WEST END ATLANTA

A few weeks ago Atlanta Intown Newsletter published a story about the Beltline in which they characterized our neighborhood and this Southwest corridor of the Beltline as "Probably the most grim area of Intown, with acres of abandoned warehouses, homes, and kudzu as far as the eye can see."

Alert neighbor Danielle Carney spotted the article [see pages 20, 21 at this link - http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/issue2/index.php?issue=2008_09 ] and immediately wrote a response letter to the editor, Collin Kelley. She copied her response and a link to the article to many of us. Several other neighbors also wrote to Mr. Kelley protesting this characterization of our wonderful neighborhood.

Mr. Kelley wrote back to Danielle, "After taking the three hour tour of the entire BeltLine project, my goal was to give impressions of what I saw there. The BeltLine tour guide called the area a 'no man's land,' which I left out of the article, but it was impossible, and would have been irresponsible, to ignore the vast amount of abandoned buildings and overgrown areas."

In a response to me later that day, he wrote, "I recognize that southwest Atlanta is in a transition period and there is a tremendous opportunity because of the BeltLine and the people who are living and relocating there. I have no doubt that in a few years time, the southwest side will be a shining example of urban renewal - much like Castleberry Hill and East Atlanta - and we plan to cover and celebrate it with you....In the October issue, I will address your concerns and those from other readers in my Letter To The Editor column."

Now he has written to Danielle, me, and Patrick Berry of Westview with the following invitation: "After your responses to the BeltLine piece, I have decided to write a story for our next edition about West End and the southwest side of the city." He says, "we're committed to providing more coverage for this part of Intown."

So we have this wonderful opportunity to get some positive media city-wide coverage for the West End. We'll be meeting with Mr. Kelley next week. In the meantime Danielle and I are making notes about every aspect of the West End that we want to mention. We think the West End is a great place now - not just a place that will be a shining star in a few years. And we want to tell Atlanta Intown and, through them, the rest of Atlanta, why we believe that. If there is something about the West End that is near and dear to your heart, something that you would not want us to leave out of our discussion, please let us know.

Here is the list:

1. History (the oldest neighborhood in Atlanta)
2. Architecture (rich mixture of architectural styles and house types)
3. Culture (writers, artists)
4. City within the city (West End could be really independent city)
5. Community (Wend, Churches, Neighbors)
6. Business district (rich community resources)
7. Transit-oriented (compact, walkable community centered around train system)
8. Walkable Community ( Walkable design with pedestrian as the highest priority)
9. Enormous potential for future growth (Future Developments, Proximity to the Downtown, Between two highways 20 and 85/75, Urban Renewal trend to live in compact walkable and transit-oriented neighborhoods)



A few weeks ago Atlanta Intown Newsletter published a story about the Beltline in which they characterized our neighborhood and this Southwest corridor of the Beltline as "Probably the most grim area of Intown, with acres of abandoned warehouses, homes, and kudzu as far as the eye can see."

I notice some similarities how reporters portrait our neighborhood. Go to the thread below.. Btw Some of them were driving around the neighborhood to find the worst streets in West End.
http://atlantawestend.com/myjoomla/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,97/func,view/catid,17/id,771/#771

1. Kindezi Charter School (Fall 2009)
2. West End Performing Arts Center on RDA
3. Wrens Nest and Hammonds House
4. Location, Location, Location
5. and one of my favorites that some residents don't like... Street Vendors and sometimes musicians on Lee St by the Marta Station. Where else besides Five Points Station do you have this? It really lends to the urban fabric of this community. We often don't consider it, but these street vendors make West End uber unique.

I would like add one more.

10. We have four gas stations in WE. lol

There are several things I find important in the West End. After all, I choose this neighborhood on purpose! It was my dream to move here into an old home after I graduated from CAU.

1. Shrine of the Black Madonna bookstore. The only place I can find obscure African and African diasporic texts. Plus my students love their black holocaust exhibit.

2. Sacred Grounds Coffehouse. Coffee. Wi-fi. The reason is obvious!

3. The houses are amazingly beautiful--even the dilapidated ones.

4. Soul Vegetarian. I don't eat there--I love my meat!--but I love its serene presence and reminds my of my undergraduate experience of testing out vegetarianism. (It lasted a year.)

5. My neighbors. Most of them have been here 10 years or more. My closest neighbors have lived here since 1964. They are eccentric, friendly, and vast storehouses of history.

6. Proximity to MARTA. With the gas shortage, I am reminded of the beauty of being intown.

7. Big backyards.

8. The proximity to the AUC, my alma mater and now my professional home. (I teach at Spelman College.)

9. Elliot. The high school student who mows my lawn. He makes me feel like this is Springdale or some other small town that everyone knows everyone and helps out.

10. Kroger City Center. Quiet as its kept, the little art store in there is terrific. I have my eye on a jazzy b&w photo piece right now. Can't wait to put it over my mantle.

I know some of these things are personal to me and may not necessarily help with the article on the West End, but I felt the need to share anyway.

ori

Dear Ori,

Thanks for sharing your list. It was the personal favorites of our West End neighbors that I really wanted to know about the most, and to share with Atlanta Intown readers through the editor of that paper. So I really appreciate the thought that you put into your list - and everyone else as well!

By the way, our interview is Wednesday evening, so if anyone else wants to contribute, hurry and do so, please!

Debbie

I would like add one more.

10. We have four gas stations in WE. lol

Debbie wrote:

Yes, and not only that, but our station owners are nice enough to let us know when gas is arriving!

Debbie wrote:

Yes, and not only that, but our station owners are nice enough to let us know when gas is arriving![/quote]


but you know its like HUSH HUSH..