ATLANTA | 1010 Peachtree | 398 FT / 121 M | 36 FLOORS

[RobMidtowner]

I think the fact that this project and Viewpoint are coming up at about the same time and are both offering this type of retail space is huge in attracting major retailers to the midtown mile. Hopefully this momentum will continue all along Peachtree because I'm ready to see some high-end retail that's nowhere else in the southeast.

[whiplash3825]

If I was the developer I'd pay my own money if necessary to have those power lines buried. I can see eating in that corner restaurant space and having to look through all those lines!

[A-town]

Originally Posted by whiplash3825

If I was the developer I'd pay my own money if necessary to have those power lines buried. I can see eating in that corner restaurant space and having to look through all those lines!

You'd think the city would make it a requirement for developers to bury powerlines on their lots.

[mayhem]

They buried the lines at Plaza Midtown. Since those lines cross Peachtree, I wouldn't think that Daniel would tear up Peachtree to bury those lines. That's the cities job and is planned as part of the street car improvements.

[whiplash3825]

Originally Posted by mayhem

They buried the lines at Plaza Midtown. Since those lines cross Peachtree, I wouldn't think that Daniel would tear up Peachtree to bury those lines. That's the cities job and is planned as part of the street car improvements.

I hope you mean the streetscape improvements... there aren't any plans for a street car on that segment of Peachtree and that'd take too long anyway.

[RobMidtowner]

Originally Posted by whiplash3825

I hope you mean the streetscape improvements... there aren't any plans for a street car on that segment of Peachtree and that'd take too long anyway.

Umm...yes there is: http://www.peachtreecorridor.com/ind...ection=Midtown

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by whiplash3825

I hope you mean the streetscape improvements... there aren't any plans for a street car on that segment of Peachtree and that'd take too long anyway.

The streetscape improvements have already been completed. Rob already posted the link, the street car extends all the way to Buckhead. The plan is for them to bury ALL power lines on Peachtree and add overhead lines for the street car itself.


If those lines didn't cross Peachtree, I am sure Daniel would have buried them.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by A-town

You'd think the city would make it a requirement for developers to bury powerlines on their lots.

It's encouraged, but not required.

Utility burial is extremely expensive and would have killed several deals I've worked on if it had been mandated. The cost is not the burial on the site per se, but also the issue that you can't just bury them for one site and you must get approval from all groups that use the lines, not just Georgia Power. When you bury, all buildings that use the lines must also be completely required to current electrical code. So if developer "A" decides to bury then, and small business owner "B" across the street has to go to an underground feed, owner "B" must spend thousands to rewire his or her buildings. You can see the problem. This is why their are still lines on Auburn Avenue - there was money before the games but the building owners fought burial because of the cost to them of re-wiring.

In my opinion, most developers will pay to bury if it's easy, because it improves their projects, but the burden really should be on the public, Georgia Power, other utilities to pay. I, for one, would be willing to pay a surcharge on my bill if it meant utilities would be buried.

Lastly, regarding streetscapes, it is illegal under US law to use Federal streetscape funds (Q-23, CMAQ, TE, etc.) to bury power lines. All power line burial funds must be funded by local governments.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by mayhem

They buried the lines at Plaza Midtown. Since those lines cross Peachtree, I wouldn't think that Daniel would tear up Peachtree to bury those lines. That's the cities job and is planned as part of the street car improvements.

The governor line item vetoed $40 million for the streetcar/streetscape from the budget this week.

[whiplash3825]

Are we ever going to get a governor and legislature that treats Atlanta like the state economic engine it is rather than some poor stepchild? Sonny had no problem allocating millions to attract the NASCAR H.O.F, or to try to lure fisherman to the state! Obviously the redneck agenda is the only one worth pursuing. I really hate him!

[whiplash3825]

Originally Posted by mayhem

The streetscape improvements have already been completed. Rob already posted the link, the street car extends all the way to Buckhead. The plan is for them to bury ALL power lines on Peachtree and add overhead lines for the street car itself.

I thought the streetcar was supposed to run along West Peachtree through Midtown.

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by whiplash3825

Are we ever going to get a governor and legislature that treats Atlanta like the state economic engine it is rather than some poor stepchild? Sonny had no problem allocating millions to attract the NASCAR H.O.F, or to try to lure fisherman to the state! Obviously the redneck agenda is the only one worth pursuing. I really hate him!

Right, Atlanta is an economic engine but a streetcar in Atlanta won't do jack for economics of the state, won't even do anything much for Atlanta. I don't care one way or the other if it's built, it won't make a difference either way if it is or isn't built to the scheme of things. It might have a better chance at funding if it was a GRTA project but it has such a limited scope of impact, even that it doubtful.

[smArTaLlone]

Limited scope of impact?

Peachtree it the "main street" for the entire metro as shown by the task force studies.

I think it would have a much greater impact than the $90 million being spent to promote fishing in the state.

• 20% of all Metro Atlanta adults visit Peachtree Street area at
  least once a week (half of those are visiting daily) – overall
  math suggests over one million adults are visiting the area at
  least once a month
  
• 50% of those adults say they move up and down the corridor
  visiting several locations when they visit

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

Limited scope of impact?

Peachtree it the "main street" for the entire metro as shown by the task force studies.

I think it would have a much greater impact than the $90 million being spent to promote fishing in the state.

• 20% of all Metro Atlanta adults visit Peachtree Street area at
  least once a week (half of those are visiting daily) – overall
  math suggests over one million adults are visiting the area at
  least once a month
  
• 50% of those adults say they move up and down the corridor
  visiting several locations when they visit

Good, then institute a TID to pay for it if it will benefit the property owners along Peachtree so much, simple solution. That along with ridership and it may only require 90% subsidy to keep it operating.

[MarketsWork]

Originally Posted by whiplash3825

Are we ever going to get a governor and legislature that treats Atlanta like the state economic engine it is rather than some poor stepchild? Sonny had no problem allocating millions to attract the NASCAR H.O.F, or to try to lure fisherman to the state! Obviously the redneck agenda is the only one worth pursuing. I really hate him!

That's a little bit extreme, don't you think? The governor of a large state has many responsibilities to many different people -- and faces an impossible array of priorities to balance. Every day, he has to make difficult choices that will inevitably displease many people no matter what he decides. If you ever have the joy of stretching a finite budget to meet a payroll of your own, or even balancing the budget of an average sized family, you might become a little more understanding of how difficult it must be to govern this vast state and its 9+ milliion people.

It seems to be the attitude of some forumers that Georgians who live outside metro Atlanta are insignificant rubes who resent, neglect and take Atlanta for granted. A more extreme element appears to hold a similar view of suburban Atlantans. I would caution that we not fall into the trap of being every bit as provincial as we believe others to be.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by ThrashATL

Good, then institute a TID to pay for it if it will benefit the property owners along Peachtree so much, simple solution. That along with ridership and it may only require 90% subsidy to keep it operating.

Btw the $40 million was for streetscape improvements that are a part of the Peachtree corridor plan NOT the streetcar itself.

A Peachtree as envisioned by this plan would easily attract more tourist dollars to the state than fishermen traveling to every stream or lake in GA.

[RobMidtowner]

Originally Posted by MarketsWork

That's a little bit extreme, don't you think? The governor of a large state has many responsibilities to many different people -- and faces an impossible array of priorities to balance. Every day, he has to make difficult choices that will inevitably displease many people no matter what he decides. If you ever have the joy of stretching a finite budget to meet a payroll of your own, or even balancing the budget of an average sized family, you might become a little more understanding of how difficult it must be to govern this vast state and its 9+ milliion people.

It seems to be the attitude of some forumers that Georgians who live outside metro Atlanta are insignificant rubes who resent, neglect and take Atlanta for granted. A more extreme element appears to hold a similar view of suburban Atlantans. I would caution that we not fall into the trap of being every bit as provincial as we believe others to be.

Yes balancing a budget can be a difficult thing, but can you think of anything major in recent memory our governor has done to benefit Atlanta or even metro Atlanta?? Something where you can look back and say "Wow, our governor really helped us out and did a good job with that."

Government inaction like this is an unfavorable trend for those people footing the majority of the tax bill and seeing it spent on the rest of the state.

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by MarketsWork

It seems to be the attitude of some forumers that Georgians who live outside metro Atlanta are insignificant rubes who resent, neglect and take Atlanta for granted.

I've never heard anyone suggest that people who live outside metro Atlanta are insignificant rubes, but state government does have a very long history of giving Atlanta short shrift. $40 million represents maybe .002 of what the state spends each year.

[atlantaguy]

Sonny Bubba can kiss my bass!

Sorry, MarketsWork - and everyone else, but I honestly believe that Sonny is the actual rube here. He has done absolutely nothing to impress me in the least, and I honestly think he makes the State look backwards to the rest of the world. The last straw was when he suggested we learn "time management skills" to negate the need for Sunday beer & wines sales/liquor by the drink. Even when polls show 70%+ of the voters in the Metro area and the retailers are in support of changing the law, he claims he will probably veto it if it passes?

Sorry, but this fool (yes, fool) from Middle Georgia hasn't lifted a single finger to do anything for Metro Atlanta since taking office. He is beholden to the Christian Coalition of Georgia and the massive paving industry, was willing to call a special session of the Legislature to ban the oh so threatening spector of gay marriage if our Supreme Court didn't rule the way he wanted them to, did not lift one finger to stop the closing of the Ford or GM plants, etc.

Roy Barnes was a visionary. Cathy Cox would have been one too. This idiot is regressive, and it saddens me at what is happening to this beautiful place.

Georgia used to be considered the most progressive State in the Southeast (yes, including Florida). This man, in my opinion, is largely responsible for turning the clock back about two decades.

[atlantaguy]

BTW, so sorry for posting this here in the 1010 thread, when it really belongs in the Atlanta Discussion area of the Souther forum........but the subject came up here, not there.