Atlanta Community Discussion Thread - Page 52

(four 0 four) · #**1021** Posted **Nov 5, 2009, 5:27 PM**

The Museum of Design Atlanta has an exhibit of the architecture and designs of Marcel Breuer, the architect for the downtown Central Library.

http://www.museumofdesign.org/#welcome

In addition, AIA, Atlanta is sponsoring several tours and lectures that will hopefully be of interest. One of the walking tours will cover the development and architecture of Peachtree Street as you walk from the Central Library to the Museum of Design Atlanta in Peachtree Center.
http://aiaatlanta.org/displaycommon....barticlenbr=53

Reminder: Exhibit at the High Museum covering the art and architecture of John Portman runs through April 18th.

micropundit · #**1022** Posted **Nov 5, 2009, 5:39 PM**

Thursday, November 5, 2009, 11:26am EST
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by LIsa R. Schoolcraft Staff Writer
H&M, the trendy Swedish clothing store, plans to open a store at Cumberland Mall Nov. 19.

“H&M is committed to finding the best locations in the U.S. marketplace and to bringing affordable fashion to even more style-conscious shoppers in Atlanta,” says Daniel Kulle, U.S. country manager for H&M. “Atlanta is a sophisticated city that is always evolving.”

H&M Cumberland Mall will carry fashion for men and women, as well as a full children’s department featuring quality garments for children of all ages.

This fall, H&M will introduce Jimmy Choo for H&M -- a range of footwear, handbags and apparel for men and women -- which will debut in select stores on Nov. 14. Previous successful design partnerships include those with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garçons and Matthew Williamson.

As part of the opening celebrations at Cumberland, celebrity stylist Gretta Monahan will be on-site offering fashion tips for shoppers and style consultations to two winners. Also, the first 100 shoppers in line will receive an Access to Fashion gift pass valued from $10-$100.

H&M Cumberland Mall is the fifth location in metro Atlanta. Its flagship store is at Atlantic Station.

smArTaLlone · #**1023** Posted **Nov 8, 2009, 6:19 PM**

Atlanta Business Chronicle

Metro Atlanta’s housing inventory began to deplete in the third quarter and housing starts rose, according to Metrostudy’s third-quarter housing report.

“Atlanta’s housing market has hit a bottom,” said Eugene James, director of Metrostudy’s Atlanta division. “Almost all housing indicators have reversed and are now heading in a positive direction. Finished inventory has been reduced to a level where builders have been forced to resume building new homes.”

This September, Atlanta’s finished inventory was reduced to about 11,000 units, which is a 37 percent decline from September 2008 and a 48 percent decline from September 2007, according to Metrostudy. Finished vacant housing inventory is one of the fundamental indicators Metrostudy uses to monitor the health of the market.

Closings have surpassed starts for three years now. Plus, the gap between new-home sales and starts has widened each quarter.

In the third quarter of 2009, annual closings totaled 14,980, while annual starts totaled 4,748 in metro Atlanta. Total net absorption was 7,060, with more homes sold than built and delivered during the 12 months ending in September 2009. The result is depletion of finished housing inventory, James said.

The reduction of inventory has encouraged Atlanta builders to switch gears during the third quarter and instead of slowing the pace of starts, they started more homes than in the previous quarter. James said the uptick in starts was a bright spot in the market. Atlanta builders started 1,152 homes in the third quarter of 2009, an increase of 17 percent compared to second-quarter starts.

“At 12.8 months, the new-home supply situation looks worse than it is,” James said. “We do not have an oversupply problem, we have a demand problem. The months-of-supply figure is inflated because of the unusually slow closings pace. As demand returns to the market, the months-of-supply figure will normalize.”

Demand has been hampered by the difficulty home buyers have qualifying for mortgages. Credit remains very tight, challenging both home buyers and builders. Continued job losses and high unemployment also hurt consumer confidence, James said. Demand for new homes will grow when the job market improves.

Despite poor demand, as evidenced by only 3,534 closings during the third quarter, the months of supply for finished housing declined from the second quarter. It was the first quarter-over-quarter decline in months of supply of finished homes in four years.

Metrostudy expects the months of supply will continue to decline in coming quarters.

(four 0 four) · #**1024** Posted **Nov 12, 2009, 8:49 PM**

Although this is sort of last minute, this notice was posted on the Atlanta page of Flickr:

Quote:

Hi all, we are holding our annual open studio event on Thursday night with over 200 original works of art by SCAD students, faculty and alumni, showcasing the best in photography. painting, illustration, printmaking and sculpture. Amazing art accompanied by a live blues band, refreshments and hands-on demonstrations. All work exhibited is available for sale and the event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, November 12, 7-9 p.m.
SCAD-Atlanta, 5th floor
1600 Peachtree St.

If nothing else, this might be a good opportunity to see the incredible interior of the building and amazing skyline view from the parking deck!

cybele · #**1025** Posted **Nov 15, 2009, 11:34 PM**

What do y'all think about those subdivisions over there on Marietta Road like DuPont Commons. The look real walkable within the subdivision but can you get to anywhere else from there?

ATLaffinity · #**1026** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 2:38 PM**

what are they filming in Midtown? There are crews everywhere.

jnihiser · #**1027** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

what are they filming in Midtown? There are crews everywhere.

DRUMLINE 2

smArTaLlone · #**1028** Posted **Nov 20, 2009, 7:12 PM**

A new master plan for the Poncey-Highland neighborhood was unveiled this week. It still needs to go through the approval process to be adopted.

Poncey-Highland

trainiac · #**1029** Posted **Nov 21, 2009, 3:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

A new master plan for the Poncey-Highland neighborhood was unveiled this week. It still needs to go through the approval process to be adopted.

Poncey-Highland

Well, it bans EIFS but p.53 talking about realigning Williams Mill is terrible. That puts a new signal 100 feet north of Freedom Pkwy, tears down at least one building, creates a useless dead-end, and changes the only existing section of a really interesting historical road.

Williams Mill Rd used to go from Hardy Ivy's homestead (AT&T building on Peachtree Center Ave) through Poncy-Highland up to Williams Mill which was right behind Sage Hill (Briarcliff & Clifton). If you've ever noticed that weird diversion of Briarcliff just north of Ponce, it used to continue at the same angle on the way to the corner with Manuel's tavern. This road was important to Sherman's movements on July 21, 1864.

atl2phx · #**1030** Posted **Nov 21, 2009, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trainiac

Well, it bans EIFS

haha, i scanned the entire presentation and banning EIFS is the one item i thought validated the entire plan.

it's great to see these in-town neighborhoods coming together over a common interest in healthy, quality and moderately dense development. in addition to the provision against EIFS, i really like the densities recommended along the borders of poncey-highland. these guys seem to be piggybacking off of the beltline nicely......looks like they get it.

interesting history re: williams mill.

jurban8 · #**1031** Posted **Nov 21, 2009, 11:22 PM**

I have a feeling Hell is made out of EIFS and fake brick.

cybele · #**1032** Posted **Nov 22, 2009, 6:35 PM**

Those who misbehave will be forced to buy a $250K EFIS condo that is now worth $125K and make payments from now until Doomsday or until the balloon note falls due, whichever comes first.

Terminus · #**1033** Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 3:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trainiac

Well, it bans EIFS but p.53 talking about realigning Williams Mill is terrible. That puts a new signal 100 feet north of Freedom Pkwy, tears down at least one building, creates a useless dead-end, and changes the only existing section of a really interesting historical road.

As the plan's author I would like to note that the neighborhood strongly advocates the idea, although some wanted to close the street off entirely. I didn't think any change was needed either, but after studying the idea I included it because it does present an opportunity to create a much more appropriate building/street/park edge. The dead-end portion becomes a residential woonerf, which could be neat.

The price tag is so high that it probably won't happen for many years, if ever.

trainiac · #**1034** Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 10:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terminus

As the plan's author I would like to note that the neighborhood strongly advocates the idea, although some wanted to close the street off entirely. I didn't think any change was needed either, but after studying the idea I included it because it does present an opportunity to create a much more appropriate building/street/park edge. The dead-end portion becomes a residential woonerf, which could be neat.

The price tag is so high that it probably won't happen for many years, if ever.

Interesting, I know somebody who lives on that far eastern stretch of Williams Mill have to see what she thought of it. I saw Terminal Station complaining about the North Ave changes but it looks fine to me. Improvements to Ponce/Highland and Ponce/Moreland are the meat of this plan to me. I remember the last Moreland corridor plan I saw only recommended adding a lagging-left arrow for southbound at Ponce.

Thank you for the beautiful new word! I only knew fundesbahn (sp?) before
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woonerf

Fiorenza · #**1035** Posted **Nov 24, 2009, 2:08 AM**

That link provides in turn a link to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space

Could this work in Atlanta?

SDfan · #**1036** Posted **Nov 24, 2009, 3:32 AM**

Hallo Atlantians! I have a friend who is interested in settling in Peoplestown. How is that neighborhood? Just wanting an opinion on the area, likes and dislikes. Any information would be helpful.

ATLaffinity · #**1037** Posted **Nov 24, 2009, 3:54 AM**

shared space works anywhere.

you don't kill people when you are engaged in the environment (eg a large parking lot)

it's too intelligent to be adopted anywhere in the US.

Fiorenza · #**1038** Posted **Nov 24, 2009, 4:58 AM**

It would be an interesting experiment to try it somewhere in Atlanta, but I wouldn't want my kids playing on that street.

briantech · #**1039** Posted **Nov 24, 2009, 7:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDfan

Hallo Atlantians! I have a friend who is interested in settling in Peoplestown. How is that neighborhood? Just wanting an opinion on the area, likes and dislikes. Any information would be helpful.

Its pretty "meh". Generally anything south of I-20 off the bat isn't gonna be the greatest area.

It's no where near as bad as say Bankhead, but its no West Paces Ferry or the Prado either.

I'd say its much like many neighborhoods in atlanta, like kirkwood, edgewood, grant park-- undergoing gentrification. There will be pockets of bad, and pockets of OK. Certainly no mansions in there.

(four 0 four) · #**1040** Posted **Nov 25, 2009, 8:02 PM**

Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember to keep your elbows off the table and don't talk with your mouth full.