Getting Around Midtown Today

At an economic development conference recently, we heard an official from a competing city say that one of the first questions she hears consistently from “the creative class” – the entrepreneurs, inventors, and artists who are essential to today’s economy – is, “How are the bike trails?” An earlier generation might have thought this indicates some gap in ambition, or not “having their eye on the ball,” but today, lifestyle is a factor that determines which cities grow value and which reach plateau.

So, although the visitor industry is one component of Atlanta, our pedestrian-enrichment and bike-friendly approach to growth is not by any means for visitors alone. Thankfully, for the value of 1065 Midtown, these success factors are already well in place and progressing. In Midtown alone, nearly three-quarters-of-a-million bike trips were recorded last year, and bike traffic rose 225% in just two years. We measure and monitor this usage as a planning tool, because most trips in this neighborhood are not for touring, but rather by residents headed to work, shopping, play, school, or home.

1065 Midtown has become a residence-of-choice for the generation on whom the new economy depends, and so making the life that one experiences from that home base the kind of life that our economic drivers desire is a civic priority. A life of more walking and less driving is part of that lifestyle, and it is hard to find a city that even approaches Atlanta’s achievements in walkability.

Thanks to a vision that originated in a 1990’s graduate thesis, the rail lines that used to unite our industrial engines have become the basis for the Atlanta Beltline, a 22-mile system of walking-jogging-biking-and-enjoying trails that connects 45 Atlanta neighborhoods and enriches enterprise and development everywhere it goes. The Beltline is a big story, and yet it is only part of the good news for people who want to spend more of their lives on their feet and out of the car.

For more than a decade, pleasant pedestrian access has been an integral part of the Downtown Livability Code. Streetscapes increasingly are graces with the shade and beauty of added trees, and the most up-to-date current projects make a priority out of parks and pedestrian access, thanks to Atlanta’s collaborative approach to developments and new construction.

Engel & Völkers keeps abreast of these vital signs, because the value of Midtown Atlanta real estate and the future of that value are secured by connecting with the desires and expectations of a new generation through initiatives and investments like these. As the Atlanta leader in the sale of residential real estate and new developments, we’d like to discuss the opportunities this might present to you, whether for living or investment. Just call us at 404-845-7724 or find out more at www.evatlanta.com.