While out one night, a group of friends and I went to Atlanta’s only Wet Willie’s which was awkwardly located streetside on Piedmont Road in Lindbergh City Center. That got me thinking…Why isn’t Lindbergh living up to its full potential?
As Atlanta’s only Transit-oriented Development site, Lindbergh Center can “get by” with its livability index with having residential apartments, a couple of restaurants, nightspots, a bank, and big-box stores to shop at nearby. (and of course the coup de grace, the huge MARTA Station that makes all of this special, right). For some reason, I don’t feel that Lindbergh City Center really qualifies as a true blue TOD site. First off, there are thousands of parking space around it, which would really juxtapose the idea of a TOD site. Second, the retail paradise is across the street from it all. It would be lovely for a smaller Marshall’s store to relocate to City Center if that was possible. I know they could definitely afford the rents here. But, in order to get to it, you have to walk 5 minutes from the train station, cross the traffic-choked Piedmont (and God forbid Sidney Marcus as well), and cross thousands of ample parking lots. Very disgusting.
What could be done better? For one, Lindbergh City Center should try to look for some more suitable tenants. MARTA is in the process of looking at some possible development sites around its train stations, and surprisingly enough, Lindbergh Center wasn’t one of them. They must think its perfect or something. Second, make the area more inviting (to transit riders, that is.) Replace some of the parking decks with multi-level mixed-use development. That would be a BIG move for the area. Also, if the retail on the other side of the tracks is looking to connect with the rest of the area, a pedestrian bridge wouldn’t hurt. Morsogo and Piedmont looks like a total crime scene.
TheATLplanner 