Midtown Atlanta

Midtown Atlanta Skyline.

Outwrite, a Gay/Lesbian Bookstore in Midtown.

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Homes in Midtown Atlanta

Midtown Atlanta is a district in Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial district of Downtown to the south and the affluent residential district of Ansley Park and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north. Midtown includes about one-third of the city's high-rises. It is bounded roughly by the future Beltline just east of Monroe Drive on the east, I-85 and I-75 to the north, Northside Drive on the west and North Avenue on the south. The socio-cultural boundaries may differ slightly from the official boundaries.

Geography

Midtown is composed of busy thoroughfares, including Atlanta's famous Peachtree Street, lined by high-rise condos and four-star hotels alongside skyscrapers housing Class A office space and busy shopping areas. It is also home to quiet residential neighborhoods populated by Victorian, American Four-Square and American Craftsman homes, as well as bed-and-breakfast inns. Midtown's focal point is the expansive green space of Piedmont Park. The Atlanta Botanical Garden adjoins the Park.

The area where Piedmont Avenue intersects Tenth Street is the locus of Atlanta's thriving gay and lesbian population, many of whom work and live in the Midtown area.

Atlanta has its own multicultural flavor in its variety of restaurants, most of which are situated on Peachtree Street and spread out in a fashion characteristic of the rest of the city. On Juniper Street north of Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta boasts its own signature "restaurant row" district, with upscale gathering places and bustling nightclubs.

Midtown Atlanta is currently a fast-growing community with appreciating land and property values, as land is a precious commodity in this urban area. As residents begin to return to the city following decades of suburban retreat from the city center, Midtown Atlanta offers an attractive mix of amenities and attractions, as well as proximity to downtown offices and destinations. The recent construction and opening of the Seventeenth Street Bridge over the Downtown Connector has reconnected Midtown with the west-side of the city. It connects Midtown to a new multi-billion dollar mixed-use development, called Atlantic Station, on the former site of the Atlantic Steel company, which is the site of new housing, office, and retail space.

History

Midtown Alliance

Formed in 1978, the Midtown Alliance is a group of volunteers, employees, and business and community members, as well as busybodies, that work towards improving the overall quality of life in Midtown, transforming it into an ideal place for people to actively live, work, and play. Activities of the Alliance include improving the neighborhood safety, developing area arts and education programs, and building community leaders. The master plan from the Alliance, called Blueprint Midtown, is credited with fueling the economic resurgence that has helped the once downtrodden Midtown area transform over the past number of years into a popular neighborhood.

Arts

Midtown is "Atlanta's Heart of the Arts." It is the home of the Fox Theatre, Henry W. Grady High School, the Woodruff Arts Center, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Richard Meier and Renzo Piano -designed High Museum of Art, as well as the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and other arts and entertainment venues. Recently, the Woodruff Arts Center and its campus have been expanded. Future additions will include a new Atlanta Symphony Center designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The High is currently collaborating with the Louvre to house a temporary collection of masterpieces from the Paris museum. As well as being a major arts and entertainment enclave, Midtown Atlanta is home to a vibrant cultural community, bringing together people from every walk of life. The district hosts the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in the spring along with the Atlanta Pride Festival and the finish line of the Peachtree Road Race in the summer. History enthusiasts can tour the Margaret Mitchell House and Rhodes Hall, both of which can be rented for corporate or social events, as well.

Education

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Henry W. Grady High School

Residents are zoned to schools in the Atlanta Public Schools.

• Morningside Elementary School
• Inman Middle School
• Henry W. Grady High School

In addition, the main campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology is located in the southwest corner of the district.

Transportation

Midtown Atlanta is served by Atlanta's underground rapid rail system, MARTA, at the Civic Center, North Avenue, Midtown, and Arts Center MARTA Stations. There is also a free shuttle between the Arts Center MARTA Station and Atlantic Station, as well as a free-to-the-public daytime shuttle between the Midtown MARTA station and Georgia Tech called the "Tech Trolley."

External links

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Midtown Skyline from the West.

• Midtown Alliance, neighborhood planning/advocacy organization
• Midtown Mile, development plan
• Midtown Neighbors Association, residential neighborhood association
• Midtown Ponce Security Alliance, private neighborhood security organization
• Technology Square of Midtown