tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post30276737125025373..comments2024-03-20T11:22:09.369-04:00Comments on Flooring The Consumer: Atlanta's Atlantic Station - A Lifestyle CenterCB Whittemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-68584765480167011902008-02-11T15:53:00.000-05:002008-02-11T15:53:00.000-05:00Mary, thank you for suggesting Emile Zola. I have...Mary, thank you for suggesting Emile Zola. I have just ordered the book and can't wait to read it.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-78687143540565902602008-01-30T08:06:00.000-05:002008-01-30T08:06:00.000-05:00Thanks for your good wishes. Might I suggest that...Thanks for your good wishes. <BR/><BR/>Might I suggest that anybody who is interested in the retail business should read a novel by Emile Zola, the French naturalist writer, The Ladies' Paradise (called Au bonheur des dames in French.)<BR/><BR/>It was published something like 125 years ago, but what he observes sounds extremely up to date. I wrote a blog entry on it a while ago: http://marysoderstrom.blogspot.com/2007/07/lessons-that-walmart-could-learn-from.html <BR/><BR/>Cheers<BR/><BR/>MaryMary Soderstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09265519935852076762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-39924526722023448682008-01-29T21:17:00.000-05:002008-01-29T21:17:00.000-05:00Mary, un grand merci pour votre commentaire! Very...Mary, un grand merci pour votre commentaire! Very interesting to learn about a Canadian lifestyle center; as you remark, extreme weather conditions do complicate the experience.<BR/><BR/>Your book sounds fascinating! Good luck with the research.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-21920156285811064052008-01-29T20:21:00.000-05:002008-01-29T20:21:00.000-05:00I'm working on a book to be called The Walkable Ci...I'm working on a book to be called The Walkable City: from Haussmann's Boulevards to Jane Jacobs Streets and Beyond so I spent an afternoon last week--one of the coldest dats of the winter so far, about O F--at Dix30, which bills itself as Canada's first lifestyle centre. <BR/><BR/>The place has been open about a year at the interection of two major highway on the south shore of the St. Lawrence near Montreal. <BR/><BR/>No housing integrated into the development as yet, and it seems to me to be aDisneyland-like gimmick that is going to run into major problems wherever weather is too hot or too cold frequently.<BR/><BR/>Better to save real main streets than to attempt to create erzatz ones.<BR/><BR/>MaryMary Soderstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09265519935852076762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-75854245057253466572006-12-05T18:12:00.000-05:002006-12-05T18:12:00.000-05:00AS Insider, thanks for your comments. As you say,...AS Insider, thanks for your comments. As you say, we just have to wait and see given how long it will take to complete the project. I do plan to revisit on a regular basis.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-8761720701823960552006-12-05T17:59:00.000-05:002006-12-05T17:59:00.000-05:00There may be some confusion here regarding Atlanti...There may be some confusion here regarding Atlantic Station's master plan. The original plan by TVS was suburban at best with single-use areas of garden apartments, low-rise office complexes and huge mixed-use super blocks near the interstate. The plan has evolved a great deal since going through 5 or 6 iterations.<br /><br />If you look at the current plan: http://www.atlanticstation.com/site.php notice the degree to which the District mixes uses. The current state of construction at Atlantic Station doesn't convey the full plan, particularly south of 17th Street where a huge hole exists. It will take 10 years to build everything out and this hole will be filled with high-density office, residential and hotel uses all with street-level retail.<br /><br />As a note, "Lifestyle Centers" usually max out at 350,000 SF and is a term impossible to find anywhere in Atlantic Station's propaganda. People want to knock it because it doesn't have the patina of Little 5 Points. Give it time and let it evolve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-83453379080403724602006-10-24T22:44:00.000-04:002006-10-24T22:44:00.000-04:00Yes, I can name two that I know of and one that I ...Yes, I can name two that I know of and one that I am about a mile from. I will email you about these.Wizumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12249406869241119324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-31017876664499642522006-10-24T22:26:00.000-04:002006-10-24T22:26:00.000-04:00Scott, thanks very much for sharing your architect...Scott, thanks very much for sharing your architect's perspective on AS, as well as your photo[s]. Have you found a lifestyle center that does a better job of truly integrating the aspects of live/work/play [and transportation]? If so, I'd love to share that in a guest post. Best, C.B.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-47263704395004652352006-10-24T18:49:00.000-04:002006-10-24T18:49:00.000-04:00Nice article on Atlantic Station. I am an archite...Nice article on Atlantic Station. I am an architect and saw the original master plan renderings that were done by TVS (located here in Atlanta). what AS became hardly resembles what the master plan called for. Overall I think they really missed an opportunity with AS. You mentioned a couple of those things that really have made "what it became" to "what it should/could have been". Firstly its the cars and the traffic issues that the retail/commercial district has already, and I have heard that the development for AS is only 50% complete. Secondly, on the car issue, or I should say transportation issue, the integration with AS with the rest of Atlanta is very poor. It is almost its own city. Mass transit (light-rail) should have been integrated as well to help in this, but of course wasn't. <br /><br />Then we have the 17th street bridge, another big missed opportunity. The AIA was pushing for the city to have a Calatrava like design to make a statement for the city for such an important development and bridge, but the city, and state, said "no, thats OK we can do a eye catching bridge too". Did you see it? did it catch your eye? Well who can't ignore the yellow :).<br /><br />Finally, you made mention of the way that most of the residential is seperate from the shopping and commercial stuff. This is one of the reasons that AS is a terrible plan and why it won't be the success it should have been.<br /><br />Anyhow, can you tell I am not a big fan of the development? The place just doesn't have a sense of place at all. the feeling it gives is of a movie set, not a place to live/work/play, as they advertise it to be. <br /><br />Great write up though and as long as you referrence my images (give me credit) I have no problems with you using them. But, If you do use them for more than the Blog please notify me first. Thanks,<br /><br />Wizum<br />aka. Scott MooreWizumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12249406869241119324noreply@blogger.com