Recent Comments
Re: “Atlanta food events, May 13-19: Taste of the Highlands, Margarita Wars, and more”
Yeah, it's an ambiguous term, "Highlands". Even living in and around the neighborhood for the past 10 years, I only started hearing the term "Poncey Highlands" in the last 4 or so years. Neighborhood branding in most US cities has run amok. See here the So/No/Bo/Po nonsense in the 4th Ward.
Re: “Atlanta food events, May 13-19: Taste of the Highlands, Margarita Wars, and more”
Mouth, it has always been Taste of The Highlands, going on 11 years now. Never Taste of Virginia Highlands. The neighborhood distinctions are separate of the focus for the event and, more or less, is casting a net around what touches Highland Ave, per the VHBA. The number of midtown restaurants and chains participating may be disheartening to you, but the cause is pretty much infallible. The event takes corporate sponsors as a means to market itself and raise more funds for Children's. The ticket price is pretty much standard of a charity event of it's kind but, don't worry, someone else will buy the ticket you were likely never considering.
Re: “Tyler Perry's old studio in Inman Park to become mixed-use 'epicurean center'”
Adam, you are stating only a portion of the actual process and, as a developer in the neighborhood yourself, I wonder if you are painting IPNA in such a positive light for ulterior reasons. To answer the question you didn't, the proposal as it exists today is remarkably stripped down compared to the original proposal, right?
AUDC issues certs. of appropriateness only after weighing the approvals of immediate development neighbors, the IPNA and NPU-N; without those approvals, the development is effectively and politically dead. In addition, the IPNA has a direct line with the City on all matters related to zoning, including issuance and revocation of liquor licenses, a power IPNA has yielded in the past (and presently) to hold neighborhood businesses in check to their view of the neighborhood character/matured gentrification that vastly favors the desires and lifestyles of the single-family home owners over those of the multi-family owners and renters. In large part, you have to give kudos to IPNA for maintaining the power that they have where other, less moneyed or organized NAs would get steam-rolled in similar development proposals.
Re: “Tyler Perry's old studio in Inman Park to become mixed-use 'epicurean center'”
Adam, how does this present plan and scope for the space compare to the initial plan presented to IPNA back in May? My apologies if the above post rubbed you the wrong way, but I've become accustomed to some very heavy-handed demands regarding development and business operations from the IPNA and their Appropriateness/Zoning committees.
Re: “Beltline's $3 million gift will help pay for Eastside Trail extension, link from path to Historic Fourth Ward Park”
Same take-away as wesley; I thought Georgia Power owned that sliver of land and fence. Just take down the fence and clear the brush. Can't be that expensive.
Re: “Tyler Perry's old studio in Inman Park to become mixed-use 'epicurean center'”
Mixed feelings about this.
Glad someone found the cash to meet Perry's ridiculous asking price for the property (wonder if the rumored back-taxes he owes on the property have been paid...) and are proceeding with a project that doesn't (currently) involve the word "condo". However, the Stove Works businesses don't need a heavy-handed landlord, Krog SURELY doesn't need more traffic (the tunnel after this is complete is going to be twice the hell it already is in rush hour) and the way they are describing this market as so foreign and unique reads awfully "white" when Sweet Auburn is roughly a mile away. Guess that points to the failings of Sweet Auburn's accessibility and marketing more than anything else.
And the NIMBY fight this developer is going to face with the Inman Park Neighborhood Association, one of the stodgiest and impossible to please NAs in town, should be entertaining and educational. They likely dressed this proposal up with such fanciful language just to put them at ease...for now...
Re: “Old Fourth Ward, you're getting a... self-storage facility?”
As you can see, and as Kwanza can also attest to, the self-storage industry has a pretty vocal business association that apparently spends most of it's time defending itself in community newspapers.
As to this facility property itself, I would love to hear some ideas for that plot of land that are based in reality. It's zoned for commercial use, is only really accessible via the switch-lane fiasco of Decatur/Dekalb, bound by a trainyard, a fairly horrible apartment complex and an autoparts warehouse (had to look that up, never knew what was in that building to the west). The truth is Lenny's sucked at that spot (9 years later and old Lenny's still stands, unbulldozed...) and nothing else in there was open or viable. At least it's not the eyesore it was the last 3 or so months it stood.