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A Tale of 2 Malls

What happens when malls outlive their usefulness or the community around them shifts?  What becomes a retail box rejected?

2 cases provide an interesting case in point.  Lindbergh Plaza and North Dekalb Mall.  Both projects were built in the 1960s and have suffered in recent years.  Both were supposed to get a boost with serious redevelopment and a shift in area demographics.  The process seems underway for North Dekalb, but what of Lindbergh Plaza?

Lindbergh Plaza was once the home to a wide variety of stores including K-Mart, but has fallen on tough times.  Several French restaurants, movie houses, clubs, and prominent retailers filled its spaces.  Bennie's Shoes, a community institution, was there for 20 years but has since moved.  The current shopping center has supposed to be replaced with a combination of retail, office space, and housing, but construction and plans are yet to materialize.

North Dekalb Mall seems more likely to get moving.  It was recently sold by Canadian owners to folks who live in Dekalb and, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, they plan to make the kind of changes slated for Lindbergh as well.  Signs (literally) are in evidence of the changes. 
The signs are coming down.  The construction equipment is moving in.  Hendon properties is making the pitch for building a viable community by re-using the mall.

What is stopping this from happening at Lindbergh?  Surely North Dekalb Mall is the bigger gamble.  Surely access to the Lindbergh Marta Station, the Buckhead Area and the demand for a short commute from Bell South workers makes this an easy redevelopment.

Meanwhile it all sits idle.  Not pretty.

The Price of Theatrical Diffusion

Did you know Atlanta has 105 theatres?  105!  That's a lot!- though it's companies, not venues.

Clint Johnson compiled the list and wrote about it on the Atlanta Theatre Mailing List.  You can get a copy with a $5 donation to the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts.  The tragedy here is that the geographic nature of Atlanta means harnessing the power of all that talent is difficult.  Atlanta would have been a stronger arts community all along if there had been a central theater district.

Right now we have three small districts.  The Woodruff Arts Center controls the arts from 16th to 14th street.  At one time, the Academy and Theatrical outfit were all in walking distance, but no longer.  The 14th street playhouse is a great venue with several companies leasing space, but if each had their own, the district would be stronger.  Only The Centre for Puppetry Arts and Whole World controls their own space without Woodruff oversight.

Another district is in Little 5 Points.  7 Stages, Horizon, and Dad's Garage are all near, along with Laughing Matters and others performing at Manuel's Tavern.  This is where the new work gets done well and affordably.  Still, more theaters would help and it's a hike from Dad's to the others.

Lastly there is a bit of a theater district in Marietta and while they do nice work out there, that's likely a job for a more marietta oriented blog.

Even with these three concentrations, we're still looking at less than 20% of all theatres.  Imagine if many of the theatres currently renting space could get their own spaces in midtown on Cresent or Juniper.  Image if we could follow the lead of Theatrical Outfit and create a downtown district in Fairlie-Poplar!  We'd have something special.

How would it help?  Imagine the increased traffic in ticket sales from Atlantix alone!  Right now, there is one booth at Underground and they sell some tickets.  Another one might be coming to Buckhead, but several theaters rarely sell out their Atlantix allotment.  If there were a major theater district with a dozen theaters, those theaters would reap the benefits from walk up sales and tourist awareness!  It would also spawn theater related restaurants and businesses.  There is nothing wrong with local theater.  It's a great entree into the genre, but having a true vibrant district makes the trip there special, and that makes the city better.

Learning From Manuel

Manuel Maloof  has died.  He was the CEO of Dekalb County and was essential in helping to build modern Dekalb.  We need more like him.  Manuel was a tough progressive.  He was tough in politics so he could be open to making the changes that needed making.  He sought business for the county, worked to bring in MARTA, reached out to make the government look for like the county, and tried to run a tight ship.  Many people see him as one of the most successful CEOs ever.

Vernon Jones could take a page about Maloof's book.  Times are tough and needs are great.  Overhaul County government.  Make it run more economically and use the savings to keep the budget in check and address our most needy priorities.  Make the deals you need to make but make them in the open and defend them.  Help the police and fire departments get the equipment they believe they need.  In return, ask of them that they be as responsive to the community as possible.  Keep up the developement of park lands and preservation and make sure no one can say "but his friends are making a killing!"  Spin off non government functions and keep your promises.

Lastly, when Mr. Jones retires, he could do worse than to buy a bar.  Want a Georgia Institution?  It is Manuel's.

Preserving Resturants

How Our Restaurants Define Us

Which restaurants are necessary for the locals?  Which for the Tourists?  Are there restaurants that are so important that they help draw people to Atlanta?  With the plan to save Paschal's these questions have come to the for.  Every city has restaurants that help give it identity.  Could you imagine L.A. without Spaggo?  Chicago without Ed Debevic's?  New York without the Carnegie Deli?

I think there are restaurants which are their own positive externalities.  In other words, even if you never eat there, your experience of Atlanta is enhanced because a given restaurant is there.

Perhaps the clearest example has to be TheVarsity.  Even if you're vegan and never eat there, you should be glad it's around.  It's a cheap place to eat for college students, a place for Coca Cola and Bell South executives to slum, and sits on North Ave., one of Atlanta's traditional lines of racial demarcation.  As the world's largest drive in, it's a tourist destination for aficianados of the 50s and 60s car culture.  It's also a defining element of Atlanta.  For those who say that there is absolutely nothing Southern in Atlanta, this is at least on piece that makes it clear that Atlanta is the king of southern cities.

Mary Macs may also be such a place.  The Buckhead equivalent may be the The Buckhead Diner.  Each one of these places is part of the local fabric of the community and draws tourists as well.  They are institutions which help support the neighborhood.

So, how do we preserve these institutions and keep them in good shape?  Should there be a preservation arm of the Georgia Restaurant Council?  Does government have a role here or should we let a restaurant that can't make it just die off, even if it's a defining part of the community?

Defending the Apparel Mart

Recently, Creative Loafing declared the Apparel Mart as one of the City's worst eyesores.  I completely disagree.

Yes, it's huge.  Yes, the public cannot see in and it's not a friendly retail environment, but in this case, That's The Point!

The Apparel Mart and the other marts are expressly NOT retail, they are wholesale.  Form follows function.  They are not for the public! They are for the buyers of stores.  Access is highly limited!  However, the Marts themselves do have pedestrian friendly access from Peachtree Street, MARTA, and the downtown hotels.  Further, if you've actually ever been past security and inside the crescent atrium, you know it's very beautiful indeed.  Like a bottle of wine, the good stuff is on the inside, not the outside. John Portman has added design elements that are elegant and keep the block from being a cube.  The stair cases, bridges, and other elements all contribute to making the building more visually interesting.

Another complaint is that there are blocks of loading docks.  This is seen as unfriendly to pedestrians.  However, there are not a lot of Williams street pedestrians.  For large shows, hundreds of vehicles are all trying to simultaneously unload.  Having large sections of loading docks makes it possible to unload scores of trucks simultaneously, rather than shutting down Williams street.

The Marts are a vital part of downtown.  They draw hundreds of thousands of conventioneers each year, and because there is a lot of installation work, they also keep local workers busy.  The location is right, the building is cool, and it uses its visual language to indicate its purpose.  Sorry CL, you missed this one.

Is Atlanta Southern Enough?

The irony is that the ad ran on Turner South.  The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau is running an ad touting Atlanta as a great travel destination.  Wonderful! Terrific!  Except that many of the people in the group with whom I saw the ad noticed that the ad features imagery almost entirely evocative of northern cities.  There was nothing distinctly 'Southern' about it.

What did they show?  Bloomingdales, the High Museum (by New York architect Richard Meyer), the subway, Ice Hockey, and a spot of a Bop trumpeter.  None of these images seem representative of the Deep South.

This raises an interesting question that my Southern friends have long debated:  Is Atlanta the south?  As someone who has lived in other parts of the country, I find Atlanta very Southern.   Yet my Southern Brethren tell me that to them, this is a city of people who want to leave the south behind.

Which do we want to be?  How do we reach consensus on which, if any, elements of the southern ontology will be requisite in the Atlanta mindset?

Trends show that more migration now is from people leaving smaller southern towns to come here or from foreign countries than from traditional northern cities.  Perhaps these folks will define this.  Perhaps it is precisely elements of the south they are trying to get away from by coming here.  Perhaps that's the message in the marketing and it's not so ironic after all.

Another Idea for the Pavillion

With the World of Coca-Cola moving, it's important to find another attraction to both help keep the building and Underground Atlanta vital.  We've already suggested moving Sci-Trek there, but if that doesn't work, there's another need.

One of Atlanta's biggest industries is music.  Hundreds of artists record their records here and Atlanta is the home to the 'Dirty South' style of Hip Hop.  A pavilion promoting our scene would surely be a winner with both Atlantans and tourists alike.  Imagine hundreds of school kids touring a replica of Doppler Studios or the Streaming Media Suite at Crawford Communications.  Additionally, the Atlanta music scene itself could get its due.  Exhibits about Outkast, India Arie, The Temple of Hip Hop, and Lizz Wright could all be a vibrant part of the Pavilion.  Even more important, it could focus on the business end of things and look at Jermaine Dupri, Dallas Austin, and L.A. Reid as the pioneers who put Atlanta on the map as a location where labels had to look for talent.

The Pavilion could also take the direction of looking at all kinds of Atlanta music including the ASO, Indigo Girls, Rene Marie, Collective Soul, and Alan Jackson.  A tour of Atlanta History Landmarks would also be fun.

Setting up such a pavilion will also provide a focal point to help us promote Atlanta as a town for the music makers and power houses.  Heck, the ability alone to record a one or two song kareoke demo in a real studio would be worth the price.  Booths at Underground make a fortune doing this.

Atlanta is a city notorious for it's ability to hype itself and this would seem to fall right into line and be fun!

 

The 'other' Decatur

A friend of mine needed a ride to Decatur late one Friday night and I told him I was going to go straight down Ponce, and he said "No, No, this club is in the other Decatur, best take I-20"

I had occasion to go back into the same area today and now I get it.  There really are two Decaturs.  Like many people, I tend to think of Decatur as one of the most successful small cities in Atlanta.  I think of it primarily as the County Seat with great restaurants, galleries, and music.

However, if you take Candler rd. south from Agnes Scott, you go into another Decatur.  It's primarily African American, less diverse in race and orientation, and less wealthy.  However, it's a lot of fun and there are some great businesses worthy of support.  It's a distinct community, separate from the rest of Decatur.

Primarily made of strip malls, there are no chains (okay, there's a Wayfield Foods, but that's cool).  Instead there are local merchants who sell great stuff.  From Reggae music stores, to Caribbean Bakeries, to real soul food, this neighborhood has a lot to offer!

It's also suffered from a lot of neglect.  Back in 2002, plans were underway to help make improvements in the area.  The next Dekalb CEO needs to work with other officials to continue to make the area friendlier.  Better signs, improved traffic tools, and some emphasis on upkeep and civic improvement will make a huge difference.

The Dekalb CVB and South Dekalb Business Association can also help.  The Candler road corridor needs to be recognized as a distinct retail corridor worth visiting.  To do that, merchants have to be induced to work together on common marketing and to increase their media and web presence.  What fascinates me is that the disconnect exists.  Lots of people visit Decatur every day, but I doubt that even 5% venture South of Agnes Scott.  It took me too long.  The question is why?

In the meantime, I'll be going back to Tropical Delite, a bakery at 2136 Candler Rd.

Brewer's Big Gambles

South of I-20 and Cabbagetown along Glenwood stands an interesting contrast.

Charles Brewer is moving ahead with his vision.  His development firm, Greenstreet Properties is now actually building Glenwood Park.  This project will blend a variety of types of housing centered around a small village with shops, one office building, and a school.

Contrast this with the development that is just across the street. Glenwood Green is a gated community of modernized Levittown style condos with a traditional apartment style workout center and leasing office.  As of this writing, Only 19 of 170 residences remain to be leased.   Clearly they have been successful.

Will Mr. Brewer's gamble will pay off?  First, let's define the bet.  The bet is that Atlantans are ready for a community that incorporates commercial, civic, and residential spaces in one development.  This includes the idea that the residential areas will be directly above the businesses.  And that people will want to live above where they work. 
But wait, there's more!

According to John Graham, the commercial leasing agent for Glenwood Park, their goal is not only to lease to businesses to serve the development, but those which will include the surrounding communities as well.  The community has sought a dry cleaner and so that has become a priority.  Graham want restaurants, ice cream parlours, day spas, and other amenities that will attract people from all over into Glenwood Park.  Glenwood Green Representatives know that they are free riding on Glenwood Park to both
enhance the value of their property and to get amenities for their residents, and the Park folks seem to be okay with this.  They are counting on the professionals that live in Green to participate in the community life of Glenwood Park.

That's where another bet comes in.  Glenwood Park won't be gated.  Brewer is trying to integrate it into the fabric of the community.  In order to do that, he has to assume that people are willing to spend between $200,000 and $500,000 for a home that will have through traffic.  Early sales seem to be going well, but the numbers are small.  Glenwood Green sold as quickly as possible, but Brewer has designed his plan to stretch out further.  He is selling over 5 years and I would guess that is to measure the demand and keep pace with it.  

Ironically, The Post Company, in their Riverside Apartment complex was among the first to use this idea as a planning model.  The project seems to have been a success.  2 of 3 residents enjoy living there and the atmosphere seems to be a big part of things.  One lesson from the Post experience seems to be that maintenance is vital.  Because there will be substantial common spaces, the association and board governing Glenwood park will need to make upkeep a top priority.

Here's hoping Brewer and his staff are geniuses and this project is going to fly.  If they are successful, they will add a lot to Atlanta and to their community.  The first Glenwood Park residents will move in around August of this year and all retail development should be complete by fall of 2005.  Glenwood Green is already built.  In combination, the two communities resemble Celebration Florida.  Hopefully, they will provide a strong urbane model and Brewer will continue developing!

5 Buildings to Save and 5 We've Lost

People often blame General Sherman for destroying the city of Atlanta, however, Sherman has nothing on Real Estate Developers.  Developers and their allies in the city council over the years have ripped through Atlanta and destroyed great architecture.  They almost destroyed the Fox Theater!  Too many buildings have been lost and too many continue to be threatened.  The Atlanta Preservation Society is doing the best they can, but they are not a high priority among the city's leading charitable givers!

5 Great Buildings We've Already Lost:

o Rio Mall  This was a required cultural landmark for any visitor to Atlanta.  Designed by Arquitectonica, this was the first deconstructionist piece in the city.  It was also a place where the northside and southside could meet.  It has been replaced by Post Apartments

o The Oxford Bookstore, Pharr Rd.  Bruce Goff didn't build much in the Deep South, but he built this wonderful building.  First it was a car dealership.  Then, Oxford Books bought it and converted the building into a bookstore.  It has been replaced by post Apartments.

o The Original Equitable Building  One of two buildings designed by famed Architect Daniel Burnham, this was a classic example of early modernism.  In the 1970s however, European modernism was all the rage and this graceful
beauty was destroyed to make room for wider sidewalks.

o Peachtree Arcade  Before there was Underground, there was the Peachtree Arcade.  This was Atlanta's first indoor shopping district and it sat where the First Atlanta Tower now stands.

o Terminal Station  
This Beautiful Spanish style rail station was the hub of Atlanta activity for 100 years, but as trains ceased to be the main mode of transportation and as demands for downtown office space expanded, this venerable station fell.

5 Great Buildings That Face the Wrecking Ball!

o The Winecoff Hotel .. This was once the grandest of all Atlanta Hotels but after a tragic fire, it has never been rebuilt.  Saving this landmark would both boost the north section of downtown but restore a landmark to a true heritage.  The building was designed by William L. Stoddart.

o Women's Club of Atlanta .. This beautiful mansion in midtown has been a women's society parlor, a restaurant, and two famous nightclubs.  Now it is occasionally used as a special events facility, but could easily fall away.

o Brookwood Station .. Atlanta's current Amtrak station is designed by the great Atlanta Architect Philip Shutze.  Mr. Shutze designed this station to serve the Buckhead area and make train travel convenient.  Now, the building
could be lost if a new Atlanta Intermodel Terminal is built.  The Real Estate is highly valuable and developers covet the land more than they covet the beauty of the station.

o Crawford and Company Building ..Losing this building would be a two fold tragedy.  First, it's one of the best examples of a Bauhaus style building in Atlanta and it is I.M. Pei's first commercial project.  The scale and purity of this project remain a testament to Pei's elegance.

o The Peters House This house has a few key values.  First, it's a great example of the Queen Anne style that was prominent in 19th Century Atlanta.  Second, it has the oldest remaining landscaping plan left in the city.  Lastly, it's one of the great houses on Ponce and the more we lose, the more of our heritage we forget.  Who owns it?  Marietta's Mayor. 
What does he want to do?  Build condos!

We still have time to save these and many other buildings.  The first thing you can do it notice and appreciate them.  Then act!