5 ms·

First Microsoft and not Airbnb. As if our traffic didn't qualify us as the LA of the East. Seriously though, metropolitan Atlanta is a great area to live with

First Microsoft and not Airbnb. As if our traffic didn't qualify us as the LA of the East. Seriously though, metropolitan Atlanta is a great area to live with three major interstates going through the city and a very well developer surrounding area. With many businesses adopting more lenient WFH policies the drive is not always a concern. Schools are generally a good mix of public and private as with any area. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2021/02/11/investing-to-grow-in-and-with-atlanta/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2021/02/11/investing-to-gro...

dpflan 6y ago
Agree on your points, tech WFH/remote policies should benefit a city (especially more car-centric like Atlanta). If they can prioritize proximity to public transit, mainly rail or core bus route, that really helps, but if not, could also be a reason to make investment in transit to that area. P.S.: typo? "...and not Airbnb" --> "...and now Airbnb" :)
robbyking 6y ago
> As if our traffic didn't qualify us as the LA of the East. I lived in Athens, GA for almost a decade, and when my wife and decided to move to a bigger city, this was a major factor in us deciding not to move to Atlanta. We're really big on biking and public transportation, and at the time it didn't feel like Atlanta was an option because of this. That said, I miss Georgia a lot. I don't think people who live in other states realize how cool Athens and Atlanta are.
- sudosteph 6y ago
  I'm in Asheville, so not that far away, but I've still never visited Athens. I've heard great things about the music scene though! When I lived in Seattle, I met a lot of people with very distorted views of Southern cities in general. A lot of people who have never spent much time (or any time) in the south get their whole concept of us from crazy politicians, awful hollywood movies, and jim crow. That said - I've met tons of southerners that stereotype all Californians unfairly negatively as well (they think it's all berkely antifa and LA gangs). This is one big reason I really wish we had a national program like the one Yang proposed, where high schoolers could spend time in different communities across the country. Travel is expensive, but there's really no substitute for it when it comes to dispelling regional prejudices.
  - robbyking 6y ago
    I agree 100%! One of the reasons I moved to Athens was I wanted to live in a creative community in a part of the country I had never lived before. Now that I'm a parent I can't until we can travel again so my 4yo can experience some other cultures, here and abroad. There's too much tribalism, and when it comes down to it most of us want the same things[1] What's funny is when we moved, we actually considered Asheville, too, but decided to go a little bigger. When we lived in Athens it was rare we'd visit Asheville and not run in to someone we knew, or saw that a friend's band from Athens was playing. There is (or was, at least) a lot of reciprocity between the two music scenes. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5MHNvjw7o#t=6m36s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5MHNvjw7o#t=6m36s
- mym1990 6y ago
  I have recently moved back to Atlanta from SF and missed the biking aspect of SF dearly. Atlanta is getting much better though, the belt line is connecting many neighborhoods and there is lots of development happening for further bike and walking paths. One day I hope to ride down Peachtree without fearing for my life...one day.
avolcano 6y ago
The traffic is really fucking bad, to be honest - I've been considering moving back to metro Atlanta post-pandemic (grew up in Gwinnett County, currently up in NYC, still go back to visit 2x a year) and it's the biggest concern I have with taking a local job. It's definitely as bad as LA or Houston (and the pure sprawl seems to match the latter). I'd probably try to rely on MARTA and that's tricky to do even if you want to. My sister now lives in Decatur and I've been looking at some of the apartments near the MARTA stations there, and they're unfortunately mostly exclusively new luxury buildings (which I am very lucky to be able to afford on my current salary, but maybe not at a local job, or an adjusted-for-relocation remote one). Frustrating how there's so little walkable development around the MARTA stations other than Decatur's, and what there is is so expensive. Of course, I could deal with a five minute park and ride, but it's kinda the principle of the thing.
- dashundchen 6y ago
  The sprawl of most of the Sunbelt cities (Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix) seems absolutely unlivable to me. A tiny historic core just engulfed by tens of miles of car dependent tract housing and strip malls, all strung together by 8 lane highways is a nightmare to me. You must have to live in your car to get anywhere interesting. Obviously that doesn't stop people from moving there but I am always shocked more walk-able dense development hasn't taken root.
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    > I am always shocked more dense development hasn't taken root. Because it inevitably butts up against people’s desire to not live near lower socioeconomic classes who may not be able to afford a car centric life. See the prevalence of school rankings (proxy for parental wealth) in real estate websites. Older cities or older areas within cities with dense construction were grandfathered in, but I doubt we’ll see another new city like that in the US. The primary way we separate us from them is with unwalkable distances.
  - Apocryphon 6y ago
    You've just described Silicon Valley outside of San Francisco proper.

dpflan 6y ago

Agree on your points, tech WFH/remote policies should benefit a city (especially more car-centric like Atlanta). If they can prioritize proximity to public transit, mainly rail or core bus route, that really helps, but if not, could also be a reason to make investment in transit to that area. P.S.: typo? "...and not Airbnb" --> "...and now Airbnb" :)

robbyking 6y ago

> As if our traffic didn't qualify us as the LA of the East. I lived in Athens, GA for almost a decade, and when my wife and decided to move to a bigger city, this was a major factor in us deciding not to move to Atlanta. We're really big on biking and public transportation, and at the time it didn't feel like Atlanta was an option because of this. That said, I miss Georgia a lot. I don't think people who live in other states realize how cool Athens and Atlanta are.

sudosteph 6y ago
I'm in Asheville, so not that far away, but I've still never visited Athens. I've heard great things about the music scene though! When I lived in Seattle, I met a lot of people with very distorted views of Southern cities in general. A lot of people who have never spent much time (or any time) in the south get their whole concept of us from crazy politicians, awful hollywood movies, and jim crow. That said - I've met tons of southerners that stereotype all Californians unfairly negatively as well (they think it's all berkely antifa and LA gangs). This is one big reason I really wish we had a national program like the one Yang proposed, where high schoolers could spend time in different communities across the country. Travel is expensive, but there's really no substitute for it when it comes to dispelling regional prejudices.
- robbyking 6y ago
  I agree 100%! One of the reasons I moved to Athens was I wanted to live in a creative community in a part of the country I had never lived before. Now that I'm a parent I can't until we can travel again so my 4yo can experience some other cultures, here and abroad. There's too much tribalism, and when it comes down to it most of us want the same things[1] What's funny is when we moved, we actually considered Asheville, too, but decided to go a little bigger. When we lived in Athens it was rare we'd visit Asheville and not run in to someone we knew, or saw that a friend's band from Athens was playing. There is (or was, at least) a lot of reciprocity between the two music scenes. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5MHNvjw7o#t=6m36s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5MHNvjw7o#t=6m36s
mym1990 6y ago
I have recently moved back to Atlanta from SF and missed the biking aspect of SF dearly. Atlanta is getting much better though, the belt line is connecting many neighborhoods and there is lots of development happening for further bike and walking paths. One day I hope to ride down Peachtree without fearing for my life...one day.

avolcano 6y ago

The traffic is really fucking bad, to be honest - I've been considering moving back to metro Atlanta post-pandemic (grew up in Gwinnett County, currently up in NYC, still go back to visit 2x a year) and it's the biggest concern I have with taking a local job. It's definitely as bad as LA or Houston (and the pure sprawl seems to match the latter). I'd probably try to rely on MARTA and that's tricky to do even if you want to. My sister now lives in Decatur and I've been looking at some of the apartments near the MARTA stations there, and they're unfortunately mostly exclusively new luxury buildings (which I am very lucky to be able to afford on my current salary, but maybe not at a local job, or an adjusted-for-relocation remote one). Frustrating how there's so little walkable development around the MARTA stations other than Decatur's, and what there is is so expensive. Of course, I could deal with a five minute park and ride, but it's kinda the principle of the thing.

dashundchen 6y ago
The sprawl of most of the Sunbelt cities (Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix) seems absolutely unlivable to me. A tiny historic core just engulfed by tens of miles of car dependent tract housing and strip malls, all strung together by 8 lane highways is a nightmare to me. You must have to live in your car to get anywhere interesting. Obviously that doesn't stop people from moving there but I am always shocked more walk-able dense development hasn't taken root.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  > I am always shocked more dense development hasn't taken root. Because it inevitably butts up against people’s desire to not live near lower socioeconomic classes who may not be able to afford a car centric life. See the prevalence of school rankings (proxy for parental wealth) in real estate websites. Older cities or older areas within cities with dense construction were grandfathered in, but I doubt we’ll see another new city like that in the US. The primary way we separate us from them is with unwalkable distances.
- Apocryphon 6y ago
  You've just described Silicon Valley outside of San Francisco proper.