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Athens Construction Thread
Posted on 7/8/15 at 2:47 pm
Posted on 7/8/15 at 2:47 pm
Most people have appreciated downtown Athens due to its lack of commercialization... but as more and more student housing developments are going up in the downtown vicinity, the more this commercialization is becoming a reality.
Late last year, Urban Outfitters announced it was putting one of its stores in the former Red Zone spot. It is under construction now and is scheduled to open its doors before our first home game. Of course Red Zone took over a smaller unit across the street on Clayton.
Today, it was announced that CVS and J. Crew are among the tenants in the new Georgia Heights luxury student housing project that is set to open next month.
I, for one, don't mind the commercialization in downtown as long as it doesn't go too far. Higher end stores like J. Crew are welcome in my book (even though I don't frick with J. Crew). When it gets to the point that Church's Chicken or Krystal start moving downtown (see New Orleans) I'm gonna have to put my foot down.
I'm interested to see what else is bound to pop up. Guess? Patagonia (please!!)?
Thoughts? No fricks given?
Late last year, Urban Outfitters announced it was putting one of its stores in the former Red Zone spot. It is under construction now and is scheduled to open its doors before our first home game. Of course Red Zone took over a smaller unit across the street on Clayton.
Today, it was announced that CVS and J. Crew are among the tenants in the new Georgia Heights luxury student housing project that is set to open next month.
I, for one, don't mind the commercialization in downtown as long as it doesn't go too far. Higher end stores like J. Crew are welcome in my book (even though I don't frick with J. Crew). When it gets to the point that Church's Chicken or Krystal start moving downtown (see New Orleans) I'm gonna have to put my foot down.
I'm interested to see what else is bound to pop up. Guess? Patagonia (please!!)?
Thoughts? No fricks given?
This post was edited on 8/21/15 at 8:34 am
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Posted on 7/8/15 at 2:54 pm to PNW
Also, the Athens City Commission rejected the Aldi rezoning plans for the east side at barnett shoals and college station road(s).
I'm not too disappointed in this. In fact, I'm pretty happy about the decision. The east side is becoming too dumpy to keep building new shite that'll over time have the probability of closing up (K - Mart).
Fill up what is currently vacant. Places like the old KMart and the old Piggly Wiggly on Lexington need tenants... Why the hell won't Aldi rent these places out?
I'm not too disappointed in this. In fact, I'm pretty happy about the decision. The east side is becoming too dumpy to keep building new shite that'll over time have the probability of closing up (K - Mart).
Fill up what is currently vacant. Places like the old KMart and the old Piggly Wiggly on Lexington need tenants... Why the hell won't Aldi rent these places out?
Posted on 7/8/15 at 2:56 pm to PNW
I think it would really change the entire personality of DT if too many chains movie in, and not in a good way.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 3:09 pm to RedPants
quote:
I think it would really change the entire personality of DT if too many chains movie in, and not in a good way.
I don't see it being a bad way. Look at Boulder... it's super trendy like Athens but it's more commercialized, but in a good way. They have the cool trendy hip stores that you mostly see in upscale areas or college towns. Why can't Athens have that?
Five Guys - check
Starbucks - check
Einsten Bagels - check
Urban Outfitters - check
J. Crew - check
relocating Halfmoon Outfitters to Normaltown/Prince Ave. - check
It's beginning to look that way.
Downtown Athens can become a hybrid
This post was edited on 7/8/15 at 3:14 pm
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:03 pm to PNW
quote:
Five Guys - check Starbucks - check Einsten Bagels - check Urban Outfitters - check J. Crew - check relocating Halfmoon Outfitters to Normaltown/Prince Ave. - check
That's exactly the fricking problem. It's downtown Athens. Not Phipps Plaza.
Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:13 pm to PNW
quote:
The east side is becoming too dumpy to keep building new shite that'll over time have the probability of closing up
Not really. A lot of new stuff on the east side in the past couple of years - Cali n' Titos, Your Pie, Siri Thai and Blind Pig Tavern to name a few (local) examples. Not that having an Aldi would be a dream addition- another grocery brand would be a good thing. Wish Kroger would build a new store in place of the empty Kmart like they proposed a couple of years ago.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:17 pm to PNW
quote:
s Downtown Athens Becoming too Commercialized?
Victim of its own success- if you wanna call it that. I think it's a good sign that these companies want to invest in our city. I don't frequent J Crew or Urban Outfitters, but their presence doesn't upset me in any way.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:21 pm to HinesvilleThrill
quote:
It's downtown Athens. Not Phipps Plaza.
I wouldn't go that far...
shite's gonna be unrecognizable in a year or two.
The Mark is under construction across from Steeplechase where the old downtown walmart was proposed. Totally transforming this area:
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:28 pm to PortlyDawg
quote:
Cali n' Titos
they moved from 5 points?
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:34 pm to PNW
quote:
The Mark is under construction across from Steeplechase where the old downtown walmart was proposed. Totally transforming this area:
I drove by this the other day and couldn't believe the size of of it.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:35 pm to PNW
quote:
I wouldn't go that far...
I would. I have no problem with business expanding downtwon. But keep it to local, mom and pop businesses. Kind of like what Asheville does. Not large national chains.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:37 pm to HinesvilleThrill
Does downtown Athens have a building height restriction in place?
Posted on 7/8/15 at 4:38 pm to JCdawg
I don't think so. They need one.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 5:11 pm to PNW
Nah. Opened a second location on cedar shoals near the high school. Where the east side cofers used to be. It's a sweet setup.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 5:12 pm to PNW
quote:
they moved from 5 points?
No, they opened a second location on the Eastside that by all accounts is pretty stellar. I haven't been yet but I've only heard great things.
As for the DT build-up, it's inevitable. Athens is becoming more than a town that is booming on 6 or 7 Fall Saturdays a year. Conventions are showing up year round now, tourists are stopping by in the Spring. Big businesses are taking notice and they're bringing their wallets to capitalize on that influx of traffic, as well as the increasingly well-to-do student population. If there's a gripe, it'll be that 1.) I don't want CVS that close to a place like Hortons and potentially stealing its business, and 2.) the mayor and commissioners can't bumblefrick around with the increase in money. There's an excellent proposed city plan on the table and what the increased revenue needs to go toward implementing that. Seeing these corporations move in is fine so long as you evolve the city with it rather than in reaction to it. Athens needs to get ahead of the curve on this thing and start scheduling its infrastructure projects (such as the Firefly Trail, a possible light rail line, fixing up the pedestrian accessibility of Prince Ave, etc.). I think there's a ton of potential to beautify and grow downtown so as to connect it better with Normaltown and to bring some life to the section of Broad between Hull and Milledge. They've just got to be proactive and wise (unfortunately, not something I really have faith in local politicians doing, let alone the Athens leaders).
Posted on 7/8/15 at 5:16 pm to HinesvilleThrill
quote:
Kind of like what Asheville does. Not large national chains.
The national chains are going to come and their money is going to be incredibly difficult to refuse. So, the focus should be not on turning them away, but instead diluting their presence by making Prince and Broad more accessible to pedestrian foot traffic and biking. Expand the concept of downtown beyond the Broad-Clayton-Washington grid so as to give smaller local places better access to the business that they may not be able to necessarily afford at a rpime setup like where Urban Outfitters is going.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 5:20 pm to PortlyDawg
quote:
Nah. Opened a second location on cedar shoals near the high school. Where the east side cofers used to be. It's a sweet setup.
Sweet! When I get back to Athens I'm definitely gonna have to check it out
Posted on 7/8/15 at 7:57 pm to PNW
an aldi there would have been a traffic nightmare. I fully support an aldi or trader joes taking over the old piggly wiggly
Posted on 7/8/15 at 8:01 pm to Hobnail
Or whole foods... Although I don't think the east side is a good fit for whole foods.
Posted on 7/8/15 at 8:09 pm to tylerdurden24
You can't really stop them but why in the world people would be happy with downtown Athens turning into a mirror image of every other mixed use development in the SE is beyond me. Does the world really need another fricking Starbucks?
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