Too Much North South, Not Enough East West
One could make the argument that Atlanta is the biggest small town in America. Why? Because Peachtree is our one main street. It runs north-south from south of downtown passed Oglethorpe University. Most important buildings in the city are on this street. Moreover, the city’s other major streets are also North South. Northside Drive, West Peachtree, Spring, Piedmont, and Moreland, all run North South.
Contrast this to Chicago or Chattanooga which have a grid. Not just one North South Street, but a series of North-South & East-West streets that form districts and make them easy for walking people to navigate!
East-West viability is going to be vital to Atlanta if it is going to continue growing in ways that don’t lead to more traffic. Don’t believe me? Look where the housing market is booming… and where it isn’t.
Buckhead Central is developing Housing at every opportunity. People are moving into the central business district of Buckhead as fast of possible precisely because they can walk places. There is enough concentrated into one space that nothing is too far away. To have the concentration, you need two axis, not one.
Look also at East Point. Even with some serious political divisions, the village’s natural layout leads toward success. Yes, it has a main street, but they also have looked east-west and have developed a vibrant community with great loft space that is attracting the best of the creative class.
Contrast with Virginia Highlands, whose housing market has weakened from it’s most intense frenzy. Why? Because walking from one end of the highlands to the other would take well over an hour. Lots of folks visit the district. Fewer want to live there now.
Districts with the grid are going to do well. It’s easy to move about and everything is close. Districts that keep to the one long string theory might well have a harder time.