Defining Atlanta
Decatur Metro | May 5, 2009 | 9:43 amAtlantans are always complaining their city has no identity.
Many transplants just don’t look deep enough, while natives often find themselves pointing to events and places that were inevitably torn down between 1950-1980. City historians and marketing gurus look to the skyline and see no Space Needle, Empire State Building or Sears Tower. Apparently the post-modern BOA tower and the city’s dispersed, skyline just doesn’t cut it.
So Atlanta continues on in its struggle to define itself with an unexciting skyline. And all the while the city’s defining characteristic sits not ON Peachtree Road, but one street over. And miles beyond that.
Hilly terrain and dense tree canopy, hide the city’s lasting identity. Its streetcar suburbs.
If the city wants to recapture its image, I would humbly suggest a greater focus on this truly unique resource. And while returning the streetcar to some of its old haunts is the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel for now, we could all benefit from a little bit of “streetcar suburb” marketing. Of course, its not easy to throw a “streetcar suburb” on the cover of a Hotlanta Magazine and say “Come visit our beautiful city!” without looking slightly ridiculous. But a definitive book, documenting this diverse resource would be an excellent first step helping the city define itself. Not just to the world, but to its own residents, old and new.
We don’t have an ocean or the Rocky Mountains to help us out. We need to create our own identity. And as we’ve already touched on, the skyline won’t be filling in anytime soon. I say we go to Plan B.
Amen! The city’s image has come to be defined by the perspective of the new suburbs – horrific traffic, crime and homelessness in the core, surrounded by the nowhereness of endless sprawl….this is a day in the life of the typical Lawrenceville or Canton resident who ventures into ATL for a Braves game or for work.
But Atlanta has, as Jim Kunstler would put it, a place worth caring about in our streetcar suburbs. The problem, or challenge, is that these areas are only experienced by their residents. How do we define Atlanta by something that most Metro residents and visitors never see?
So, you’re planning on helping out Decatur (the only streetcar suburb I can think of, unless you count Inman Park and Candler Park on the way here) by having Atlanta advertise our coolness to the world?
Perhaps those that come can fill that monstrosity they are going to build on the Trinity triangle. Cityville, indeed.
Atlanta has always been insecure about its position in the world and has lacked visionary leadership. Shirley was better than Bill, but always played by the developer’s rules. And Lisa Borders worked for Cousins Properties. There is no better example of what is wrong with Atlanta than the recent destruction of the Buckhead Village. Throw out the bars if you want to, but raze six blocks of vernacular architecture to throw up crap?
Until Atlantans get out of their cars and embrace the current streetcar (MARTA) nothing is going to change.
Decatur’s not the only or the first streetcar suburb. The whole southwest side of Atlanta is filled with them, from my neighborhood of Ormewood Park (a true streetcar suburb) to Grant Park northward to Inman Park, Candler Park, and even VA Highlands. These are the suburbs of old, when Atlanta’s metro area didn’t sprawl for miles, and you’re right, they are the defining characteristic for what Atlanta is to me.
I think that’s why there’s so much appeal around something like the Beltline. It won’t solve out transit issues. But it would connect many of the traditional suburbs that ringed Atlanta in the past and allow them all to reinvent themselves while keeping the sense of history and character that makes them interesting.
I’d like to a see a map of the old streetcar transit system. I’m not having any luck finding one online.
Jeff – a co-worker has put together a google map layer of the various streetcar suburbs built in an around Atlanta (Stone Mountain and Marietta were once part of the system) between the 1870s and 1940s. His work is based on the excellent book “The Trolley Titans” by O.E. Carlson. Check it out (the book) if you are interested in Atlanta’s development and transportation history. Here is the link to the project:
http://www.newsouthassoc.com/tank/
As for the discussion in general, I couldn’t agree more. Also, we may not have an ocean or great skyline, but what we do have is a good tree canopy in our neighborhoods. This is also something that should be emphasized and encouraged in new development.
What about the dense tree canopy as the identity? Don’t many people call Atl a “city in a forest?” Certainly distinguishes it from places like NYC, Chicago, SF, no? I’ve always thought that Atl’s in-town neighborhoods are absolutely beautiful and make up for (to some small extent at least) our lack of major geographic landmarks like rivers, bays, etc.
Oh come on. Atlanta – no identity? Let me extend open arms to all with this welcoming and identifying verse:
Welcome to Atlanta where the playas play
And we ride on them things like every day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangsta’s roamin’
And parties dont stop til’ eight in the mornin’
What hater says the ATL has no identity?
I’ve always described to visitors that Atlanta is a pocket city– to get to know Atlanta’s best bits you have to venture out to the neighborhoods. Visitors with only a look at Downtown (or even Buckhead for that matter) have a terrible perception of what it is to live in and enjoy Atlanta. Several of my California friends were puzzled as to why I would relocate here until I took them around my fave neighborhoods and they got to experience Decatur. Now they agree with me that Atlanta is a very livable city. Promoting our street car suburbs is really promoting the livability of in town Atlanta.
DM, this post of yours has had me thinking all day. Here’s a couple random things I’ve been mulling:
1. What if the eastern intown suburbs partnered and developed their own streetcar loop? Sort of a mini beltline, connecting destinations like Decatur-Emory-VaHi-Midtown-L5P, etc., with enough stops near the midtown and eastern MARTA stations along the way. Not to exclude other streetcar suburbs around the city, but these are the thriving areas on which to launch the resurgence.
This is probably a nightmare to execute, but there are plenty of streets along this loop that could give up a lane to a streetcar line – for instance Edgewood or Virginia. This could be more of an identity builder/solidifier than the beltline, would bring in the tourists/visitors/suburban metro residents, and be useful for commuting.
2. What’s the current deal with that rail barn site off Dekalb Ave near Lake Claire? That could be useful in some way in terms of the streetcar suburb identity – I thought at one point it was going to become a railcar museum?
3. The tree aspect of Atlanta is always underplayed. This town amazes people when they get here and see how green it is. That should be part of our identity.
4. Even just a baby-step start would be the implementation of a streetcar line from the Square to Emory.
Cool ideas E!
1. This obviously sounds great, but I’m agreed it would be a nightmare to execute. As with the Beltline, I think there’s a lot we can do even without a trolley system. How much cooperation currently exists between these Streetcar Suburbs? I’m thinking a coalition of these neighborhoods, that can fight for policy as a collective group. Lord knows we all have similar goals. And if a trolley system ever does come to fruition, this group would be key in getting it approved by all concerned party.
2. GA Power owns the Pullman Yard and last I heard they had agreed to not tear it down or anything. Not sure of the site’s long term plans. But I agree that it would be a great addition to a streetcar line. Imagine if they rehabbed it to be a terminus for trolleys on the east side…that’s like porn for transit wonks.
3. Trees are essential in the promotion of streetcar suburbs.
4. Agreed. And I believe that’s already in the Community Transportation Plan.
A streetcar from the Square to Emory? Taking who to where and for what purpose?
I should also point out that the #18 South Decatur bus still pretty much follows the original Decatur trolley line going from downtown Atlanta to Decatur and currently goes through Old Fourth Ward, Grant Park, Edgewood, Candler Park, Kirkwood and Oakhurst. Runs about every 40 minutes on weekdays.
http://www.itsmarta.com/getthere/schedules/18.htm#maps
To be clear, the Clairemont Trolley is only an OPTION in the Transportation Plan. Its not something the city would pursue no questions asked. And personally I think it only makes sense if there are strong indications that the entire city is leaning toward building a streetcar network.
Just to clear a couple things up about the Pratt-Pullman (former Pratt Engineering Chemical Company and later Pullman Car reconditioning factory) site along Dekalb Ave in Kirkwood (for more info on the site see here: http://www.preserveatlanta.com/pratt.htm)
The property is owned by the State of Georgia and was for sale prior to the real estate collapse, but has been temporarily taken off the market until conditions improve. As part of the sale, I believe preservation covenants have been placed on the original two main barns and the later Pullman-era sawtooth roof buildings (I believe, but don’t quote me on this).
GA Power claimed the northeast corner of the site for the construction of a transfer station. As part of the development, an original building that had been severely damaged by fire, was demolished. The neighborhood is working to install a bike path at the rear of the site that will connect the “Trolley Trail” extension of the Atlanta-Stone Mountain bike path to the Dekalb Ave/North Kirkwood area.
I wrote this while Brandon and Jeff were beating me to the punch:
Mike, there are quite a few streetcar suburbs. I’m writing from one right now — West End. Here’s a map of the streetcar lines in 1924: http://jolomo.net/atlanta/pics/b.076.jpg
I think the Beltline vision has the potential to (a) define Atlanta for both residents, metro residents and city boosters; (b) connect our some of our best assets in a tangible and useful way; and (c) be a beautiful resource that will serve visitors and residents alike. In other words, I think it’s potential answers your questions, DM and E.
Will it work out that way? Well, I hope so.
Excellent point E. Why would tourists care about streetcar suburbs?
I think ultimately this COULD be solved by a streetcar network, that would take visitors on tours of the city, with multiple stops. The Beltline has this potential so its not like this idea is new.
But I would assert the problem is bigger than just marketing to tourists. As you pointed out, its about how the world sees us AND how we see ourselves. The first step to making this the city’s image is to get people that already live here to SEE it. From there, you might stand a fighting chance of actually using that image to market yourself in a more formal sense. I think a big part of the reason that no image has “stuck” is because these assertions have no foundation. Do residents see Atlanta as a city where “every day is an opening day?” Hell no. What about City Lights and Southern Nights? Um, no.
We need to start over and I’m thinking that begins with a smart and substantial work that gets the big-wigs on board and sharing a like vision. Think “With Heritage So Rich” Then they can distribute to the masses in whatever way they see fit. (ARC…I’m looking in your direction…)
Decatur predates Atlanta, so technically it isn’t a streetcar suburb, though today it has many of the very features that define one…so you can get away with calling it one.
Atlanta’s streetcar suburbs are neighborhoods like the one’s you mention. In fact, Inman Park is the first. And as Brandon points out below, there’s are TONS of them. Not just the ritzy ones that everyone knows on the east side of the city, but there are dozens of them to the south and west too, which points out a secondary benefit. Defining the city on its streetcar suburbs, might give neighborhoods like Ormewood Park a fighting chance.
Oops, silly me. Of course Decatur predates Terminus… I believe Decatur was originally offered the railroad nexus. Having been a former resident of Oakhurst, I was thinking of my former residence. I often wished I could see what it was like to have a streetcar line in front of the U-Joint.
Previous to that, I lived in Ormewood Park, which I didn’t realize needed a fighting chance… I think that Glenwood thing is working out pretty well for them, don’t you? I say, more of the same. Perhaps those Trinity Triangle folks should go take a look. (But then, I think the Underground Atlanta folks should go look at Austin’s Sixth Street, so what do I know? Casinos will solve everything.)
Thanks for the link! That system is actually a little less extensive than I had been led to believe.
Agreed about the Beltline Lain. I just think a “definitive guide” to Atlanta’s streetcar suburbs would be a great complement to it. Plus, it wouldn’t cost nearly as much to produce.
I definitely think that trees are an integral part of the “streetcar suburb” evolution DEM. Its a key element in how these neighborhoods were planned and developed.
In terms of natural landscape, I’d also say there’s a case to be made for Atlanta’s endless supply of hills. I think Duany gave us a hint of this when he said that the reason Atlanta doesn’t recognize the ugliness of its subdivisions is because its hidden in a great, rolling landscape. This ain’t the Denver plateau.
Yeah, this is what I had been told. I’d love to see a map of the entire system when it stretched to Stone Mountain and Marietta. Too bad we don’t have such an extensive system now.
Taking people who would ride the streetcar from the Square to Emory so they can get to where they’re going.
Joe is right. There are already a ton of people who ride the Emory provided bus from the Decatur Marta station to the Emory campus (forgot what they call it). Emory has a huge daytime population of students and people going to the medical center there and it is a traffic nightmare.
There really should be a MARTA line connection between Decatur and Lindbergh with a couple of stops going through Emory. As it currently exists, you have to go all the way downtown and transfer lines and then take a bus to get from point A to point B. If there were any funds for expansion, it would seem like this would be the first priority, but I rarely hear anyone even talking about it.
As far as the broader context of reviving the streetcar network on the east side neighborhoods of Atlanta, the obvious problem again would be lack of funds. Who is going to pay for it? Maybe someone though could get a grant to start a circulator bus going through these neighborhoods (they could even look like trolleys if you want), but you would have to justify the expense with actual ridership and for some reason the same people who say they would ride a streetcar also for some reason say they wouldn’t take a bus. What is it with people’s problem riding a bus?
That’s hilarious.
I guess the question of a city “identity” is more substantial than playing “word association” or “spot the reference,” but as a native Atlanta (born and raised–with the first 11 years of my life in Marietta and the second 17 years in Dunwoody), I’d say that Atlanta is good food, good music, and if the Falcons can make it through the play-offs, the Braves whip up their game-play, and the Hawks (how are they doing?), then we could be a city of good sports (again) too.
We know all about the branding: Tyler Perry, Coke, Olympics, Turner Broadcasting, the Varsity, a city where you need a car, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the Civil War…etc
Does Atlanta need an identity…the way that Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, and NYC do? Miami.