I Love LEGO

I’m not the biggest fan of skyscrapers... they’re cool and all but I don’t think they’re the best design option for cities...  They are most likely going to be unsustainable in the long run having more downside than upside.  However, I’m a big fan of the creativity and imagination they can spark.  Kids generally love them and well designed skyscrapers are generally fun to look at.  The National Building Museum in DC has a cool exhibit right now of LEGO skyscrapers and monuments.  Here’s the architect Adam Tucker with his collection of Chicago skyscrapers.  There are some amazing replicas.  

image: National Building Museum

Oxbo Reallignment - Increasing Connectivity

The city council recently approved the a design contract for the realignment of Oxbo Road!!!   This is not a project that is going to occur overnight but it will be a fantastic win for the historic district.  After the design phase, right of way acquisition ($3.6M) and construction ($3M) will still be needed.

It will add two new intersections to our network and will make an existing one way street into a two way street.  This will not only reduce congestion at the Oxbo/Atlanta St intersection but it will increase connectivity and walkability throughout this entire section of the historic district.  

You can get a more detail in the NorthFulton.com article here.

image: City of Roswell

International Gas Prices - Tax or Subsidize?

 

I thought this graphic was really interesting (click on it for an larger, readable version).  

One of the main pillars of my belief that new urbanism is a solution that will need to be considered by every municipality, town and neighborhood is the almost inevitable rise of fuel and energy prices that we expect to see over the coming decades.  It's not a political or ideological argument.  It's basic economics.  More demand for a fixed supply of a product causes prices to increase.  Couple that with a product that is mainly traded in a currency that is steadily losing value against other currencies and you have a double whammy.  The underlying issues behind both of these causalities are apolitical.  Politicians did not make up peak oil and both parties have led the country down the path to financial instability.  

Now, there's been a lot of talk about how expensive our gas is and how our politicians should do something about it.  The frequent 'thanking' of Mr. Obama for our high gas prices bugs me and I'm not really a supporter or detractor.  It just seems a bit of a stretch to blame our president for a situation that is largely out of any individual's or policy's control.  Even if we could somehow encourage the companies we have any type of influence over to drill, pump & refine more, it wouldn't even put a dent into our overall demand.  The big non-nationalized oil companies control a miniscule amount of the world's oil reserves.  The majority are controlled by nationalized petro companies.  

Don't be fooled when you hear that companies are being kept from drilling domestically.  There are currently more than 68 million acres of land leases that are going unused in the US.  If Shell, Chevron, Exxon or anyone else thought it was financially beneficial at this point in time to drill on those already permitted sites, they sure as shootin' would be.  Are there two main areas that companies might consider drilling on (ANWAR & the Eastern Gulf)? Yes, but they really aren't the saviors some thing they are.  Looking at the gulf, it produces about 25% of our domestic oil or about 9% of our total usage.  If we could somehow magically increase production in the gulf by 50% we might be able to increase that from 9% to 13% of our total.. Now a 50% increase isn't realistic.  What is realistic?  Probably less than 10%.  What I'm getting at here is there is no silver bullet domestic oil solution.  There are too many problems with both production and supply to detail in this post.  Suffice it to say that the economics of domestic drilling making any meaningful dent in the price of gas just don't add up.

I can recall a number of people beating up Bush a few years ago when the super spike happened (Obama for one).  Saying that he and his oil men were soaking up profits at the expense of the American people.  Complete nonsense.  Did people make piles of cash?  Yes. Absolutely.  Was a major head of state complicit? Probably not.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's take a look at this really interesting study and infographic.  The underlying study (here) suggests that the US is essentially the baseline price for an unsubsidized fuel nation.  Maybe we are the Goldie Locks of gas prices?  

It seems to me that if the government intervened to lower the price of gasoline significantly, they would need to subsidize that price reduction in some way (pay for production, reduce taxes, release reserves).  I don't think we can do that and I'm not sure it would make sense to.  Now, in all reality the current gas tax is miniscule.  Especially when we compare ourselves to other countries around the world.  We probably can't go lowering that much given the crappy state of affairs we have going on with our infrastructure which is what we are told receives the funds from the federal gas tax.  Looking at the overall price of $0.76/liter, there aren't very many countries below us that aren't oil rich nations.  I'm arguing that we probably pay a pretty fair price for gas when you look at what the rest of the world is paying.  

You know what would lower the amount you pay at the pump though?  Living in a community where you can walk to a high percentage of your daily needs.  Where can you do that in North Fulton??  Not very many places.  Here are a few; Historic Roswell, Milton-Crabapple and Downtown Alpharetta.  Some of the subdivisions around North Point mall are in an okay location too. 

Looking at this, do you think we should raise taxes, subsidize prices or keep the status quo?  I'm in favor of the status quo myself but I'm not sure we're going to enjoy being to the very left of this graph in the long term.  

Image: GTZ.de  Hat tip: Infrastructurist.com

Do Employers Follow Talent? Will Talent Come to N.Fulton?

These are two questions that I often ponder over.  I believe the answers are yes and no, with one exception that will slowly die off.  Given the demographic shifts underway pointing to the younger generation’s preference of walkable mixed-use environments over drivable suburbia, I firmly believe that employers that are dependent on a young vibrant workforce will be forced to consider moving to follow the talent.  Places like NYC, Boston, DC, Portland, Seattle and Austin are leading the charge in attracting the young talent.

The North Fulton situation is okay at the moment and Alpharetta does act as a major job center.  However, in my mind the data center and call center niche that Alpharetta has built over the last decade will begin to erode as employers start to find other more healthy talent centers in the coming years.  A data center is a mammoth investment and those will stick around for a while but talent will trump sunk costs and I foresee that we will see some changes in that arena in the next 5-10 years.

I recently came across this article.  It concerns a letter written by a Detroit law firm partner who firmly feels that his firm will need to relocate in order to survive.  His reason is that they cannot attract the talent required to stay competitive.  Overall, the piece sums up my thoughts pretty well.  Those are that the sprawling mono-culturistic built environment that suburbia has become does not attract talent and communities that hang their hats on the sprawling development pattern as their hallmark will suffer significantly over the next 10 years.  Does Detroit have problems other than sprawl?  Absolutely, but sprawl has exasperated many of those problems.

Here are the two key quotes in my mind: 

The fundamental problem it seems to me is that our region as gone berserk on suburbia to the expense of having any type of nearby open space or viable urban communities, which are the two primary spatial assets that attract and retain the best human capital.

Things are spread too far apart. You have to drive everywhere. There's no mass transit. There are no viable cities. Lots of it is really ugly, especially the mile after mile of sterile and often dingy suburban strip shopping and utility wires that line our dilapidated roads. There's no nearby open space for most people. It's impossible to get around by bike without taking your life in your hands. Most people lead sedentary lifestyles.

What do you think?  Can North Fulton thrive in 10 - 15 - 20 years without the mixed-use, transit oriented development that the younger generations desire? 

My vote is no.. 10 years from now, N.Fulton will be a much less desirable place to live all around.. The suburban housing stock built during the boom years will be aging and the folks who originally bought these places in the 2000’s intent on selling in 3-4 years for a windfall will still own them and in many cases will be renting them.  There won’t be many new homes built and there won’t be much in the way of mixed-use or transit although Alpharetta has approved three well intentioned projects and Roswell has a couple of opportunities.  The historic town centers of Roswell and Alpharetta as well as the up and coming Milton Crabapple area will be the most desirable locations but they will be powerless to have any meaningful impact on the demographic shift that is underway.  Johns Creek is not going to fare well at all.  The creativity and energy that businesses require and thrive on will be going elsewhere and over time, the businesses that feed on them will move as well.  

What can we do?  I say we start building an environment that works for as much of society as possible.  Kids out of college might work in N.Fulton but they generally don’t pick N.Fulton as a home.  Singles in their late twenties and early thirties are a little more common but they’re still going to look at Sandy Springs, Buckhead or an intown neighborhood primarily.  Families? Yes.. N.Fulton does have the family thing down but it could be a lot better.  Empty nesters? Yes, but many are starting to look into downsizing and will have limited options.  Retirees?  Yes, but over time that number will dwindle.  Elderly who can’t drive?  If they are in N.Fulton, I feel for them and their families because they have now become dependents.  If we truly want to be a great place to live that will be sustainable in the long term, we need to make our cities great places to live for everyone not just families.  In the coming years, I believe this is the best bet to ensure stable employment centers.

Watch & Learn: Built to Last...

I came across this great time lapsed video of Paris through the Urbanophile blog the other day. Paris is an incredible city and is a great example of a city whose 'old urbanism' has shaped the modern smart growth and new urbanist movements. I've only been to Paris twice for very short times but the thing that impressed me the most about it was how at home you feel in the environment even when you don't speak the language. Things just seem to be built at the right scale for human activity. The other thing that always kills me is that these buildings were built 100+ years ago. The people who built them intended for them to be there for centuries. We don't build things like that to frequently anymore. Check out the video

Le Flâneur (music by The XX) from Luke Shepard on Vimeo.

You're getting a 2 for 1 today since I couldn't resist posting this incredible video of Paris shot in 1976 by the driver of a Ferrari racing through the streets at what must be incredible speeds. Illegal.. yes, badass.. yes.. glad no one got hurt... yes. Enjoy!

Parking on Canton St, Beltline Progress and Regional Transit?

I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last NUR Review.  I’ve been sidetracked with another project I’ve been working on.  We’re catching up on news since early February so some of the news might be a little dated.

Roswell

Canton Street restaurants eye parking spaces | Roswell-Neighbor

If they are going to do this, it needs to be all or none.  Also, do not cut out the automobile traffic and make it into a pedestrian mall.  There is not enough density to support a pedestrian mall in our area.

City Council Agrees on Proposed Road Projects | Roswell, GA Patch

The city voted on a list of six projects to submit to the Regional Transit Roundtable.  The six projects are the Highway 9 Historic Gateway, Big Creek River Bridge Phase 1, Big Creek to the River Multi-Use Trail Connection, North Fulton Cross County Trail Connection, Houze Road Operational Improvements and Holcomb Bridge/GA 400 Interchange Improvements.  I think that all of these are necessary and the list is appropriate for our municipality.  now, we won’t be getting all of them but I’m sure we’ll see one or two make their way into the regional list of projects.

Cruzeiro Esporte considering Atlanta? | Atlanta Business Chronicle

So, this isn’t our usual type of news review.  However, this could be very interesting for Roswell and N.Fulton.  Cruzeiro has a huge youth program and could bring major attention to N. Fulton.  The facility would need about 100 acres, could have 18 fields and investment could be $20 to $40 million.  This might be something nice to put in or around the Holcomb Bridge/400 interchange.

Alpharetta Wants to Make Plans for Vacant Auto Dealerships, Big Box Retail Stores | Alpharetta-Milton Patch

We need to seriously start looking into ideas like this here in Roswell.  The state of empty big-box retail and car dealerships in our city is dismal.  

Region

High-speed rail funding would build new $39 million Amtrak station near Atlantic Station | Creative Loafing

This could be neat.. but it’s still AMTRAK.  

Leaders Push Transit Plan That Ends MARTA | WSB Atlanta

Please... make this happen!!

ARC pushes for transit governance | NorthFulton.com

Again.. please... make this happen!!

PolitiFact Georgia | Atlanta Streetcar projected to be jobs boon

This is some very interesting info on what makes a job a job.  When you hear about how many jobs a project is expected to create, economists, politicians and developers have a pretty nifty way of making things sound better than they actually are.  

Alpharetta Council OKs Mixed-Use Rezoning on Haynes Bridge Near GA 400 - Alpharetta-Milton, GA Patch

This is old news but if you haven’t seen it, there is some interesting commentary on the Alpharetta Met life project

BeltLine Construction Could Begin in March - Virginia Highland-Druid Hills, GA Patch

It's becoming an reality.  I can't wait to go for a walk on the trail.

Historic Fourth Ward Park, the newest Beltline greenspace, opens | Creative Loafing Atlanta

If you haven’t seen this park, it’s a true gem thus far.  Great addition to Atlanta’s park system and it’s also another piece of the BeltLine that’s starting to take shape.

City wants downtown streetcar to use new Beltline friendly vehicles — for an additional $9 million | Creative Loafing Atlanta

This makes total sense and the city should work to make this happen for the long term success of both projects.

City Hall East details trickle out: Adios parking deck, hello 'food hall?' | Creative Loafing Atlanta

Another neat project that’s near the BeltLine.

Atlanta Wins Two ‘Opportunity’ Zones | Atlanta Business Chronicle

More good news for City Hall East.

Doraville presents final plan for GM plant, town center  | ajc.com

Please just do something here.  

Alpharetta Buying Downtown Property for City Center | Alpharetta-Milton, GA Patch

Alpharetta may be looking to revive its City Center project sometime soon.  I'm looking forward to seeing their idea.

Atlantic Station, prepare for your spellbinding transformation into the 'anti-mall!' | Creative Loafing Atlanta

Thankfully, the new owners are planning to do something with the retail in Atlantic Station. I’d love to see a more local and regional focus.

Streets of Buckhead may come to life | Atlanta Business Chronicle

New ownership and new life have people much more optimistic about the SoB these days.  Let’s hope they get the cranes moving again.  

Development, in high times or low, can’t crush Smyrna’s blooms  | ajc.com

Smyrna is starting to feel a little optimism about development.  

What's Another Billion Amongst Friends? - The NUR Transportation Wish List

With the HB277 regional transportation referendum coming up in 2012 and the wish list of regional transportation projects starting to take form, I thought it would be fun to put a regional wishlist of my own together.  Below are the eight projects that I would like to see prioritized: 

1. Beltline - Prioritization of the BeltLine transit component should be a top consideration.  This project will do more to reign in the traffic inducing sprawl than any other in the metro area by bringing development closer to the regional core.  If done right, new residents who would normally consider the outlying suburbs as well as some of the existing residents of the burbs will consider moving closer into town.

2. Cover the Connector - There is an incredible amount of downtown real estate that is not being used.  Where is it?  Aside from all the surface parking lots.... I'm talking about the space above the connector from 17th street south to the Capitol.  Although I too use the term connector, it's actually not correct.  The road is a major divider of the downtown core.  I would envision a system of parks and boulevards on top of the connector that would bring the east and the west sides of the city together.  

Here's a picture of the interstate under construction at Ga Tech and the Varsity.  Yes, where we have divided the city, there used to actually be neighborhoods.  Covering the connector will do nothing for traffic but it will to an incredible amount for the city and region.

3. Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal - The rail and transit infrastructure in Atlanta has suffered for some time.  The multi-modal passenger terminal that has been proposed by the city will do a lot to change that.  It would accommodate subway, commuter rail, buses and future high speed rail (if that ever happens).  The city recently selected the proposal by Cousins Properties.  Their vision outlined in the proposal is as follows:

"Below the street" is a central transit hub, a connecting point. "Above" is a vibrant, mixed-use urban environment, driven by the market, linking downtown Atlanta neighborhoods and activity centers with reconnected street grids and green spaces.  The transportation connectivity below drives the Region and the State, while the development above creates new linkages that reconnect the City.

Man, that was a lot of buzzword planning jargon du-jour.  I'm not opposed to any of it and I'd love to see it realized.  Unfortunately, they did not provide any renderings but one of the competing bids from Perkins+Will did.  Here's a rough image of their proposal which probably isn't too different from the Cousins vision.

4. Put Rail in the Center Lanes - So, you want to figure out how to run transit through our cities without having to pay insane amounts for right of way?  Take the center lanes away and turn them into rail.  It would look something like the center lane down 400 just north of the Buckhead business district.

5. Create a Truly Regional Transit System & Rebranding MARTA - If we are going to create a regional transportation system, we need a regional governing body to manage that system.  MARTA sucks.. let's face it.  There is a stigma that isn't going away... ever.  We need to bring Fulton, Dekalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, et al. together and act like a region.  I believe Atlanta's image will suffer until we can coalesce into a coherent region.  

I've floated the name ARTSY in a previous post.  Since then, I heard that some folks are pushing the name "The ATL" for a new regional system.  I'm okay with that as it is a reference that many people use and identify with the region and it would constantly remind people of the fact that they are part of a larger region 'The ATL.'

The planning efforts should follow the Concept 3 plan and work to spread rail and light rail to the suburban city centers.  The map below is a great place to start.  Unfortunately, the work detailed in the map would cost upwards of $100B and our region isn't going to have that type of cash.. ever.  So, we should take the best pieces and make them work.

 

  
6. Tell Art Blank NO NEW STADIUM - This isn't really transportation related but do we really need a new stadium? Right next to the existing stadium? When that stadium isn't going to be torn down?  I don't think so.  Plus, I think the several hundred million of taxpayer dollars that will undoubtedly go into a new stadium could be better allocated to some of the projects that will be on the HB277 list.  Plus, the Georgia Dome just makes more sense.  It's located right in between two MARTA stations and it's only 20 years old!

7. 200 miles of dedicated bike/pedestrian paths connecting the region - I know this seems a bit ridiculous but I personally think we could make huge strides in health, community and energy consumption if more people felt like they could safely bike around their town.  I'm not talking bike lanes.  I'm talking dedicated trails such as the Alpharetta Greenway, Silver Comet Trail and the Beltline trail system.

8. Road Work - Take the rest and dedicate to road repair, maintenance and bottleneck reduction on our roads.  It's going to cost a lot to maintain this monstrosity which was one of GDOT's 'highlights' of 2009.

That's it. There isn't much directly for Roswell itself on my list but many of the items incorporate expansion of transit alternatives into the suburbs and I would prioritize the extension of the North Springs line to Windward Parkway.  If you want to drive jobs and development to our city and region in this day and age, the best way to do it is to invest in our city centers and regional center and provide high quality mobility choices.  The days of the American love affair with the car are numbered.  We need to get used to the idea that mobility won't be as cheap or easy and start thinking about ways to mitigate that.  

Images: The BeltLine Partnership | Atlanta Time Machine | Perkins+Will | marklarson Flickr | Citizens for Progressive Transit | Populous | Path Foundation | GDOT

Density and Mixed Use in Roswell

Anyone who has read this blog knows that I'm a supporter of mixed-use development as well as livable, context appropriate density.  We keep up with issues that are going on in and around Roswell and today, I came across an article in the Roswell Neighbor that I found interesting.  Essentially, the East Roswell Forum, one of the groups responsible for crashing the mixed-use/density party at Holcomb Bridge/400 the first time around, has decided to sound the alarm bells to the leaders of its member subdivisions about the potential resurrection of mixed-use and density at the HBR/400 intersection in the Roswell 2030 master plan.  For the record, I do feel that the proposal this group rallied against was inappropriate and I am glad it was not built.

That being said, this group obviously yields some power but I'm not sure just how representative they are of the community as a whole.  Unfortunately, the article did not link directly to the email that was circulated.  So, there is no way to determine whether it is representative and/or factually accurate.

Anyway, I have attended four of the Imagine 2030 meetings and have seen scores of residents come out to give input.  There is no effort to hide this master planning effort from the populace.  I even drove all the way out to East Roswell Park for the event held on the east side of town.  I found that it was well attended although not crowded.  Now, I'm not sure what section of town all of attendees live in but I can assure you that the meetings weren't attended exclusively by developers, politicians and realtors.  From my anecdotal discussions, most people were simply residents of Roswell who cared enough to take time out of their busy lives to attend.  Many of them were supporters of gradual increases in density and mixed-use but for the most part they wanted more walkability, bikability and less congestion.

Having said this, virtually every time something came up about the HBR/400 corridor, people wanted it cleaned up.  They dislike what is on the ground there.  I do too. I've actually posted on it before here.  I want something different and I'm going to guess that what I want will match the vision of a good number of our neighbors.  Here's a quick overview: 

• Density - I'm not too concerned with the number here. I'm more concerned with the character and context.  You can have beautiful single family homes that can be in the high teens in units per acre while you can have ugly apartment complexes that are only 10-12 units per acre.  I think we're more concerned with what they look like.  If you've been to Paris since the mid-1800's, you'll notice that they pack an incredible amount of density into the city while still looking and feeling appropriate, beautiful, safe and relatively uncongested.  Below, you're looking at 384 units per acre mixed-use with transit and you wouldn't find significant traffic, crime or overall congestion. You could argue that the French are more civil than we are here in Roswell but I'm not buying it.  The design is the key... not the # of homes on an acre. 

• Transit - Bus Rapid Transit first, then MARTA rail later (density of 10-15 units/acre can support heavy rail ridership needs). Anything built should be done so with the intent of connecting to rail in the future. 
• Building Height - 5-6 stories.  No high-rises.  It's amazing what kind of density you can get even without looking like Hong Kong.  In some areas, Paris actually is more dense than Vancouver, one of the densest cities in the world. 
• Programming - Residential (Townhomes, Condo/Loft, Apartment), Office, Retail, Hotel, Public Space. There might even be some room for single family on this parcel but I don't think it would fly with a potential developer and I'm not sold that Roswell needs more single family housing.  We could definitely use some more class A office space and retail given the number of aging strip malls and office complexes we have.  Not many employers are looking to Roswell these days.  This is a major opportunity to attract high quality jobs to our city.
• Mixed-Use - Significant vertical (intra-building) and horizontal (intra-block) mixed-use.  We don't have to expound too much on this one.  Suffice to say that, on average, new residents of Atlantic Station reduced their overall vehicle miles traveled by more than 70% after moving into Atlantic Station.  They also have reported a high level of satisfaction with amenities like grocery and retail being nearby.  Say what you will about the look of the place but it's hard to argue with the results in the area of driving reduction and convenience.  Many people rail on MU because of the high profile failure of Prospect Park and the Streets of Buckhead but there have been significantly more failures in the single use area since 2007 than there have been in the mixed-use area.  The concept is not the problem, the timing, financing and hubris are.
• Street Grid - Highly networked with two flyways over 400 to the north and south of the current bridge.  If designed properly, a road network coupled with an increase in density in the area could actually increase the mobility.  The key is getting people out of their cars at the peak commuter times and increasing the choices available to them.  If this land is to be developed, I believe we are only going to accomplish a reduction in congestion by building a network and coupling with with a transit component.   

The way I see development in this area should be akin to Glenwood Park off of I-20 in Atlanta... not Atlantic Station.  The city and developers may see differently but I think many of the residents would be happy with something that looks like this.

Now, we should not forget that what is on the table at this point is nothing but an idea of what could potentially go there that resulted from brainstorming sessions with actual Roswell residents.  Nothing is set in stone.  But, at the end of the day, we need to recognize that this parcel of land is extremely valuable and something will happen there.  Do we want it to be useful for the city and attract visitors from the region?  Or do we want a single use office park or 'lifestyle' center that is built to be obsolete in 10 years and does nothing to improve our community?

Images: YouTube! Guess the Housing Density | Dover Kohl & Associates

Traffic Jams Explained.. kind of

I came across this info graphic put together by the Car Insurance Guide through Tom Vanderbilt's How We Drive Blog.  It was too good to not post.  Enjoy...

 

Watch & Learn: Can Removing Traffic Signs Increase Safety?

Readers, watch out! You might think I'm a little crazy here but at least check out the video. I've been having more and more issues with road signs lately. I think it has to do with my belief that our roads are oversigned. You could spend more time reading the signs on the sides of our roads in some places than you actually spend paying attention to the road you are driving on.

No, you might think this is a safety issue but I'm not sure that it is. There have been numerous studies showing that removing signs altogether may actually increase safety due to drivers becoming more aware of their surroundings. Here's a link.

Now check out the video and see a 'shared space' in action.

Now, do I think we could get away with something like this in Roswell? I'm not sure but I think there may be some areas where it could work like the southern end of Canton Street and the new Round About at Norcross St and Grimes Bridge. I'll leave you with this example of over signing.