verge

Thanks for all of your thoughtful and generally excellent analysis-- however the fact remains despite the odds Metro Atlanta's core is densifying significantly... After this deep and long economic crisis is (hopefully) finally over it will be interesting and instructive to see if these urban development patterns remain the same or accelerate... or something else altogether happens...

3 out of 4 ain't bad-- that top one is pretty awful, the rest OK...

Man-- This site plan and architecture are utter crap-- Sembler has really outdone itself this time-- lets hope this recession puts developers like this under once and for all-- at least something good can come of this economic mess...

Just in time for the 'Recession of the Century'-- one wonders how long they will last-- or whether they will even get built...

What is the status of this project?... My understanding was that the next dorm was actually going across Piedmont from this location... I can't imagine the UDC will let them tear down the esiting GSU Sculpture Bldg.?

Actually from an architect's perspective they have the reputation of being a production oriented, sweat-shop-- and mediocre to bad designers-- With architecture-- as in many things, you get what you pay for-- if you want creative, thoughtful design don't hire someone who pulls apt complex's 'out of the drawer' and changes the title block...

from todays AJC-- will run in Sunday's paper: Beltline design: 'A lack of emphasis on quality' Observers say details matter, bemoan focus on getting it done rather than getting it done right http://www.accessatlanta.com/hp/content/ar...tline_0106.html The Beltline began with an epiphany and a gumshoe. Ryan Gravel, then a Georgia Tech graduate student, unearthed the potential of a largely abandoned rail line that had looped through 19th-century Atlanta and proposed the core concept for a reclaimed urban corridor in a 1999 master's thesis. Since then, Gravel's notion has evolved into a project that could transform the city over the next quarter-century, connecting dozens of disparate neighborhoods, fueling economic development and potentially becoming Atlanta's defining feature. To become a successful reality, however, the Beltline needs a vision. The vision is the glue that makes a project

Thanks for the document-- Great to see that Juniper will be treated well-- I think Midtown zoning requires it anyway...

Mixed-Income housing-- of unfortunaly mediocre design...

I certainly hope this moves forward as well-- I have heard that Tivoli has had problems closing on units at Aqua-- Half of them have not closed with the 'owners' forfeiting their deposit monies... Times are very tough in real estate now...

The cure for this is DENSITY... in the right places, and a transit system that goes where people need/ want to go... fortunately the first is happening--- the second is partly there and will follow-- the question is how long will it take and will the state finally step up and support transit?...

I think its the GA-DOT's extension of 15th street-- Sorry no buildings yet...

If Carter is only acting as master developer then the renderings don't mean much (if he is selling off parcels for development)-- I thought that he was doing it himself... is this not the case?---Thanks...

If all of the studies done by architects (my firm included) for developers over the past few years were suddenly built Atlanta would have 20 million people instead of 5...

Thanks for the comments-- that are exactly what I was hoping for-- really trying to start a dialogue about architecture and design... I too am a life-long southerner, and having grown up in one of the most traditional cities in America (albeit in the suburbs), I basically share none of what many would consider 'Southern' preferences (except maybe sweet tea and grits)... In fact I moved to Atlanta precisely because it was NOT so traditional and considerably more open-minded than the place I grew up (even that place has changed now-- Charleston, SC)... and if you're in real estate (I work for developers as well) you understand that while they all follow the 'trends' its the guys that have the vision to break with those that eventually do the best... nobody thought high-rise condos would ever fly in Atlanta 10-15 years ago-- nobody thought that glass towers (ala Novare and many others) would meet Atlanta's traditional tastes-- just look around now... This city is being built and while its naive to think that all of the new stuff will be great (or even very good) anyone who cares should be an advocate for strong urban design and architecture... whether that be cutting edge or historicism- The fact that folks like Chipperfield and Architectonica are doing residential towers here for very sophisticated market-savvy developers speaks volumes about the tastes of 21st century Atlanta- perhaps Mr. Carter needs to reexamine his market, intown Atlanta is not Mall of georgia with better shopping- or do

I stand by what I said--- and while architectural taste may be subjective (as everything on the internet seems to be)... As someone who has practiced architecture for many years, devoted his life to it and has been involved in many efforts to heighten public awareness of good design I can tell you this stuff is pretty dismal and a step back for Atlanta (if only because it is so prominent)... As for Southern tastes that argument (for me, a southerner) is fairly infuriating-- particularly given that Atlanta is populated by folks from all over the country and lately the world... Anything but the highest level of design quality (be that 'cutting edge' or well-done historicism) for Atlanta should not be acceptable, at least not for major projects... Until some critical apparatus is in place here developers will not get the kind of 'feedback' they perhaps need or 'deserve'... This is a critical time for Atlanta as much of what the city will be is being built now--- we all need to hold those that build it to (very) high standards-esp. for projects as big and significant as this one...

You're right, this may actually be worse than Atlantic station (thats saying a lot)... How can a developer with such great taste in public art produce such awful architecture?

Folks should realize that Orlando is a resort town... the mouse with ears thing gives Orlando things that most cities its size wouldn't ordinarily have-- not to mention lots of roller coasters and grown men (or women) in bunny costumes...

Thanks... excellent point--- We should all try to more descriptive when describing why we think of something as good or bad... Cheap certainly is an overly broad description that means many things to many people... I'm just happy that more people are talking about architecture and urban design--

True-- 'cheap' is overused-- but the buildings look quite 'flat' without much detail, having been an architect for a while I am familiar with inexpensive materials and have no problem with that-- just the uninteresting way that they are used...... As for the (is that conservative or unsophisticated?) market-- maybe Atlanta 20 years ago... but just look at other very successful buildings going up around town-- Atlantan's are starting to 'demand' decent architecture... not warmed over, watered down historicism... The Streets of Buckhead--- sounds like a TV Crime-Drama from the 70s....

Regarding 'the new Buckhead village' (Much) Less than inspired architecture... boring and cheap-- If this is indeed what the final construction looks like this will be a very large missed-opportunity indeed... 3630 on the other hand, is a pretty decent design...

Beautiful project on Moreland Ave. in East Atlanta... 742 Moreland... Tried to attach a photo-- not sure how (?)

S+W is a much better firm than Preston, et al... design wise-- In my humble opinion...

Its been under construction for several months... site of the old greyhound station on International...

Less than inspired architecture however (to put it mildly)...