Posted Jan 14, 2019, 3:42 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
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Atlanta Planning Commissioner Is on a Mission to Stop Ugly Buildings
Here's another article on the new design initiative that addresses some of the discussion here. The bolded comment is interesting. I don't know of a 30-story proposal in downtown so it could be a new project.
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/...g-construction
Quote:
Keane’s commission is ready to get more involved in improving the quality of design. Ignoring this would only stifle the growth of the city, he argues. “People need to understand that Atlanta is growing, the city will get denser, and if we don’t design the buildings well, in that urban context, then our growth will be thwarted. We can’t just let buildings get built that when people see them they’ll be discouraged, if not appalled.”
“It’s not as much about a building type or a style,” he says. “We’re not telling people, ‘That’s what you have to do.’ We’re going to evaluate your design based on the basics of architecture in an urban setting. Honestly, we’re focused on the buildings that are of the poorest design. I met with a developer yesterday who’s doing a really nice job on a 30-story building downtown. And we’re not going to get involved in that or stand in his way; we don’t need to spend our time on that. We need to get involved with buildings and proposals that aren’t doing the basics right.”
When asked just what elements of design he and the commission are referring to when threatening to hold up projects, there are definite examples the commission points to. “There’s a category that I think Atlanta has done poorly: The base of buildings, where the building meets the street, and the other thing is the appearance of these buildings from a distance,” Keane says. “I think those are areas where Atlanta has to do better.”
The reality is, the city can’t impose strict design standards from a legal perspective. Even if it did, it would mean developers would have to challenge the city to court, which costs more time and money than anyone would like to spend, particularly when the alternative would yield a better result anyway. It’s for this reason that most developers have begun working with the city to adjust designs accordingly and refrain from what Keane calls “Mr. Potatohead” buildings, where a handful of aesthetic features are attached to the façade of a building to hopefully slide past the new design-quality guidelines.
Keane’s vision, though, isn’t one of higher taste in design or style; it’s pragmatism in city planning brought to the drafting table. His plan is based on the idea that a better-looking, better-designed city will make Atlanta a more effective one for its residents—and a better realm to live in. For the good of Atlanta’s future as a bustling, growing city, Keane’s vision could keep Atlanta from facing any number of issues as the city continues to grow.
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And a closer look at the Element Hotel at 445 Marietta Street.
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Ok great.
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