I’m not sure what all this is made of yet, I’m not sure I understand the concept. Is this like an essay? It’s supposed to have pictures and artifacts to support my argument. What is my argument? That is a good place to start. What have I learned about the built environment of the Atlanta Beltline through my study of it. I would say that it is an idea that has created a new trend of re-purposing old out-of-date infrastructure of cities, and overall has had the goal of helping those cities and creating places where people want to live. Has it succeeded in doing that is the real question. I’m going to argue yes, I think, but there is plenty of evidence for a counterargument, such as the affordability and priorities of the Beltline project as it pertains to the communities already existing there.

Built Environment description 3 as a source of mine

“The Beltline exists as it does today due to a lot of work behind the scenes, specifically in the political world. The Eastside Trail is the first developed part of the Beltline, and it is no small feat. This is not just because of construction, but because of all the work that was put in and continues to be demonstrated by many different individuals.

In the beginning, there were many different agencies and groups that got together to draft out the Beltline and make sure it included all the things the community found important, such as affordable housing, an arboretum, and transit. Today, many of these groups still exist and are pushing hard for policies to pass that reflect the way Atlantans want to live. One of the ways the Beltline is making its concerns known is on the ballot November 8th. There is a policy for providing funding to the Beltline so it can finish buying the land it needs to finish the project, and also for the transit that should be put on the Beltline.

The Beltline is far from completed, but the people of Atlanta have been invested from the beginning, and  are continuing to make their voice heard. As long as all parties continue to work together toward the common goal, the Beltline should really be a place we want to live.”

My annotated bibliography from the article “Western leg of the Atlanta Beltline begins.”

“A huge concern since the beginning of the Beltline idea was the inclusion of affordable housing. Along the Eastside Trail this has not materialized, as the value of the space went up, so did the cost to live there. There is also worry that community of the neighborhoods that exist now will be displaced or substituted by the culture of the Westside Trail. Even though their are hopes for good prices and maintaining community in this area, it seems that many have lost faith that it will be a reality.”

Annotated Bibliography from the article “Ponce City Market, Atlanta’s History in the Making.”

“The idea of the Ponce City Market is similar to the Beltline- create something new while still alluding to the history of the area.”

“These areas, such as the Beltline and the Ponce City Market, do look clean and new, but there is still a sense of permanence about them. Perhaps that feeling is borrowed from what they used to be, how long they have been around.”

Annotated Bibliography from the article “MARTA’s expansion, Beltline completion on November ballot.”

“…the sales tax increase that will be on the Georgia ballot November 8th of this year. They are proposing a nine-tenth of a penny increase on the sales tax in order to fund various projects throughout the city. The tax would raise $2.5 billion over 40 years for MARTA, and $300 million for the city of Atlanta. Few are still not impressed however, and think the tax is negative as it might take from low-income workers or think there are enough sales taxes. Others believe that the city should spend money for transportation on places but the Beltline.”

Annotated Bibliography from the article “Beltline Provides New Life to Railroad Tracks in Atlanta.”

“I really like this article because it talks about all the different perspectives the Beltline includes. It begins by describing the whole idea behind the Beltline movement, the idea of repurposing old railroad tracks and turning it into a space that caters to people and gives them an opportunity get to know the city of Atlanta more intimately. It then goes on to account for all the problems still facing the Beltline before the project can be completed, most notably finances. The article quotes many situations and people who have a problem with the Beltline, as they believe the money would be better spent other places. The Beltline is indeed the most extensive project out of all the “rails-to-trails” projects that are occurring in multiple cities around the United States, and came from humble origins, Mr. Gravel’s graduate thesis at Georgia Tech. From then on the concept has become reality and has blossomed from there.

This article I thought was one very strong for the topic and goes into detail about the full conversation behind the Beltline. It resembled other articles I have read as it also mentions Ryan Gravel, the plans for trails, parks, and stores along the Beltline, and the other urban infrastructure plans that are occurring in other cities. I thought this article was a strong source as it shows opinions about the Beltline that are not so favorable. One of the main points I have heard as to why people do not support the Beltline is because it would raise the prices for housing it would no longer be affordable for lower income families. However, this article does not mention that, but still reveals reasons as to why people might be against the Beltline. Many are upset about the Beltline plans because they feel it is taking funds out where it is not appropriate, such as money for education is going toward the Beltline. Others think the project is focusing on building transit in places where it would really not help those stuck in traffic, such as the suburbs and the city of Atlanta. It is always interesting when articles discuss opposition to the Beltline, as it seems more people than not support it.”

Annotated Bibliography from the article “What happens that the Atlanta Beltline dispute is over?”

“For the past couple of years, the Atlanta Public School system and the Atlanta Beltline Institution have been battling over money and areas for building. Only in January, 2016, did they finally resolve their differences.For a while, the API was struggling with paying the amount of money that was due to the schools, as the figure was drawn up based on the economy as it was 10 years ago, not as it is now. The dilemma was if the Beltline paid the money it owed to the school, there would be no money to fund the construction of expanding the Beltline. The API withheld money from the APS for two years, and progress was halted as negotiations were trying to be made about the money.The API finally agreed to pay the money to APS that was due, and in return APS let the Beltline off the hook for much of it’s debt. Ever since, the Beltline has moved forward in it’s vision without any problems, at least concerning relations with the school system.”

Annotated Bibliography from the article “The Beltline Impact”

“The Beltline creates trails for people to get outside and get active in nature, thus building a community that could potentially have better health. Not only that, the way it is designed protects people and the environment from water run off and physical damage that nature could cause. In regards to transit, MARTA and the Beltline are designed to come together to create public transportation for connecting all of Atlanta. As of right now the Beltline is mostly used for recreation purposes, but the hope is eventually it will take away some of the traffic provided by people in cars when they use the services offered by the Beltline. Lastly, there was reference to the economics of the Beltline. Many people have bought into this idea, and it is paying off. The Beltline has been successful from day one, and although it was/is a costly endeavor, it is nothing compared to what other places have invested in their cities.

One of the points the article touches on is one about public health. It remarks how the Beltline is not only in an investment in green space, but in green infrastructure.”

Built Environment Description 1

“The Beltline is relatively new, less than a decade old, and as of now is still uncompleted. It is a 30 year project, and its design is being manipulated quite often depending on the public’s opinion and ideas they have for it. So far, the Beltline includes art, an arboretum, markets, houses, and people that make this place come to life and really give it a personality as the Beltline. The Beltline is characterized by easy access, as its purpose to link various places and items so that people can literally walk outside, walk down the Beltline and get what they want and/or need. It is a very novel idea, and one that is being replicated across the United States cities are seeking to revitalize their old unused areas and put them to work for the people. It is very exciting to be on the Beltline, there is so much color and so many people exercising or just going about daily tasks like picking up groceries. The Beltline has really put people in closer proximity to what they need, which is essential for the people who live in the city. The Beltline itself is not very advertised, mostly only the locals of Atlanta know about it. It is not designed to be a tourist destination, but rather a venue for those who live in the city to get around. Where there is people, there is culture, and because the Beltline facilitates so much traffic, the environment is a canvas to express themselves and make it into what they desire.”