You do have a point to a point. Yes, the pitch is the lastest spin for developers and planners to promote density. BUT, after living in the suburbs for 25 years and then going down to Piedmont Park on a Saturday afternoon is see the venders, lakes, human interaction and the mid rise condos overlooking that park - I wanna move. None of my kids want to live in the burbs. Why? They say there is nothing to do. No kids want to live here if Brookhaven, Buckhead or Midtown is an option. The coolness factor that Canton Street has captured coupled with moderate density housing options in very defined areas is little bit of spice that can help keep NF fresh. We just can't screw it up and overdo the density. The fear of change is very human. I just would just hate for NF to become one big Del Webb community.

True. Midtown can be fun - I know - I go to work there 5 days a week. Lived close in (Decatur then later Brookhaven) already in my life - don't want to go back. But I do agree that variety is the spice of life.

I'm in that generation w/ the buying power. I enjoy my older single family home in the `burbs.

However, I would love to have an atmosphere within the 1 mile walk or bike ride to downtown historic Alpharetta where I could eat, drink, and enjoy the town. Instead of moving my car from parking lot to parking lot as the night goes on down Winward Pkwy..

Plenty of my friends would even love to have their bedroom right there too. The ongoing project that home ownership is to them, (mowing the lawn, fixing the roof, cleaning up down trees, unclogging toilette) is not desirable to them. However, they are tired of the same old apartment living or the too big downtown. A smaller, but vibrant city with plenty to do is very appealing.

While living in a planned neighborhood with an entrance sign, streets named after Camelot characters, basketball goals, and piles of bicycles at the end of cul-de-sac's might be appealing for you, it isn't for everyone. There is already plenty of this in Alpharetta. Why not let "they" add the other category to a pretty much dead and deserted downtown.

Today's millennial generation will be tomorrow's suburban dwellers. There's no doubt that today they desire urban living. But eventually they will covet the lifestyle Alpharetta offers. They'll contemplate raising children in an urban environment and the sending them to the Atlanta school system. They'll realize that it isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Next thing you know they'll have a house with a yard in a great school system.

This Gen-X guy wouldn't have been caught dead in boring Alpharetta 15 years ago either. It's funny how your priorities change.

So we can use this generation to change the character of a thriving suburb and fatten up some developers. But in the end they are not much different than the generation before them.

Hey Julie,

I've always been partial to "The Weight" myself...

As for density, I'm all for it downtown, etc. Do I want the whole city to look like the proposed city center and Avalon - no. But a few vibrant, walkable areas open after 5:00 pm with a "captive" audience sounds really appealing to this 48 year old single guy.

Yes, Lee, I really agree with you above. In my own situation - I enjoy the younger people I work with in midtown immensely! But I seldom socialize with them because they party with each other and people their age - not older folks like me. Eventually you get tired of peering in on the party as the old person. This is my son's generation that is livening up midtown! I love driving home to Alpharetta at the end of the day.

Well said!

Thanks for sharing your perspective, Julie. I guess time will tell.