Introduction
After writing about urban development and public transit, I became intensely interested in these topics. I looked for good examples wherever I went. I looked around Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Chattanooga, Louisville, Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, Pittsburgh, Gatlinburg, and Cherokee. One of the good examples I found was an avenue in a former desert of parking lots next to Turner Field. This desert had been turned into a paradise for the normal person.
Background
Turner Field was built for the Olympics in 1997. Since it was one of the stadiums for the OLYMPICS, it needed a lot of parking. When it had all that parking, it looked like there was parking for a radius of one mile around the stadium. As far as the eye could see, there was parking space upon parking space. But then the Olympics passed, and the stadium became the home of the Braves. The Braves still needed a lot of parking, but not as much as they needed for the Olympics. But what do you do with all of the leftover parking? People just left it alone and let it fall into disrepair for years. The excess parking areas were a concrete desert for years, with dead trees around for extra ugliness. It was like this for years until some developers came along and changed everything.
What Could Have Happened
These developers could have done anything to the area. They could have been like those who built America’s interstates and plowed 16 concrete lanes through the area. They could have copied suburbia and built cul-de-sacs with houses on it. They could have built strip malls and huge, unnecessary grocery stores. They could have kept it the same. They could have built a huge parking deck. They could have done any of these things. But, thankfully, they didn’t.
What Actually Happened
Instead of doing all of this, they did something unique. They used mixed-use zoning to create a paradise. On the road, they put local businesses and restaurants. In the back, they put high-density residential apartments. They kept one parking so people didn’t have to park on the street. They routed a bus line through it, so there was a regular bus service. After a baseball or football game, people could come out and stay longer. Instead of sitting on the interstate for 30 minutes, they came here and waited until the rush hour ended. They put outdoor seating that all of the restaurants could use. They put playing areas for bored children. Next to this area, there was a park. They renovated this park so it would be more inviting for people to eat at the restaurants. They did end up putting a considerable grocery store there. Still, they positioned it so people from the store could go to the restaurants and use the bus stop. What they did was terrific, and it greatly impacted the good.
The Effects
These new businesses caused vast hordes of people to flood in, especially after games. People flooded in from all across Atlanta. A scooter and bike-sharing company set up bikes and scooters so people could go places after they were done with the area where the bus could not take them. The bike-sharing company brought in even more people, who created revenue for the city. The area became a key source of income that would have been turned into a critical source of debt to the town if they had built an interstate.
Conclusion
This should be a lesson for people who oppose development like this. I really like this development, and I hope the city can continue. The only way to improve this is by adding bike and bus lanes.
Let’s not forget the delightful addition to this development—a soft-serve shop. This unique feature adds a touch of charm and community appeal, fostering a sense of togetherness and making this development even more special for the local residents.
