If you demolish a building, then recreate it exactly in a different spot, will it retain its original character? Atlantans may find out.
"Streets of Buckhead developer Ben Carter hasn't given up on acquiring the architecturally adventurous library on Buckhead Avenue. His latest offer is to build a copy of the internationally acclaimed building at the northeast corner of East Paces Ferry Road and Maple Drive, several blocks from its current site.
'Most of the commentary was not over having a new library, it was that building,' Carter said. 'There seems to be more opposition to losing that architecture than the functionality of the library.'
The alternative site, just under 2 acres, is east of the $1.5 billion Streets of Buckhead project, which covers eight blocks. Carter said he doesn't own the corner lot but the owner is willing to sell.
Carter has offered about $24 million for the existing library because he considers it in the way of his project. He said that's more than enough money for the land, construction and furnishings at a new library.
The Fulton County Commission approved a resolution Wednesday that directs staff members to analyze Carter's proposal. The county commission will hear their recommendation next month.
'Is an offer of $300-a-square-foot worth taking a look at?' Commissioner Tom Lowe asked in an interview. 'I say yes.' Lowe, who once called the library 'an abortion the day it was dedicated,' offered the resolution. 'Ben told me, "Hell, I'll build the same damn library at the other site,"' Lowe said. But with $24 million, Lowe added, the county could build 'a bigger, fancier library.'"
FULL STORY: To get library's land, developer offers to build replica
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
The State of E-Scooters in the US
Eight years after shared e-scooters were first introduced in US cities, the industry still teeters on the edge of success, hindered in part by limited infrastructure.
Rochester Shows Possible Future for Former Highways
A former freeway is undergoing a massive redevelopment that goes beyond highway removal to reconnect and revitalize surrounding areas.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.