ATLANTA: Demolition for Civic Center?

[sabino86]

Demolition for Civic Center?
City considers new performing arts theater

By DAVID PENDERED
Published on: 05/18/07

Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center may be demolished and replaced with a new performing arts theater under a redevelopment plan that could be finalized by the year's end, the city's commissioner of parks, recreation and cultural affairs said Friday.

"We do not have a plan yet but we are in discussions [with a developer]," Commissioner Dianne Harnell Cohen said. "We're moving along fairly quickly [and] I would hope we have some sort of plan during 2007."

Cohen said the city is committed to having a theater on the site and for it to be competitive with newer venues around metro Atlanta. The civic center was built in 1967 and Cohen said the configuration of the 4,600-seat theater prevents the audience from feeling that they are attached to the performance.

Cohen declined to say how a new theater would be financed. "Stay tuned," was all she would say.

It could be included in a potential bond issue the city's finance officials are contemplating. Atlanta may seek to sell a $250 million bond to help pay for a wish list of projects, including a center for civil and human rights and the Peachtree Streetcar, that are to boost the city's economy. The bond is not included in the city's budget that's to be adopted in June.

If a new theater is built, it most likely would be part of a mixed use development that would include residences, shops and maybe office space. The city owns the civic center and about 10 surrounding acres, including the building that once housed Sci-Trek, the children's science museum that closed in 2004.

Developer Charles Ackerman has a long-term lease on the vacant property and has been working since 1985 to build something on the site. It appeared that the closure of Sci-Trek could jump-start a development on the site, because Atlanta was willing to allow the demolition of that building. But Atlanta had no interest in allowing the demolition of the civic center at that time.

Cohen said the planning for recent exhibits the city has sponsored, including "Bodies" and "Titanic," prompted the city to look at redeveloping the entire site.

"If we could have a new and improved civic center on that site, we would certainly go for it," Cohen said.

[ThrashATL]

The Civic Center is a dreadful building that shouldn't have been built in the first place. Knock it down!

[SAV]

Off with its Head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MarketsWork]

If public money is going to be spent to redevelop the Civic Center site and connect it to the rest of "SoNo" and Midtown, the homeless shelters must be relocated. Unless these bum magnets are removed, anything built on that site will be cut off from pedestrian linkage to MARTA rail and to the nearby Peachtree corridor. I believe it would be a waste to redevelop this island in the middle of BumCrack without concrete plans to remove the pedestrian-detering blight and integrate the Civic Center site into better surroundings.

[shanthemanatl]

Originally Posted by MarketsWork

If public money is going to be spent to redevelop the Civic Center site and connect it to the rest of "SoNo" and Midtown, the homeless shelters must be relocated. Unless these bum magnets are removed, anything built on that site will be cut off from pedestrian linkage to MARTA rail and to the nearby Peachtree corridor. I believe it would be a waste to redevelop this island in the middle of BumCrack without concrete plans to remove the pedestrian-detering blight and integrate the Civic Center site into better surroundings.

Amen. Hopefully this project will be the impetus for the full-scale redevelopment of BumCrack.

[sabino86]

Originally Posted by shanthemanatl

Amen. Hopefully this project will be the impetus for the full-scale redevelopment of BumCrack.

So we're back to that huh?

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by shanthemanatl

Amen. Hopefully this project will be the impetus for the full-scale redevelopment of BumCrack.

The bums and crackheads shold be run out of downtown and evenly dispersed throughout Midtown, Druid Hills, Lilburn, Fayetteville, Forsyth County, Virginia-Highland, Crabapple, Buckhead, Ansley Park, Mayretta, Morningside, and Johns Creek, etc. That way nobody can complain about getting the short end of the stick.

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by Andrea

The bums and crackheads shold be run out of downtown and evenly dispersed throughout Midtown, Druid Hills, Lilburn, Fayetteville, Forsyth County, Virginia-Highland, Crabapple, Buckhead, Ansley Park, Mayretta, Morningside, and Johns Creek, etc. That way nobody can complain about getting the short end of the stick.

They'd starve (or go thirsty) out here in Forsyth, there aren't enough enablers (people with bleeding hearts handing out change).

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by ThrashATL

They'd starve (or go thirsty) out here in Forsyth, there aren't enough enablers (people with bleeding hearts handing out change).

Heh. Do you think that would really happen if they were actually out there, Thrash? (Not accusing or anything, just asking because it's an interesting question).

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Heh. Do you think that would really happen if they were actually out there, Thrash? (Not accusing or anything, just asking because it's an interesting question).

Yeah, it would happen, nobody would give them money out here plus they'd get run over by an SUV if they stood in the streets panhandling.

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by ThrashATL

Yeah, it would happen, nobody would give them money out here plus they'd get run over by an SUV if they stood in the streets panhandling.

Wonder why that doesn't happen in Atlanta? Are people who work or live in the city just that much different from folks in Forsyth County?

[sprtsluvr8]

I'm thinking they would get much more sympathy panhandling in a suburb than in the city. City folk are more used to it and kind of insulate themselves from it. Personally I act like I don't hear or see them and just walk on by. I can't fund every homeless creature on the street so I don't fund any of them, unless someone just really catches my sympathy. I think suburbanites would be more inclined to charity and would feel more sympathetic when approached.

[gttx]

I can't even believe they're talking about tearing down the Civic Center and funding a new one when they refuse to give anything to the Symphony Center! This city has never had its priorities straight.

[shanthemanatl]

Originally Posted by Andrea

The bums and crackheads shold be run out of downtown and evenly dispersed throughout Midtown, Druid Hills, Lilburn, Fayetteville, Forsyth County, Virginia-Highland, Crabapple, Buckhead, Ansley Park, Mayretta, Morningside, and Johns Creek, etc. That way nobody can complain about getting the short end of the stick.

Not a bad idea, actually. NYC had a homeless "farm" upstate in Orange County for years where they would bus many of the city's homeless. I'm sure the folks in Forsyth, Henry, or Carroll counties would love it!

[PremierAtlanta]

Originally Posted by gttx

I can't even believe they're talking about tearing down the Civic Center and funding a new one when they refuse to give anything to the Symphony Center! This city has never had its priorities straight.

I was under the impression that the city and a developer (who already owns part of the parcel) would be in conjunction with this redevelopment. The developer probably would pay the city a nice sum to have the area redeveloped. The developer gets his parcel and the city gets a new civic center. The Symphony Center (something I am in great support of) is a different financial creature.

[downtown_dweller87]

Hello- my name is Adam, I believe this is my first post. I live downtown at the Georgia State lofts; I study urban issues at Georgia State in their "Community Studies" program.

How the issue of homelessness is being discussed here is really disappointing to me. These people are HUMAN BEINGS, not simple annoyances to all the well-off folks headed to the Civic Center. I know the area is a blight, but let's remember that they are simply humans like all of us and you have no idea why they got where they are.

The whole ideology that people that give them money or food are "enablers" and all that don't are somehow helping them more? What a load of crap. If you don't want to give them anything thats fine, but don't justify it as if you are helping them more than the "bleeding-heart enablers".

Other than that, I am really excited to join the forum. I have been interested in urban and Atlanta issues ever since my Nana started taking me all around the city on MARTA when I was like 3- I barely remember going to Rich's, Kesslers, etc. before they closed in the early 90s. I have now dedicated my life to learning more about urban issues and making Atlanta a truly great place to life, with an emphasis on better and more expansive transit and sustainable development along with social concerns over things like affordable housing and those who lose in the process of gentrification.

Hoping for some great discussions- I feel I have a lot to contribute. Everyone has some great ideas- I've been lurking for years- so I think this will be fun.

Adam

[akiatl261]

I so totally agree with you. They are HUMAN and lets not forget that. Majority of the citizens, suburban or urban are not immune from the causes that got many of the homeless to where they are today.

[sprtsluvr8]

When I'm abruptly approached or confronted for a handout, I have a strict policy of ignore or just give a firm "No" right from the start. I'm not labeling the homeless as less than human and I know they have civil rights, but I am always wary of letting anyone on the streets become aware that I have any money at all...and I would never take out my wallet. I have compassion for needy people and I have given money to people on the streets before...in the right, relatively safe situation.

The aggressive ones are the worst...and even worse, the ones who yell and make a scene when you don't give them a handout. They give the homeless a bad name...

[sunking1056]

Thank you Adam for saying that and saying it well. There does seem to be a dominant sentiment on this board that the homeless (and people that just don't look rich...) are nothing but worthless impediments to development. But, as you said, they are human beings.

[atlanta_transit]

Maybe now is a good time to start thinking about resurrecting the old plan for a peoplemover between the station and the Civic Center site...

Seriously though, the main reason that the station exists was the justification that the Jackson Administration wanted it to give MARTA access to the city facility and to help redevelop the area there. How does it finally get linked well to the site? Ideas?