Urban Walmart for Fuqua to see!!

[bfarley30]

http://exmiami.org/threads/midtown-m...s-released.10/

See folks, we don't have to be scared of Walmart coming into the area if it is done correctly. And this actually still have a lot of parking for people at the top of the building all while still being very urban and walkable. Fuqua you can do better than what you have given us. Atlanta, make our developers do better!

[simms3_redux]

Believe me when I tell you Midtown Miami is merely a South FL version of Atlantic Station. It is faux cheap stucco to the max and big box stores with a few smaller lifestyle type stores such as West Elm. The Design District just a few blocks north is the only noteworthy retail district in Miami outside of South Beach and Coral Gables.

No matter how dressed up the Walmart is, Walmart does not belong on a 2 lane road alongside the Beltline in a lower density mostly single family residential neighborhood across from a school. A higher traffic capacity street with an on/off ramp to an interstate and direct access to more Walmart shoppers who won't have to drive through a gentrifying SFR neighborhood is Moreland. Add to that the fact that Moreland has plenty of other retailers who cater to the same demographic, as well as a large community/lifestylesque center anchored by Target, Kroger, Lowes and Best Buy.

Fuqua's plan for the site with any big box store should be stopped no matter what. If he's able to seriously get Archstone to enter the SE, let alone Atlanta, then he can do better for that site.

[bfarley30]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

Believe me when I tell you Midtown Miami is merely a South FL version of Atlantic Station. It is faux cheap stucco to the max and big box stores with a few smaller lifestyle type stores such as West Elm. The Design District just a few blocks north is the only noteworthy retail district in Miami outside of South Beach and Coral Gables.

No matter how dressed up the Walmart is, Walmart does not belong on a 2 lane road alongside the Beltline in a lower density mostly single family residential neighborhood across from a school. A higher traffic capacity street with an on/off ramp to an interstate and direct access to more Walmart shoppers who won't have to drive through a gentrifying SFR neighborhood is Moreland. Add to that the fact that Moreland has plenty of other retailers who cater to the same demographic, as well as a large community/lifestylesque center anchored by Target, Kroger, Lowes and Best Buy.

Fuqua's plan for the site with any big box store should be stopped no matter what. If he's able to seriously get Archstone to enter the SE, let alone Atlanta, then he can do better for that site.

I guess I can't comment too much on the Miami comparison being I've only been once and that was to South Beach.

But I don't agree about the urban Walmart comment you made. Again, I feel when people hear "Walmart" they are already thinking of these mammoth stores. A lot of these retailers are actually making smaller, more urban type stores just for areas like Glenwood Park. For example, Target stores are about the same as regular Walmarts from 170 to 200 thousand square feet. But the CityTarget urban stores are normally around 50 to 60 thousand square feet. Here's another great link for urban style big box stores.


http://www.governing.com/topics/econ...ebut.html#next

While I agree that the bulk of the area is lower density the whole point of the area is to build higher density within Glenwood Park so that only that area will really come to use the store. By putting it near an interstate interchange you are now inviting people that don't live in the area to come to the store and clog streets versus people being able to walk or hop on MARTA for a quick ride to the area's commercial district. Even if they drive it's still only people within the area, not people flocking from 10 different neighborhoods. Also, saying they should just DRIVE to Moreland and go shopping there is also going against what that area is trying to do; take people OUT their cars and make the area more walkable and dense.

[simms3_redux]

In all honesty if I may...it will be hard for Atlanta overall to be "walkable" outside of Midtown, simply by the nature of the city's urban design and layout.

There will *never* be a high enough population within walking distance of that location to promote true walkability, as land is very limited and the area is predominantly SFR and highly disconnected with parcels not conducive to assemblage or development (and likely *a lot* of NIMBYism). Glenwood Park as a 2 square block development surrounded by garden homes and townhomes is walkable...but contained like a tiny microcosm. Parking/driving is still required to visit the area.

For this reason I am opposed to any big box right there...it would be no different than dropping a Walmart on Virginia Ave somewhere...does anyone see that?

RE: City Target...I like them, just like I can appreciate Walmart's proposed Tech Square concept. However, I have never seen an urban City Target in a neighborhood like Glenwood Park, dominated by SFR and 2 lane narrow roads. In fact, the only City Targets I have personally seen are in much larger, much denser, much more vibrant/walkable cities than Atlanta (such as Metreon in SF, or in DT Seattle near 5th/Pike at the base of Russell Investments Center, etc). If Atlanta were a little further ahead, I could have seen a City Target at the 12th and Midtown development.

[bryantm3]

i honestly don't think that one is much better. sure, it has other retail outlets along the side, but there's no residential or office use. it's just looks more like an outlet mall.

[bfarley30]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i honestly don't think that one is much better. sure, it has other retail outlets along the side, but there's no residential or office use. it's just looks more like an outlet mall.

That is much better than what Fuqua has planned with a sea of surface parking. Residential units could easily be added to the top of that design making the building 6 or 7 stories tall.