Build the Boutique Hotel on the Square

 This is the fifth post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

I have to say that I think this is one of the best ideas out there for revitalization in the heart of Roswell and not just because I live about 300 feet away from the proposed location.  It was approved in mid-2008 but due to the economy, it never got off the ground.  It's a beautifully designed property that could be a game changer in Roswell.

The local synergies that would be realized if this were to come to fruition would be incredible.  They would come in the form or a more coherent location for our special events lodging.  There are weddings, proms, holiday parties and all kinds of other events that go on right in the heart of Roswell every weekend but the only lodging is out by 400.  The ability for hotel guests to walk to our destinations and to events would be great.  Not to mention, this project would give them the ability to enjoy our beautiful heritage and scenery instead of bunking at a chain hotel next to the freeway.

From an urbanism standpoint, it would help complete the square which badly needs to tighten up its sense of enclosure.  If you've been to both Marietta's square and our square, you'll know what I mean.

The price tag on this project was put at about $70M back around 2008 which is hefty.  To put it into perspective, that is roughly equivalent to the price of the Atlanta Streetcar.  So, I don't think this one is going to happen anytime soon.  But, I do hope the idea stays out there.

images: TalMar Development

A Truly Regional Transportation System in Atlanta

This is the fourth post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

So, I could go on an on about this one but we'll keep it short.  I'd like to see a truly regional transit system.  It's starting to look possible with all of the wrangling around the MARTA exclusion in HB277.  So, who knows?  Maybe this wish will come true.

Here's my idea.  Dismantle MARTA... Rename the whole thing Atlanta Regional Transit System... ARTSY for short..  

Tie the whole thing together with a theme around the arts and engage local business, schools, and citizens to participate.  I envision something similar to Art on the Beltline except on a MUCH larger scale.  Buses & Trains would be wrapped with artwork instead of advertisements.  Stations  stops would be uniquely artistic.  Local schools would have contests to design a bus, train or station and winners would actually get their designs put into use.

I think a rebranded, refocused regional system would do a lot to change the image/stigma of the current system and ridership would likely begin to increase relatively quickly.  However a strong TOD approach would be needed to bring the system up to date and make us competitive with other major metros in the US.  

image: Citizens for Progressive Transit

Redesign South Atlanta Street ASAP

This is the third post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

So, we have a great plan for South Atlanta Street. I guess there are just other priorities. Those reversible lanes are dangerous and the sidewalks down to the river are woefully inadequate. Do we need someone to die before the city takes action on this area? If I had my way, this would be one of the top priorities.

Additionally, as a major gateway to our city, the aesthetics should really be improved.

Actually Implement the. DPZ Master Plan

This is the second post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell.  None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to.  Please enjoy and have a happy holidays! 

We all know what happens with master plans… The community gets excited, people participate and get excited about the future of their community. Then, once the planners are gone, the draft just sits on a shelf and collects dust. This isn’t exactly the case but due to the fact that development and changes in land use patterns move at glacial speed, the community feels that nothing is happening.

What we need to do is actually commit to investing in the infrastructure upgrades that are outlined in our new master plan. Then create incentive and reward systems that will spur the development that we are looking for. Additionally, people need to lose their fear of ‘density’ but that’s a side conversation that I’ll reserve for another day.

My point is that too many master plans end up being dreams instead of actually being implemented. So, the second item on my Christmas wish would be to actually implement the hypothetical DPZ master plan on an accelerated schedule.

A DPZ Master Plan for Roswell

This is the first post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the Imagine Roswell 2030 process. I think as many of us as possible should participate and I think we will get a decent master plan out of it. However, we need a company that specializes in new urbanist and smart growth planning to come in and organize a master plan that will give us the tools to grow into a truly sustainable community over the next 20 years and beyond. We need to further invest in our city center, reduce the amount of placeless sprawl, create more diverse communities, restructure our land-use policies to be more efficient and continue to embrace our built heritage. The company that the city is currently working with , POND|ECOS, has experience in the Atlanta area and are doing some interesting projects that are environmentally progressive. I’m optimistic but the jury is still out.

Now, when you look at DPZ (Duany Plater-Zyperk), they are simply the best in the game (although their website could use a little work). The company was founded by husband and wife partners Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, pioneers of New Urbanism and Smart growth. Sure other companies come close but none have the New Urbanist and Smart Growth street cred that DPZ has. If you are not familiar with DPZ, they have authored more New Urbanist plans than any other company and they essentially created the Smart Code and they designed Seaside. Need I say more? The ideas and logic that they could bring to the table for improving Roswell would be incredible.

Compare POND|ECOS to DPZ, and there is no contest. DPZ is a firm that has done plans and/or codes for cities like Miami, Baton Rouge, Fort Meyers, Naples, Downtown LA, Sarasota, West Palm Beach… you get the drift. Now, I’m not saying that POND|ECOS can’t get the job done but if we truly want to differentiate ourselves from the rest of North Fulton, we should be looking in another direction for our planning. If we don’t we’ll end up just like the rest of the suburban cities in and around Atlanta.

Now, don’t take this as a railing of POND|ECOS because it’s not. It’s my personal wish for the best there is to offer for Roswell.

Now here’s my take on the pros and cons:

Pros

• Experience – DPZ planners come with unparalleled experience Place Making - Exceptional plans that accomplish the ultimate goal of place making

Cons

• Price – I’m sure DPZ is crazy expensive

The New Urban Roswell Christmas Wishlist

So, we wanted to get into the spirit of the holidays here at New Urban Roswell and could think of no better way to do so than to share our Roswell Wish List with our readers. Over the next 25 days, we will be posting an item from our wish list daily. As you know, we don’t usually post that frequently but we’re excited for this and our list has grown to include a lot of items. It reminds me of what I used to send to Santa each year except that a kid would find this stuff really, really boring. Not this kid though!!

The coming posts are ideas, not necessarily our own, that we think would be great for Roswell and in some cases the region. We hope you enjoy and have a happy holidays!

High Speed Bus Plan - The Onion Style

This was too hysterical to resist. Enjoy!

Obama Replaces Costly High-Speed Rail Plan With High-Speed Bus Plan

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

Tea Party in a Parking Lot

As a general rule of thumb, I like to stay away from politics on this blog. The reason I do is because I view the issues that I discuss as apolitical. However, this was a little too strange to pass up.

Yesterday, I was driving through the Alpharetta Hwy/Holcomb Bridge intersection and noticed that a Tea Party rally was going on in the 'Town Center' shopping plaza parking lot. The backdrop for the stage was Alpharetta Hwy with a view of Chick-fil-a to the left and a closed big box to the right. Now, I couldn't think of too many worse places in Roswell to hold a rally if you are looking to restore the country to the good conservative values of yesteryear. I don't think our founding fathers had arterial roads, big box stores or fast food on their minds when they whipped up the constitution.

Before you go crazy with your comments, I recognize that this is one of the most traveled intersections in Roswell and it surely gained visibility. However, the message may have been lost on some.

image: Google Street View

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.