswell near Canton Street, town center shopping center, the hospital, Alpharetta at Northpoint, the old Prospect Park site at Old Milton and then up to Windward.

Will Los Angeles Ever Become Something Besides a 'Suburban Metropolis' - Grist

Great point on the rationale for building rail. The point is not to decrease traffic. Any system that is built for that purpose will fail.

British Officials Demand a Reduction in Street Sign Clutter - Unclutterer

I demand a reduction as well.

Good News on Energy Efficiency - Sierra Club Compass

Increasing the efficiency of new homes by 30% is a HUGE win on the sustainability front.

Suburban Renewal - Richard Florida @ Creative Class

Prizes for Public Participation - Daily Camera via Planetizen

Cul-de-sac Hell, Continued - Human Transit

How Segregation Caused the Housing Crisis - ChicagoNow

Streetcars, Secession and Elections

Today's post will be a little long winded but there's a lot of exciting news out there right now.  We're starting to hear a lot more about transit in our region.  Unfortunately, Roswell has been on the periphery up until now.  One of this installment's headlines is about the upcoming vote on the North Fulton Transit Plan.  I find it amazing how much mis information and divisiveness is out there on transit.  My biggest complaint is that people don't realize or admit that our road system is significantly more subsidized and expensive than transit.  The other idea that transit should somehow have to turn a profit is misguided at best.  Do our roads turn a profit?  The only way that can happen is by installing a toll and we all love those don't we??

Roswell

Roswell to Vote on Transit Plan - AJC

The vote will occur during Monday's City Council meeting and will determine whether to adopt the North Fulton transportation plan that was put together by the Atlanta Regional Commission and Kimley Horn & Associates after workshops were held in the area asking citizens what their transportation needs are.  Last week, Milton became the first city in North Fulton to sign off on the plan.

Roswell City Council Calls Meeting for Land Purchase - AJC

I'm not sure what they are going to do with it exactly but it's looking like the old dilapidated apartment building near the intersection of Oxbo and Hwy 9 will be razed to help re-route Oxbo.  Not sure what will happen to the hardware store.

Roswell Wired for Free at City Hall and Three Area Parks - AJC

This is great.  Does the library do this as well?  If not, they should.  The even better thing is that the city has found a way to minimize the cost on this project. 

Region

Streetcar Project Gets Green Light from the Feds - Saporta Report

The feds are planning to kick in $47 million and the city and state are going to pick up the rest of the $70 million price tag.  Notable Excerpt:

Located in the heart of Downtown Atlanta, the Georgia Transit Connector Project which will run a span of approximately 2.6 miles will connect Peachtree Street with Sweet Auburn Avenue shuttling more than 4.7 million tourists each year and a large mass of local residents through the area.cerpt:

Streetcar Money Breaks Atlanta Transit Losing Streak - Jay Bookman AJC 

Jay's posts always seem to draw the ire of the commenter.  There is a good map of the route as well.  Notable Excerpt:

In terms of transportation and economic development, though, the line in question makes a lot of sense, linking some of the city’s major tourist attractions and its major downtown hotel district. As the city’s application noted, it will also “reconnect the eastern and western sections of Downtown Atlanta, which were effectively separated by the construction of Interstate 75/85 in the mid 1950s.”

I do love this project from a new urbanist point of view as it is reconnecting neighborhoods and areas that were separated by bad planning decisions of prior generations.

Neal Boortz: Trolley Nothing but Fanplex on Wheels - AJC

I can't say that I completely disagree with Neal here.  Notable Excerpt:

The real issue with this streetcar is the routing. Is it going to run up Peachtree Street to the Arts Center or maybe even to Buckhead? Nope. I guess tourists really don’t want to travel between Midtown and Centennial Olympic Park.

No, this street car is going to run between Centennial Olympic Park and the King Center. Are there throngs of tourists hovering around Centennial Olympic Park on any given day trying to figure out how to get to the King Center?

Report: Metro Atlanta's Traffic is 15th Worst in Nation - AJC

This study, Driven Apart: How Sprawl is Lengthening Our Commutes and why Misleading Mobility Measures are Making Things Worse, takes a slightly different view on traffic.  It actually looks at traffic from two perspectives, time spent on clogged roads as well as distance of commute.

Dekalb Mayors to Consider Joining Circle of One-Cent Transportation Tax Critics - Creative Loafing

More cracks are starting to show in the logic of HB277.  We need to fix this before 2012 or Fulton and Dekalb will not successfully carry the region and our transit deadlock will continue well into the next decade.

The Atlanta Beltline Provides a Prescription for a Healthy City - Saporta Report

Valarie Wilson, Executive Director of the Atlanta Beltline Partnership, makes the case that the parks and transit components of the Beltline will help the city increase physical activity thus reduce overall health care costs.

Notable Quote:

Among physically able adults, average annual medical expenditures are 32 percent lower for those who achieve physical activity targets than for those who are sedentary.

City Hall East to get $180M Facelift - 11Alive.com

Great news for development along the Beltline.  Just another one of those liberal transit boondoggles :)  The plan is currently for about 20% retail and the rest split between office and residential.

Wheels Turning on Transit Hub at Downtown 'Gulch' - AJC

I'm really excited to see the plans.  To bad they won't be out until May '11.  Currently 5 developers are expected to submit projects for the planned transit hub that will link MARTA rail and bus, Regional Express bus systems and future passenger rail as well as streetcars.  

Toll Lane Proposal for I-75, I-575 to get Public Input - AJC

Maybe we're on our way to fixing this boondoggle of a 'free'way system that we have now.  Something tells me that this isn't going to fly.  At least we're not looking to widen this stretch of 'free'way to 23 lanes anymore (for now).  Reversible lanes might be in the future though.

Live Work Play Coming to Buckhead - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Moving in the right direction... Notable Excerpt:

The new standards encourage more street-level retail and improved streetscaping in an area centered in the Buckhead Village near the planned $1.5 billion Streets of Buckhead but also including major intersections along Peachtree, Piedmont and Roswell roads.

Sidewalks, Not Streetcars - Sunday Paper

Lots of people are making the argument these days that the city could more wisely invest the money that is being thrown into the Atlanta Streetcar project.  This piece recants a story that the writer covered in the mid '90s about a young girl who was killed by a hit and run driver along a road that did not have sidewalks.  It's worth a read and will remind us that there are simple things that can save lives that should get more attention.  Notable Excerpt:

Sidewalks are only one of many basic public needs that are ignored by Atlanta’s city government as its politicians pursue more glamorous monuments to themselves.

Broke and Broken: Fixing Sidewalks Should be City's Responsibility - Saporta Report

Here's another piece on sidewalks from Sally Flocks of PEDS.  The unbelievable piece of this that I had no idea of until I read it was that the city is actually not responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks.  Notable Excerpt:

The 2008 State of the City’s Infrastructure report estimates that 18 percent of the City’s sidewalks need to be repaired or replaced, at a cost of $79.4 million.

Now, sidewalks are part of the public right of way.  The maintenance thereof will never be covered by a private entity on a consistent basis.  We need to look at Charlotte, DC, Boston and Chicago for an example of how to work on this one.  Just another example of how the city puts pedestrians at the bottom of the totem pole.  No wonder we're so obese.

Perimeter Residents Feel "They Have it All" - AJC

I admit that its nice in Perimeter.  The location is great for access to Atlanta's amenities.  There is access to Transit.  But really, the traffic is choking and there really isn't much of a 'town' atmosphere.  Sandy Springs is doing good things but you still can't really walk to much of anything if you live there.  I think in 10 years, they will have come a long way just as they have in the 10 years since I lived there.

Transportation Referendum Prompts Calls for Secession - AJC

Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix is calling for secession from the 10 county Atlanta region due to his perception that Fayette county will not receive a fair shake out of the penny sales tax if approved.  This has since been voted down by a 3-2 vote.

Georgia Tech: Atlanta 'Testbed' for Reusing Urban Spaces

It probably helps that Ellen Dunham-Jones, an influential new urbanist and co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, was the dean of the GT College of Architecture.  The college has worked on projects such as Atlantic Station and the Beltline and is now working on the old Ford plant in Hapeville that is slated to become Aerotropolis.  

Transit Tax, Car Diets & Private Roads

 

It's that time again.  We're going to round up all of the noteworthy news that we have come across recently and throw our opinion out into the deep space of the internet.  If you have an opinion or would like to share additional stories, please leave a comment.

Roswell

Reed Urges North Fulton to Back Transportation Tax - AJC

I do agree with the mayors on this.  It is not fair that Fulton and Dekalb residents pay two pennies when everyone else pay one.  However, we MUST have this reform and I think the way it's going to happen is highlighted in the Creative Loafing article linked to below in the Region section.  

Redeveloping Roswell - The City of Roswell

The city is adding redevelopment powers to the November ballot.  I say let's do it.

Coolest Suburbs Worth a Visit - Travel & Leisure

Roswell came in at a respectable number six.  

Roswell Neighborhood Wants to Keep Park - AJC

I have a problem with this one.  It seems to me that it would actually be cheaper and more beneficial to everyone for the current fire station to be renovated.  I haven't seen all of the numbers but $2.5M for a new fire station seems like a lot of dough.  Consider that the entire midtown streetscaping project is running in the $1.3M range.  The other argument was that the fire trucks backing into the station causes TRAFFIC (OMG.. not TRAFFIC!!) on Holcomb Bridge Rd.  I'm sure that there are a lot of other reasons that there is traffic on Holcomb Bridge.  Fire engines backing into the station maybe ten times a day or so, is NOT one of them.  I can't agree with spending probably an extra million dollars and losing a park just because we don't want to have a little bit of traffic.

Region

Regional Transit in Metro Atlanta? - Creative Loafing

Creative Loafing did an excellent job breaking down the issue of creating a truly regional transit system here in Atlanta.  The notable quote is:

All options are on the table: putting MARTA under state control; hiring a private firm to operate various rail and bus routes; creating a brand-new agency that would oversee all transit operations in the 10-county metro region; or any number of equally radical solutions.

Atlanta Residents Go on a Car Diet - AJC

ZipCar is sponsoring 30 Atlantans in this effort to show how their company and car sharing in general can help you rely less on a car.  The Low-Car Diet Challenge doesn't require that you don't use a car.  Rather, participants agreed to surrender their cars for a month and use the ZipCar service.  It started in mid-September.  I'm excited to see how it turns out for the particpants.  I wish this were an option in Historic Roswell.

Crooked Creek May Get Private Road - NorthFulton.com

Backward news...  In order to curb cut throughs and speeding in their neighborhood, Crooked Creek residents may soon be gating their two entrances.  This will take two super blocks and turn them into one MEGA block essentially severing another link in the effective road network in Milton.  The worrisome part here is that the city of Milton seems to be in favor of this.  It will only channel more traffic onto Hwy 9 and create more congestion that the residents of Crooked Creek likely aren't too fond of even outside of their enclave.

Livable Communities Coalition Reassesses its Strategy with Slowdown in Metro Growth - Saporta Report

Notable Quote:

Retrofitting our already-developed urban and suburban areas ultimately makes good economic sense because it builds on past investments rather than requiring new roads and sewer lines. 

Metro Atlanta's Future: Slow Period Perfect to Quicken Creativity - AJC

We are currently experiencing our slowest growth period in the region since the 1950's.  Let's hope that this pause gives us time to realize that we need strong cities and towns with a coherent metropolitan region with a focus on improving transit for all modes and livability for all incomes and races.  Notable quote:

 A slow healing of our economy presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to think deeply about the future. This has value only if we apply the end product toward tuning up, if not overhauling, our strategic vision for the future. Excelling in this work will best situate metro Atlanta for the next chapters in our economic story.

30/10 Initiative - Metro.net

Put this one on the wishlist... Los Angeles has instituted the 30/10 initiative.  That is.. 30 years worth of transit projects finished in 10.  

Beyond

Nuvo: A Mayor for the New Millennium - Urbanophile

A good case for the importance of the arts in a successful community.  Good read.  Notable excerpt:

Have you gone for a romantic walk with your significant other recently, past the Walmart parking lot on one side and the six-lane road on the other? Probably not. And the reason you haven’t is because it’s not any fun! It’s not romantic. It’s not pleasing to the eye.

So we’re bringing the buildings back up to the street. Let’s go up a little higher. Let’s accommodate the car, but let’s accommodate them underground with garages. Let’s get people walking in the community. Let’s have options for people who don’t want to live on a big lot. That means apartments and condos and townhomes. And as we build this more walkable, sustainable community, one of the ways we make it beautiful is to have art. Public art.

We started a policy, as many other cities have across the country, of spending one percent of our general reserves for support of the arts about six years ago. Over time we’ve been able to buy a lot of public sculptures, support a lot of arts organizations.

Whole Foods to Stop Selling Over-fished Seafood - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Just another reason why shopping at Whole Foods is the right thing to do.

New Urban Roswell Review

Let me forewarn you, today's post will be a little lengthy but it will be packed full of headlines that we have found interesting over the past month or so.  Since our last review, we have been to Salt Lake City and Southern California.  It was nice to be able to ride the UTA light rail system in Utah and walking around Santa Monica and Venice Beach in Southern Cal was a treat.  These were great examples of ways that transit and walkability can improve an area.  I'm not going to get into it here but if you have a chance, check them out.

Let's kick it off with some Roswell updates.

Roswell

100 Townhomes and Condos Sold in Roswell in the First Half of the Year - All About Roswell

This one struck home with me since I own a condo in the historic district.  The number of units sold was an increase of 69% year over year.  I think it is obvious that the trend in real estate is toward smaller homes and less maintenance.  I LOVE not having a yard.

More New Construction in Crabapple - Alpharetta Real Estate

This one is more in Milton but it is right on our back door.  Four new homes have broken ground in Crabapple Crossing.  This is good news for the Crabapple area and North Fulton in general.  It tells me that home buyers are serious about buying in more walkable, social and livable areas.  The retail area in Crabapple is not quite where it needs to be yet but it will get there.  If you haven't been to the Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub yet, I recommend that you check it out.  

Roswell to Open Holcomb Bridge Road Sidewalk - AJC

The new sidewalk officially opens Wednesday Sept 1st at noon.  Although I don't necessarily think it's the most walkable place, it is definitely a needed improvement for pedestrians in that area of the city.  Great work getting this done Roswell!

 North Fulton Cities Pool Efforts for Comprehensive Transportation Plan - AJC

This plan is part of a region wide effort that is being coordinated by the ARC.  After all areas have been completed, the ARC will compile and submit to the federal government for approval.  This is a 25 year planning effort so don't expect overnight miracles.  Below are some of the items that the authors of the article expect will be on the North Fulton project list that impact Roswell:

• Connect Big Creek Greenway to Roswell's Chattahoochee River Walk along Riverside Road
• Enhance bike and pedestrian facilities along Riverside Road and Holcomb Bridge Road, creating a complete east-west bike/pedestrian route through north Fulton
• Remove reversible lanes from Marietta Highway to Riverside Road and widen to four lanes.
• Enhance Hardscrabble Road to a divided two-lane with a median and turn lanes from Ga. 92 to Crabapple Road
• Enhance Houze Road to a divided two-lane with turn lanes from Rucker Road to Mansell Road

Region

GM Doraville, New Broad Street Deal Dead - Atlanta Business Chronicle

This is a disappointment to me as I would like to have seen New Broad Street land this property.  New Broad Street developed Celebration in Florida and is committed to mixed-use new urbanist developments.  Even though this deal is dead, I believe this property will be sold relatively soon.  Here is a website that provides and overview of what New Broad Street had planned. 

Federal Money to Atlanta Area Transit Projects - AJC

It looks like almost half a million is heading toward the Beltline from the Feds.  That's just a drop in the bucket when compared to what the overall price tag will be but every bit helps.

Beltline Will Yield to Downtown Streetcar, Sit Out Upcoming Federal Funding Round - Creative Loafing

I found it very interesting that the Beltline would take a back seat here.  I'm not a proponent of the Atlanta Streetcar initiative.  I think it's a boondoggle that will serve tourists more than citizens.  I do understand that there are some neighborhoods in the area that will be served by the streetcar but I don't think it makes as much sense as actually getting the Beltline up and running as quickly as possible.

Atlanta Bicycle Coalition on the Beltline vs the Atlanta Streetcar

In a response to the previous headline, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition voices it's concerns about putting a streetcar on Atlanta's busiest bicycle corridor (had no idea about that).

Woodstock Development Gets New Life - Cherokee Tribune

John Weiland homes is planning to build 107 single-family homes and townhomes in the unfinished Downtown Woodstock development.  This is a fantastic place and I was happy to read that a quality builder was going to finish off where Hedgewood Properties had to stop.  

Beyond

Conservative Mag Tells Conservatives Why They Should Care About Transit - The Infrastructurist

The American Conservative has launched an online symposium to discuss why conservatives should care about transit.  All too often I hear conservative thinkers make the case that transit is a bad idea because it does not pay for itself.  That argument and more are examined here.

The Suburban General Store - MetropolisMag.com

All I can say is that we need these and they will work. 

Brave New Codes Reach Tipping Point: When, Where & Why - PlaceShakers

It was great to hear that form/transect based codes are seriously picking up steam.  We need to jump on the wagon here in Roswell and Atlanta.  Notable quote:

over 330 cities and towns around the world — representing over 40 million people — have embraced the idea of form-based coding as an alternative to the sprawl-inducing zoning models of the past century.  We’ve hit the tipping point. Welcome to the other side.

Now More Than Ever, Smart Growth Makes Dollars and Sense - Smart Growth Around America

As we know, the demand for walkable, mixed-use development has been increasing for years.  The studies referenced in this post provide some interesting data points.  Notable quote:

..in Sarasota County, Florida, an urban residential development generates830% more in annual county taxes than a comparable multi-family suburban development. And, the clincher: In Sarasota, “Suburban housing takes 42 years to pay off its infrastructure costs” while downtown infrastructure is paid off in 3. (Curious for more? A presentation on Sarasota’s study can be found here)

Facts & Fun

These two are both from FailBlog

Mario Kart Bike Lane - Making bike commuting fun.  We need more of this.

Street Crossing Fail - Huh?

And this one was all over the internet but we found it on The Infrastructurist

Chinese Lane Straddling Bus - Man, I could totally see one of these on 400.

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.

New Urban Roswell Review

I think the big thing going on in Roswell this past couple of weeks was the movement forward on the Grimes Bridge/Norcross Street round about.  I am a strong proponent of the round about for several reasons not the least of which is safety.  Kudos to the city council for making the necessary concessions to the residents impacted.  Enjoy this installment of the New Urban Roswell Review!

Roswell

Roswell to Present Plans for Big Creek Bridge Project - AJC

This will be presented tomorrow night, June 29th, at the Doubletree on Holcomb Bridge.

Roswell Mayor Says He'll Veto City Budget - AJC

This quote from Mayor Jere Wood says it all:

"For the first time in memory ... the City Council has voted to spend more to run Roswell’s government than we expect to receive,"

Region

Atlanta Leaders Hope Streetcar will Win in 2nd Round of U.S. TIGER Grants - Saporta Report

I'm not so sure about the proposed route.  The former proposal was a much better proposal for actually impacting transit in the city for people that live in the city.  I feel that this proposal is reaching and grasping for anything that we can get.

Opportunity Exists to Create a Regional Transit System; New Leaders at the Helm - Saporta Report

Sounds like people in high places are actually starting to realize that a truly regional transit system is needed here in Atlanta.  Notable Excerpt:

"the real opportunity that is unfolding is that the Atlanta region is starting to think about consolidating all our disparate transit agencies into one integrated system — fulfilling the original vision of four decades ago when MARTA was supposed to be a five-county transit agency."

Developer: Work on Streets of Buckhead to Resume - AJC

Ben Carter claims to have the additional funding needed to resume and finish construction on his Streets of Buckhead development.  That hole in the ground needs to get finished otherwise it will leave a huge scar in one of the nicest spots of Atlanta's most famous streets.  He says construction will resume in July.  We'll see.

Is it Game Over for Atlanta - NewGeography.com

This article posits that Atlanta has reached maturity and it will be much harder to grow and improve for the capital of the New South. Notable Excerpt:

Though perhaps it is too early to declare “game over” for Atlanta, converging trends point to a possible plateauing of Atlanta remarkable rise, and the end of its great growth phase.

The converging trends they discuss are: Slowing Growth, Aging Infrastructure at Capacity, Other Competitive Cities in the Southeast, Being Caught in the Middle of its Sprawling Growth Phase and its Urbanization Phase at the Wrong Time and finally Atlanta Being at Maturity

Ga Tech to Study Aerotropolis Health Impacts - Atlanta Business Chronicle

$147k to determine the health impacts of building on a former industrial site right next to the Airport.  Is constant jet noise hazardous to your health?

GM Doraville Plant Plan Still in the Works - Atlanta Business Chronicle

New Broad Street of Florida is still looking to purchase and develop location of the former GM Plant.  We should know more by the end of the summer.  On the company's website they quote president David Pace as saying;

"this is the best urban infill site in the country for a large transit-oriented development."

I don't disagree.  This is also the same company that did Celebration and Baldwin Park in Orlando.  

Beyond

Why They Hate Us - A New Urbanist Dissects the Movement's Critics - Architect Magazine

This is Jeff Speck's rebuttal of an article that was moderately critical of his most recent book The Smart Growth Manual.  He does a good job dividing up the critics and addressing each group. Notable Excerpt:

How, by any possible stretch of the imagination, could it be considered efficient, healthy, or even acceptable to have spent the better part of a society’s wealth constructing a national landscape in which most citizens require a one-ton, poison-belching prosthetic device to satisfy their daily needs?

The Death and Life of Buffalo's Parks - City Parks Blog

This post makes a good quick case for smarter development.  Essentially, it states that we have invested so much in expensive infrastructure that we are not able to progressively work on schools, parks, cultural institutions and other public services.  This made me think of Mayor Wood's promise to veto the Roswell city budget due to deficit spending.    

Enraged at the Gulf Spill and the Appetite for Oil that Led to it? Stop Land Development on the Fringe - Kaid Benfield NRDC Switchboard

The first paragraph sums it up: "Enraged at the spill in the Gulf and the American appetite for oil that ultimately caused it?  Stop land development on farmland, forests and other fringe locations and direct future development to close-in opportunities.  A massive new study, years in the making, makes it crystal-clear that it can make a big difference."

Poverty Comes to the Suburbs - Governing.com

Suburbs watch out.  Christopher Leinberger calls them the next slums and this article takes a look at the reality of increasing poverty rates in a wealthy Chicago suburb.  Notable Excerpt:

Poverty is on the rise in suburban areas nationwide. Some of it is pure demographics: More people are moving to the suburbs, so more poor people live in the suburbs. But there's more to it than that. The housing crisis and recession have hit suburbs harder than other places, which means foreclosures and unemployment have an outsize impact on suburban communities. By 2008, according to the Brookings Institution, the nation's suburbs were home to the largest and fastest-growing poor population in the nation.

Facts & Fun

Painfully Hysterical Daily Show Clip on the Presidential Response to the Oil Spill

81 percent of Georgians live in the 15 metropolitan areas in the state, 84
percent of the jobs are in these metro areas, and they account for 89 percent of the GDP of the state.

New Urban Roswell Review

Downtown Atlanta could use some work. These nature band aids as Jim Kunstler would call them don't make pedestrians feel warm and fuzzy.We're playing a little catch up here with the backlog of interesting stories that are worthy of comment.  Here's a recap of what we've seen out there on the interwebs of late.

First though, I could probably do a whole post on this but I thought everyone would like to read what Jim Kunstler started is blog post recapping his trip to Atlanta for CNU18 with...  "If the Devil created an anti-city, a place where people would feel least human, Atlanta would surely be that place -- despite the prayerful babble of tongues emanating from the evangelical roller rinks at every freeway off-ramp.:  To read the full post click here.  Also, his most recent podcast focuses on the city of Atlanta and you must check out his post The Horror of Downtown Atlanta. It's hysterical and painful all in the same breath.

Roswell

Georgia DOT and City of Alpharetta Plan Improvements to Hwy 9, Eventually - North Fulton Blog

Personally, I think Alpharetta needs the city center project a whole lot more than it needs a beautified Main St/Hwy 9. I drive that route every day at rush hour from Roswell to Windward Pkwy and back. It is rare that there is significant congestion. Don’t get me wrong, it does get backed up but nothing like other areas. The more you cater to the car, the more cars will come. I do like the fact that there will be sidewalks and the streetscape will be beautified but that won’t do as much for the city. What has a beautified streetscape on Windward done? It’s brought a bunch of crappy development that can’t be accessed by anything other than a car. Yes, there are sidewalks but they don’t get much use. 

Roswell to Present Plans for the Big Creek Bridge Road Project - AJC

Any relief to the dreaded congestion on Holcomb Bridge Road is welcome.  There will be an informational session held at the Doubletree on Holcomb Bridge Rd in Roswell from 630pm - 830pm on Tuesday June 15th.  The current plan is for a two-lane road with bicycle lanes and a multi-use trail which will connect east and west Roswell across Ga. 400.

Georgia

Four Keys to How HB277 Can Mean a Better Transit System for Metro Atlanta - Saporta Report

Here's a sneak peek at the four keys...  Read the article if you want more detail. 

1. Allow road and transit projects to compete evenly.

2. Create the right road/transit balance.

3. Persuade the region that we all benefit from the plan.

4. Create a truly regional transit system.

Notable Excerpt: Georgia ranks 49th in per capita spending for transportation and is the only state among the ten largest (and one of only six overall) that provides no state funding for transit.

State Wants Federal Money for High Speed Rail - Georgia Public Broadcasting

Apparently the GDOT has been doing a little work on some rail planning.  We've already fallen behind the 8 ball in the HSR game but I guess it's never too late to ask for help.  The state is asking for $16.5M to plan the construction of a HSR loop that would go from Atlanta to Athens to Augusta to Savannah to Macon and back to Atlanta.  Wow!

Funding Key for Cobb Light Rail Proposal - AJC

This came as a surprise to me.  I had never thought of a light rail system in Atlanta that connected to no other train systems.  Essentially, Cobb is looking at a 14 mile light rail line running from the Cumberland Galleria area in Smyrna to the Town Center area in Kennesaw.  It would link into bus systems but it would  not connect to any other rail systems.  In a way, I like the idea as it will reduce traffic along a major corridor but I think I'd have to see a lot more TOD in the area to be convinced that it would really work.  It wouldn't be in place until at least 2019, so we can take some time to figure it out.

Beyond

The Man Who Reinvented the City - The Atlantic

This interview with Andres Duany definitely sparked some buzz. His suggestion that the millenial generation behaves like locusts when they find a downtown area with atmosphere, basically coming in in huge groups that the area wasn't designed to accommodate and ruining the urban fabric, caused quite a stir. This is worth a read. Good luck loading the comments though. 

Smart Growth Incorporates Lessons from Planning Mistakes - Washington Post

This op-ed from Roger K. Lewis makes a good, layperson case for smart growth. It addresses the common concerns from most suburban dwellers about density, road building and traffic congestion. It is the common mis-conception that smart growth will immediately bring downtown urbanity to the suburbs and that quiet suburban neighborhoods will be forced to accommodate throngs of automobiles and traffic. This just simply isn't the case and more op-ed's of this nature are needed to help people understand.

Detroit to Demolish Itself, Historic Homes and All - WSJ.com

I've really been curious about how Detroit is going to deal with the shrinking of it's population.  It has approximately 90,000 vacant or abandoned structures.  They are planning on tearing down 3,000 of those before the end of September.  

Notable Quote: "Neighborhoods that are considered stable are now at 20% vacancy," said Deborah Younger, a development consultant involved in the demolition effort.

Feds Approve High Speed Rail Plan - CFCnews13.com

Florida continues to stay one step ahead of Georgia (and this isn't just football).  They have received federal approval for their HSR plans to connect virtually all of the major cities in the state.  

Facts & Fun Stuff

Planetizen posted a really cool Periodic Table of Planning

Streets take up approximately 1/3rd of the typical american city.

One in five American drivers could not pass the written driving exam. 

Walkscore Ranks Turner Field the 24th most walkable baseball stadium in MLB.

Fire Truck Fail

CNU18 Review

Atlanta recently played host to the 18th Congress for the New Urbanism aka CNU18. The theme of this year's congress was New Urbanism: Rx For Healthy Places. It was put on with support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here in Atlanta. The event brought leaders in New Urbanism and Smart Growth to Atlanta for several days. There were obviously a number of lectures but I think the biggest win for Atlantans might have been the 18 or so tours that went on in the area.

We even had one here in Roswell that was hosted by our very own Lew Oliver of Whole Town Solutions as well as the AIA and ICA. I helped out at the event pouring wine for tour participants (and myself) at Bulloch Hall. From what I could tell, the event was a success and our guests went away with a good feel for our city and the classical architecture that has been well preserved here.

Here is a video that kicked the conference off.

Now, I didn't attend the conference as I just don't have that kind of dough hanging around. However, I have scoured the internet to find videos, podcasts and articles that will give you a pretty good overview of what went down.

Video:

David Byrne speaking about new urbanism and bicycling

Part 1

Part 2

Podcasts

Strong Towns Presentation

Strong Towns Blog Post

James Howard Kunstler

Andres Duany on the Smart Growth Manual

Articles

David Byrne on Bicycles, Atlanta's Sprawl and Burying Highways - Creative Loafing Notable Quote: “…if you only drive to meet people exactly like yourself, you aren’t really sharing ideas, you’re just reinforcing your own pre-existing ideas. The thing about many cities — and getting out of the tin bubble — is that they facilitate random encounters, inspirations and connections.”

CNU Folks Pray for City Build for People and Bicycles - Saporta Report Notable Quotes: “I personally feel like the new urbanists bend over backwards to accommodate cars,” Brewer said, adding that one of his favorite places in the world is Eze in France, which is built into a hill on two-and-a-half acres — too compact a community for cars. “Why aren’t we new urbanists building new Ezes?” Brewer asked. “Why aren’t we more willing to put cars out. Keeping cars out means peace and quiet.

Beaches, Booze and Briefs: A New Urban Odyssey and Retail Lament - Place Shakers Blog Notable Quote: "CNU 18 was inspirational, uplifting and educational as usual, however, Atlanta’s downtown tourist district offered only a regrettable shopping experience. It was nearing my 9th day quickly and it dawned on me that in order to buy new shirts, pants, socks, and under garments for everyday use (and not consisting of souvenirs) I was at the mercy of a car and regional retail on the suburban fringe."

New Urbanists Convene in "Sprawlanta" Seeking Solutions to Bright Flight - Fast Company Notable Quote: "the suburban poor population grew at roughly five times the rate of the city poor population over the decade." The result is what has been termed as "bright flight" -- the shift among younger, highly educated, higher earning Americans from suburbs to cities, overturning the pattern of their parents' and grandparents' generation."

New Urbanism for the Apocalypse - Fast Company

Interesting Facts:

Georgia's CNU membership as of 2008 ranked 7th in the US. (Better than you might have thought)

Atlanta has the highest number of babies born in traffic of any U.S.

If you have any additional links or if you would like to add to the discussion, please post your comments.