Atlanta Community Discussion Thread

[micropundit]

Leaders in Atlanta and Georgia have launched a high-powered effort to lure a regional office of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to the city.

The federal government has said that it wants to establish several regional offices that could review and issue patents and trademarks as a way of encouraging innovation throughout the country.

The first regional U.S. Patent Office will be located in Detroit, and it is expected to open by July — employing about 100 engineers, patent lawyers and scientists as well as 20 support staff.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to pick at least two other cities to house new regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office branches by May or June. It has received proposals from cities across the country that are vying to win one of those offices.

Among the other cities seeking regional offices are Dallas and Austin, Texas; Denver; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Albuquerque, N.M.; Las Vegas; New York; Boston; New Orleans; Tampa, Fla.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; and even Birmingham, Ala.

http://saportareport.com/blog/2012/0...patent-office/

[shivtim]

The next Atlanta Streets Alive event will be in May on Highland Ave, from Virginia Ave in VaHi all the way down to Highland Bakery in Inman Park. Very excited about this.

http://www.atlantastreetsalive.com/

http://www.facebook.com/events/265853100162796/

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by shivtim

The next Atlanta Streets Alive event will be in May on Highland Ave, from Virginia Ave in VaHi all the way down to Highland Bakery in Inman Park. Very excited about this.

http://www.atlantastreetsalive.com/

http://www.facebook.com/events/265853100162796/

thanks for this!

[(four 0 four)]

Crum & Forster preservation alert!



THREAT (from APC website)
The threat is three-fold:
•Application by the Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc. for a permit to demolish approximately two-thirds of the Landmark building was filed on April 17, 2012. The application will be heard by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 4:00 pm at City Hall.
•Councilmember Kwanza Hall introduced legislation to de-designate portions of this Landmarked property on April 16, 2012.
•Destruction of the integrity of the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance.


For more info on how you can help and who you might want to talk to, go to:
http://www.atlantapreservationcenter.com/crum

[echinatl]

Where do I go to oppose the preservation effort?

[(four 0 four)]

Originally Posted by echinatl

Where do I go to oppose the preservation effort?

Anchorage.

[(four 0 four)]

From the GA Dept of Revenue website

I saw one of the new Georgia license plates yesterday and was not impressed...I actually voted for this design but it looked crappy in person. The area reserved for the county sticker (or the "In God We Trust" sticker if you're so inclined) was not integrated well at all. This area is basically a large white stripe across the bottom the of plate that blots out quite a bit of the design. It was not shown that way when voting and appears larger than what is shown on the plate above. Even if it was one of the same colors in the background it would look better.
The plates are flat with no raised letters making them cheaper to produce but also cheaper looking. The large black letters/numbers blot out most of the rest of the plate (again, they seemed larger that what is shown above). Obviously, the letters need to be able to be read quickly and easily, but really, could it have been toned down a bit?

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by (four 0 four)

From the GA Dept of Revenue website

I saw one of the new Georgia license plates yesterday and was not impressed...I actually voted for this design but it looked crappy in person. The area reserved for the county sticker (or the "In God We Trust" sticker if you're so inclined) was not integrated well at all. This area is basically a large white stripe across the bottom the of plate that blots out quite a bit of the design. It was not shown that way when voting and appears larger than what is shown on the plate above. Even if it was one of the same colors in the background it would look better.
The plates are flat with no raised letters making them cheaper to produce but also cheaper looking. The large black letters/numbers blot out most of the rest of the plate (again, they seemed larger that what is shown above). Obviously, the letters need to be able to be read quickly and easily, but really, could it have been toned down a bit?

I've seen worse, but it's a little busy for my taste. It seems like one peach in the background is plenty.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by (four 0 four)

From the GA Dept of Revenue website

I saw one of the new Georgia license plates yesterday and was not impressed...I actually voted for this design but it looked crappy in person. The area reserved for the county sticker (or the "In God We Trust" sticker if you're so inclined) was not integrated well at all. This area is basically a large white stripe across the bottom the of plate that blots out quite a bit of the design. It was not shown that way when voting and appears larger than what is shown on the plate above. Even if it was one of the same colors in the background it would look better.
The plates are flat with no raised letters making them cheaper to produce but also cheaper looking. The large black letters/numbers blot out most of the rest of the plate (again, they seemed larger that what is shown above). Obviously, the letters need to be able to be read quickly and easily, but really, could it have been toned down a bit?

I saw one last weekend as well. I guess they started releasing them this month. I didn't get a good look at it though, so it seemed less "busy" than the image shown. I do like graphics on plates, but Georgia's is overkill. SC, TN, and AL do theirs right.

[testarossa50]

The light "Peach State" text against the busy, similar-colored background violates the very most basic principles of graphic design. Unless your goal is to weed out spam bots or something.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

The light "Peach State" text against the busy, similar-colored background violates the very most basic principles of graphic design. Unless your goal is to weed out spam bots or something.

Without the "Peach State" I might have thought they were pumpkins.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

I've seen worse, but it's a little busy for my taste. It seems like one peach in the background is plenty.

Seriously. Enough with the peaches already! I think it would be better if they just come up with a universal peach symbol for the "Peach State" instead having peaches, peach trees, peach color, peach overload.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

Without the "Peach State" I might have thought they were pumpkins.

I did too!

[forj]

Originally Posted by Terminus

I did too!

same here haha.. im really not a fan of this design at all.. and no raised numbers/letters? psssshh.. dislike

[cybele]

Well, there is a thing about Portman on PBH for those who are interested in it.

John Portman: A Life Of Building

[Newnan_Eric]

Interesting feature in Atlanta Magazine of all places. Apparently city councilman, Kwanza Hall is spearheading an initiative to clean up the Boulevard corridor.

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/boulevard/default.aspx

If this is successful, it could really make a huge difference in the area. Most of the surrounding area has already been receiving a shot in the arm with development.

The way I see it, Boulevard has been this blighted stretch that slowed the whole area down. If this area can be improved - at least a bit so there isn't open air drug dealing and the like - the rest of the O4W and the Ponce corridor would certainly benefit.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by Newnan_Eric

Interesting feature in Atlanta Magazine of all places. Apparently city councilman, Kwanza Hall is spearheading an initiative to clean up the Boulevard corridor.

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/boulevard/default.aspx

If this is successful, it could really make a huge difference in the area. Most of the surrounding area has already been receiving a shot in the arm with development.

The way I see it, Boulevard has been this blighted stretch that slowed the whole area down. If this area can be improved - at least a bit so there isn't open air drug dealing and the like - the rest of the O4W and the Ponce corridor would certainly benefit.

It would be a huge lift for O4W, South Midtown, and Poncy-Highland just to clean up Boulevard enough so regular folk aren't nervous about walking in the area. It's part of a very walkable community but definitely needs help...the hospital area isn't so bad, but the ghetto gas station on the corner of Ralph McGill is semi-dangerous and the project-like Bedford Pine apartments really drag the area down. I hope that this idea truly helps recreate a long-suffering stretch of street in an improving section of central Atlanta.

[Pessimistic Observer]

cam for bbt atlanta open tennis courts at Atlantic Station
Tournament starts on july 14th
http://oxblue.com/open/BBTAtlantaOpen
ps I don't think the cam shows construction of the main courts at this time
it appears to be the secondary courts which will be closer to the highway

[TarHeelJ]

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/buck...g-1451529.html

Buckhead condos vs. aging mansion

By Mark Davis


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For nearly nine decades, the mansion on Peachtree Road has stood through it all — depression and boom, war and peace. Its brick walls have remained standing as other homes fell before Atlanta’s relentless expansion.

[(four 0 four)]

For nearly nine decades, the mansion on Peachtree Road has stood through it all — depression and boom, war and peace. Its brick walls have remained standing as other homes fell before Atlanta’s relentless expansion.

What a mess this could be. Although I feel sorry for the expense the condo owners have been stuck with, it wasn't like the R-L House was hiding behind a tree...it was right there for all to see and they should have realized the maintenance costs prior to buying a unit in the building.
I see two reasons for denying the demolition permit.
The first deals with the historic aspect of the house, on the National Register of Historic Places. In my opinion, it was compromised when it was tied to an Oak tree and winched 30 feet over in order to build the monstrosity now known as 2500 Peachtree but its still an historic structure.
The second, and probably much more serious, deals with zoning. The original developer, in order to build the aforementioned monstrosity, agreed to maintain the home as a condition of zoning approval. Allowing the Association to now renegue on this condition sets a scary precident. If a demolition permit is granted, a developer can/will agree to just about anything in hopes that down the road, he can get it changed. Zoning would become meaningless.
I was in the house years ago and it was a stunning place. Unfortunately its been allowed to be pillaged and deteriorate and would probably take every bit of the estimated $1 million to get a certificate of occupancy again. Maybe the owners should have thought more about maintenence before it got to its current state. Maybe the owners should have realized their obligation to maintain the structure. Maybe the owners should have bought at Park Place.