[briantech]

Just got off today's free Beltline tour -- I believe they're sold out for the immediate future but you can sign up here:

http://www.beltline.org/GetInvolved/TourtheBeltLine/tabid/1746/Default.aspx

Thoughts:

- Inman park! I never knew all of that was there. I thought it was just an older neighborhood behind l5p, but there is some serious new development in there that is really dense, modern, and urban, I love it. Same with the part it bleeds into the old 4th ward... as far as I knew, O4W was nothing but ghetto. Apparently the ghetto is bounded now by north ave and ralph mcgill apparently. I think if they can rip down those projects on blvd it will really close that gap and create a unified stretch of niceness from ansley park all the way to grant park.

- There is graffiti EVERYWHERE all over this city. Even in the newer, cleaner areas, there are just walls and walls and walls of graffiti, especially following along the dekalb avenue corridor. What the hell is going on? I don't believe atlanta is overrun with gangs, so whats with all the graffiti? its ridiculous.

- Southwest and west atlanta is in bad, bad shape. It was really eyeopening to take the beltline route and go from some of the most "underinvested" areas to the most affluent in a matter of a few miles. I hope the beltline will improve the areas it hits, but there are some seriously depressed ghettos in some really prime locations still that are desperately in need of gentrification.

- Overall I love the beltline idea even more. The idea of having the modern light rail going from neighborhood to neighborhood, with simple raised platform stations and the running/walking trails linking the parks, just a magnificent idea and is precisely what atlanta needs.

Anyone else taken the tour or signed up? Its free, and if you really want to get in on an upcoming one just email them and see if anyone has canceled -- or just show up. We had a fully booked bus today but there were probably 8 seats open by the time we left.

I am kicking myself, but I lugged all my EOS equipment with me hoping to take some awesome pictures -- and i left my CF card in my computer!! ughghghg

[MarketsWork]

Excellent report, Brian -- thank you! I didn't know about the free tour, but I think I'll take your recommendation and arrange to take it soon.

[trainiac]

Just got off today's free Beltline tour -- I believe they're sold out for the immediate future but you can sign up here:

http://www.beltline.org/GetInvolved/TourtheBeltLine/tabid/1746/Default.aspx


I got to do it last fall and was cracking up because more than half of the riders were real estate speculators. Did they still include the quarry in the tour? When I went they weren't sure how much longer they'd be able to enter the facility as all the structures were slowly being dismantled. Standing on the edge of the quarry is a pretty amazing experience... that sucker is *deep*


- Inman park! I never knew all of that was there. I thought it was just an older neighborhood behind l5p, but there is some serious new development in there that is really dense, modern, and urban, I love it.

I can tell you, this is mainly due to the IPNA. Developers were all over us from 2000 up to last year with some out-landish projects and through long and sometimes torturous conversations (for everybody involved) we ended up with some very nice construction. The Mead plant in particular turned out way better than the initial proposal (which was basically a bunch of huge apartment-looking buildings) Anything you might not like, I can guarantee was originally proposed as much worse :)

Unfortunately we were not involved in the Edgewood development and it really shows.


Same with the part it bleeds into the old 4th ward... as far as I knew, O4W was nothing but ghetto. Apparently the ghetto is bounded now by north ave and ralph mcgill apparently. I think if they can rip down those projects on blvd it will really close that gap and create a unified stretch of niceness from ansley park all the way to grant park.

They've been really lucky so far, because as far as I can tell they are saying yes to *everything* but each new development has turned out pretty good. Too bad they got saddled with the atrocious public "art" at Glen Iris and Highland.


- There is graffiti EVERYWHERE all over this city. Even in the newer, cleaner areas, there are just walls and walls and walls of graffiti, especially following along the dekalb avenue corridor. What the hell is going on? I don't believe atlanta is overrun with gangs, so whats with all the graffiti? its ridiculous.

Inman Park is getting crushed by this. We've resorted to setting up Block Captains with cleanup crews and we're barely keeping up. These kids really piss me off!

I encourage everybody to try to take this tour. BTW, there's a bike tour coming up:

1st annual BeltLine Bike Tour
Sunday, April 20th 1-4 pm

Experience the neighborhoods and history from the vantage point of a bicycle!

The 1st annual BeltLine Bike Tour will begin at the North Avenue Park site (across from City Hall East), with stops at local schools and points of interest along the way. Choose your own ending -- ride 4, 7, 11, or 22 miles. The ride will end at Brown Middle School, next to the first segment of the BeltLine trail, under construction this year.

Beginner/intermediate cyclists, families with children, students, Boys & Girls Clubs, churches, and youth organizations are encouraged to participate in this special Earth Day event.

Visit our website for the proposed route map or to sign up for updates at
http://atlantabike.org/beltline.html

[trainiac]

Brian said they had discontinued the Bellwood Quarry part of the tour so I thought I would post some pictures from last year. First here's an aerial view to give you an idea of the size of the hole. Looks like about a quarter mile east/west and a tenth of a mile north/south
http://atlhistory.com/images/stories/beltline/quarry/quarry00.png

This shot shows the quarry road winding down to the bottom
http://atlhistory.com/images/stories/beltline/quarry/quarry01.jpg

This shot goes across the long axis. You see the puddles down there? Delicious :slob:
http://atlhistory.com/images/stories/beltline/quarry/quarry02.jpg

Got a little better light for this one. You still don't get a great feel for just how deep the thing was. I'm guessing 80 feet deep.
http://atlhistory.com/images/stories/beltline/quarry/quarry03.jpg

This is really close to the Atlanta Water Works, so it may work out well to make it our new reservoir.

[Andrea]

Nice shots, trainiac. I hope they put some signs up around the edge of this pond once they fill it up and build the park around it. I can see somebody dipping their toes in for a little wading and then -- whoosh, 300 feet straight down.

I also heartily recommend the Beltline tour. A friend and I spent several weekends covering it by bike and on foot several years ago when Cathy Woolard first had the maps on her website (which is probably why she took them down), and then again last year via bus. One of the great things about rail beds is the way they give you a different perspective on what you thought were familiar areas.

This thing will rock if we can ever get it done.

[briantech]

Nice shots, trainiac. I hope they put some signs up around the edge of this pond once they fill it up and build the park around it. I can see somebody dipping their toes in for a little wading and then -- whoosh, 300 feet straight down.

I also heartily recommend the Beltline tour. A friend and I spent several weekends covering it by bike and on foot several years ago when Cathy Woolard first had the maps on her website (which is probably why she took them down), and then again last year via bus. One of the great things about rail beds is the way they give you a different perspective on what you thought were familiar areas.

This thing will rock if we can ever get it done.
Actually there is a both a "self guided" tour maps on the website, as well as an organized bicycle tour that they organize.