What We See from the Beltline: Atlanta’s Vision, Resourcefulness, and Cooperation

Originally four disparate, minor railways that were intended to bypass residential Atlanta, these former freight lines now flourish with green and form an “emerald necklace” that connects some of the most desirable Atlanta residential real estate. The Beltline has been called a new branch of Atlanta’s central nervous system, and a magnet for development for the next 100 years.

Scheduled for completion in 2030 and designed to connect 45 neighborhoods with its 22-mile loop, the Beltline already brightens long swaths of intown Atlanta and offers residents a stroll-able, jog-able, bike-friendly way to explore parks, shops, and restaurants. The scale of the project is vast, but the look of it is natural, as if this kind of connection had been meant to be here all along. And the connections it makes are right in line with the desire of residents to spend more time with each other. Already people park their cars and walk the Beltline as a shortcut.

Seeing Unity in the Fragments

The possibilities that stem from connecting these old, industrial pathways were first defined in an architect’s 1999 Master’s thesis. That the Beltline could come so far so fast testifies to how wise the vision was.

Built and abandoned at different times over the course of a hundred years, the railroad rights-of-way only formed a loop accidentally. And the surroundings were equally varied. Thanks to the comprehensive Beltline plan though, the experience of using it will become consistent in many ways, even as the scenery morphs from more traditional Atlanta real estate to luxury condos with hotel-style amenities.

The agility and spirit it took to work together, make this project real and bring it so far is an example of Atlanta’s own style – not just rolled-up sleeves, but people rolling up their sleeves and working together.

 

So Many Ways to Enjoy

Art strolls past murals and installations; walking tours of the trees, plants, and environment of the Beltline; and walk-up patios serving snacks, lunch, and cocktails are only a few of the ways that Atlanta enjoys its Beltline.

Whether it’s spending time with friends, exploring other neighborhoods, biking, skating, dining, or taking in the largest public art project in the Southeast, your visit to the Beltline surely won’t be your last. This visionary project is already playing a big part in why it’s cool to live in Atlanta. And where it’s cool to live, too.

If this kind of spirit appeals to you, please remember that Engel & Völkers is the Atlanta leader in the sale of residential real estate and new developments. We’d love to be your guide. Just call us at 404-845-7724 or find out more at https://evatlanta.com.

 

Warmest Wishes,

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The Green Spaces of Atlanta: The Balance of Reflection and Power

Atlanta has the reputation of a muscular city. It’s a city of commerce, no doubt about it, and it grew from a crossroads where people met people to make a buck. But all along, Atlanta had a sense of balance. Look at the art collections, the architecture, theater, and Atlanta’s new role as a movie production hub. One big reason behind the demand for Atlanta residential real estate is that somehow Atlanta always kept its balance.

Maybe nothing shows that so clearly as Atlanta’s luscious parks. Amid our steel and glass skyline there are emerald gems of peace and nature and reflection that restore this great city’s energy. You might say we took the same forward-leaning approach to parks as to everything else – there are more than 3,000 acres of parkland in Atlanta.

And unlike many cities that had to take a “stop everything and make a park here” approach – like the “greenbelts” of England or some of our American coastal communities – Atlanta grew in a way that put the parks right here among us.

Piedmont Park

Only a mile from Downtown, the iconic Piedmont Park is surely one reason that midtown Atlanta real estate is so enduringly attractive. Though Piedmont Park was originally designed to host a huge civic and commercial exposition in 1887, the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect of New York’s Central Park, redesigned it in the early 20^th Century, adding scenic paths and views.

We might thank the Olmsteds for the fact that views of the city skyline from Piedmont Park’s Lake Clara Meer look a lot like the sight you get running The Reservoir in Central Park. And the Olmsteds’ design was by no means the only enhancement to Piedmont Park. Like everything else about Atlanta, the improvements here never stop for long. Covered picnic areas, playgrounds, tennis facilities and a visitors’ center are just a few of the recent ones. More than 53 acres were added to Piedmont Park in 2008, and a major expansion to the northern end of the park was begun in 2011.

Atlanta knows how to make the most of a treasure. The Piedmont Park Conservancy is a non-profit that sees to the continual improvement, maintenance, and security of the park, and its success makes this the most visited green space in Atlanta.

Chastain Park

In the upper left-hand corner of Buckhead, Chastain Park is not just in the right place, it’s offering the right things. The largest park in Atlanta offers jogging paths, playgrounds, golf and tennis, swimming, and even a horse park offer a scenic workout, a picnic or a family day outdoors on 260 acres of green, right where they need it. Homes in the area are drawing downsizers and young professionals alike.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Less than a mile from Midtown Atlanta real estate hotspots such as 1065 Midtown, the Botanical Garden enriches life here in so many ways that only a visit can give the true sense of it. It’s part breathing, part cooling, part relaxing, part learning, part bonding – and all Atlanta. Perhaps no other spot proves the balance that this hard-driving city somehow maintains than our precious Atlanta Botanical Garden.

To find out more about how these carefully crafted parks can become part of your life in Atlanta, just remember that Engel & Völkers is the Atlanta leader in the sale of residential real estate and new developments. We’d love to be your guide. Just call us at 404-845-7724 or find out more at https://evatlanta.com.

 

Warmest Wishes,

The Qualities that Come to a Crossroads

Atlanta turns out to be not as old as people think. When we see Victorian costumes in movies set in Atlanta, we overlook the fact that the city was brand new in those times.

And Atlanta owes its existence and purpose to the fact that it’s a hub. It outgrew the rest of the South because it is a crossroads. Along with that role came the qualities that crossroads nurture: communication, awareness, fun and far horizons.

National events often take place in Atlanta for these very reasons. It’s fitting to convene where work and play are so effectively aligned. Atlanta is a dose of real city without a lot of the drawbacks. It’s for this reason that so many people are on the hunt for Atlanta residential real estate.

Dozens of Sporting Events are Just One Indication

The new Mercedes-Benz Stadium is just a catalyst. A big, luxurious, state-of-the-art catalyst with a retractable roof. Even under construction, the Stadium became the planned site for the College Football Playoff national championship game set for January 2018, the Super Bowl in February 2019, and basketball’s Final Four in April 2020.

And this three-year trifecta is only the latest example of Atlanta’s magnetic attraction for national – and international – events. Two previous Super Bowls were played here, as well as the Final Four and the All-Star Games for both Major League Baseball and the NBA.

Possibly the crowning confirmation of Atlanta’s power to attract came with hosting the Olympic Games in 1996.

 

 

Why Atlanta Wins the Bids for Big Events

Civic planners, marketing executives, and economic development experts have studied the way Atlanta won the Olympics. Not a gold medal you understand, but rather how we won the privilege of hosting and inspiring the best the world could send – and presenting their passions and talent to the world.

They don’t just give you the Olympics because it’s your turn. So many visits from the Olympic Committee, so much fact-finding, and so many agreements were made among ourselves and presented to the officials who represent the world.

As an example of the diamond-cutting detail it required, Atlanta’s task force planned every visit from an Olympic official in three-minute intervals. When the car would stop, who would open the door, what to discuss in the elevator. To people who study our Olympic case history, the level of effort Atlanta was able to marshal and focus continues to fascinate and educate.

 

 

Despite Its Success, Atlanta Never Lost Its Hunger – Or Its Charm

Location, transportation, capacity, facilities, and infrastructure all play a role in putting Atlanta on the list for consideration when national events are planned. Yet it’s the personality of the city that pulls it off. It’s a balance you might call aggressive and attractive at the same time, which has helped make midtown Atlanta real estate so attractive over the years.

It’s a rare thing to get right and it’s one of the things Atlanta does uniquely.

Let’s get together for a chat about making your home here, or moving closer to your own favorite spot. Just call us at 404-845-7724 or find out more at https://evatlanta.com.

 

Warmest Wishes,

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