So, what makes a community special? Some say it’s the people, while others say it’s the buildings or architecture; most likely, it’s a combination of the two. In Atlanta, we have plenty of construction underway in historic parts of the city. Take the Old Fourth Ward (O4W), for example. This area is known for its “unique” quality. Graffiti on walls is something that is accepted—not looked down upon. Buildings may appear a little more neglected, but hey, these buildings tell the story of many lifetimes, right? Areas like this have drawn special and novel people for decades around Atlanta. O4W, Poncey-Highlands, Inman Park, Grant Park … the list goes on and on. What outsiders might see as “sketchy,” areas residents and locals see as true gems and culturally imperative neighborhoods that make our city relative, important and attractive to all generations, both younger and older. I am truly thankful that there have been people along the way that saw all this beauty and fought to protect it. You probably don't know this actually; Inman Park was actually the first in-town community to gentrify in Atlanta, and started a massive movement to begin saving our beautiful historic homes and buildings.
I often find it disturbing these days when I see major construction taking place in these alcoves of my beloved city. A lot of folks look at me like I’ve lost my mind, given that I’m a Realtor®, but it’s upsetting to me, nonetheless. I will say that 98% of the time I’m all for development and encourage smart building practices. But I’m not so sure going into these one-of-kind places and building, let’s say 200,000 square feet of a mixed-use development center, where a neglected historic building stands is the right direction. Or, say, erecting six town homes, all approximately 2,000 square feet and selling them for $500,000 is the smartest choice for city planning and development.
You may not know that the culturally diverse people who live in these neighborhoods have initiated nonprofit organizations to care for their communities and neighbors. They are outside-the-box thinkers who have, over the years, transformed neighborhoods into cultural and tourist destinations. They are artists, small business owners and activists. They have formed the communities that are now so widely sought. They don’t live in “mixed-use” buildings, and most can’t afford the $500,000 town homes in their areas. They were and are part of the reason these neighborhoods and communities started to turn around and became popular again.
These creative individuals took a chance on living in communities that, for a long time, were abandoned due to crime and seemingly unsafe surroundings. They took a chance and decided this is where they wanted to be. They started putting their own spin on the buildings, bridges, walkways, restaurants and bars. For a brief minute, it seemed like everything they’d hoped to build. But the city started to notice, and developers did, too.
I think there is a fine line between improvement and over-development. Sometimes the best improvements to a community are done within the people themselves—not necessarily the structures around them. I can’t help but wonder: Will the O4W still be the O4W once all the inspiring artist, activist, dreamers, business owners, are gone? What happens when the people who have cultivated this community can’t afford to live their creations anymore because their apartment buildings were sold to an OTP developer with hundreds of properties?
The point of this story is to say that I am one Realtor® who hopes that common sense and community awareness prevents the unique and special qualities of our diverse neighborhoods from fading. I also hope these neighborhoods are part of something people will feel passionate about and are willing to fight to keep sacred and to protect for years to come. If we lose everything about our past, or what drew us to where we are, I’m not sure why we would want to stay. And staying is what makes us sustainable.
