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WILL IT FLY?
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
NEWS & FEATURES
City Dope 4
Athens News and Views
The east end of downtown continues to bustle, and the Nidi’s Space case is finally over... again.
Let’s hope they
can ask not why,
but why not?
I'm about like most other Flagpole readers when it comes to
the proposed development of the downtown River District now
being called Project Blue Heron. Most of what I know I have
learned through reading what Kevan Williams has written about
it in Flagpole's Athens Rising column. Kevan has been in on it
from the start and the project is an example of somebody tak
ing Kevan's visionary ideas and trying to make them work on a
financial, economic, bricks-and-mortar basis.
If you've read Kevan, too, you know that Project Blue Heron
is the idea of using public money to bring in private busi
nesses employing the kind of creative workforce that would
be attracted to a lively downtown area sitting on a river and
traversed by walking and Diking trails. Kevan points out this
week, too, that this concept is far from being new and untried.
Similar approaches have paid off handsomely in Greenville
and Chattanooga and Atlanta. Our river district, moreover,
abuts the University of Georgia,
which could prove to be another
strong factor in attracting brainy
businesses.
Did I say “brainy?" Right up
the hill our Multimodal Center is
just awaiting for that sleek new
Brain Train to come sliding in from Atlanta, filled with cre-
atives ready to hop onto their 10-speeds for a quick run up
the Greenway before coming back by for a latte in a riverside
cafe and heading on in to the office for the day's creative
endeavors.
We're going to have to come up with some creative financ
ing, too, if this thing is eventually going to become reality,
and we're going to need some creative leadership. Early indica
tions are that some of our traditional leaders see Blue Heron
as being for the birds, but that kind of thinking won't fly. As
much as they all surely must admire Bobby Kennedy, let's hope
they can ask no^why, but why not?
This thing is going to need the most careful scrutiny, but
it does, indeed, deserve scrutiny. We have been talking for 20
years or more about why can't Athens attract businesses that
employ the kind of people who want the kind of stuff we've got
here: a university, a music scene, sidewalk cafes, good schools,
beautiful architecture, et cetera? Well, here's somebody with an
idea of just how to go about that, how to attract businesses by
providing the setting and giving them the land to build on.
There's another side, too. Since this is to be a public-
private partnership, it must pay attention to what and who are
already in this river district, including the river and the people
who presently live along it. Since we don't have a Letters sec
tion this week. I'll let one of those residents speak right here
through this letter he just sent in.
Pete McCommons editor@llagpole.com
Dear Flagpole:
I always look forward to getting my copy of Flagpole every
Tuesday evening and read it from cover to cover. Today, I
noticed my neighborhood right there on the front cover. With
my daughter sitting on my knee, I pointed out where our house
is and—wait—my house wasn't on it On the spot where my
house now sits (I think) was a vacant lot Did something hap
pen while I was on the road that I missed? I know I've been
gone a lot this year, but... Obviously my house still sits here,
as I'm sitting here right this minute writing this (or am I in *
some alternate universe thinking I'm in my kitchen?)
Then I read inside about this master plan for our neighbor
hood. So, I go online (because you can certainly trust every
thing you read there, right?) and see my neighborhood referred
to as "vacant lots." (There's even a catchy code name like
Operation Red Herring or something. CooL)
Actually, some of the plans sound,pretty good. I love Athens
and would love to see some smart development and the right
kind of growth, especially down here by the river. I just wanted
to remind everyone that in the meantime, we do still live here
and actually love it My daughter and 1 can walk downtown and
get ice cream, and I'm close to my beloved record stores and
bars. It's not perfect but it's home, and that's pretty darned
good.
Yours Truly,
Patterson Hood
Pottery Town
Fowler Drive Elementary 8
New Building, Fresh Ideas
Every aspect of the newty renovated ACC school's design is geared to learning.
ARTS & EVENTS
Art Notes 13
Psycho-Collision
The Visionary Growth Gallery otters a cutting-edge group exhibition entitled “Psychocollagraphica."
Film Notebook 16
News of Athens’ Cinema Scene
My Dog Tulip, a film based on J.R Ackerty's memoir, is currently showing at Cine.
MUSIC
While You Were Out
2011: The Year in Review
Gordon gives us his Threats and Promises for the new year in advance
One Writer’s Opinion
The Top Five Albums of 2010
Jeff Tobias lists the five national releases that meant the most to him this year
COVER DESIGN by Keify Rub «
featuring wrapping paper by Kerin R
Rein (www paperthiiKtesign.com)
CITY DOPE
4
THREATS & PROMISES
17
CITY PAGES
5
GORDON’S PREDICTIONS
.18
CAPITOL IMPACT
6
UPSTART ROUNDUP ROUNDUP...
19
ATHENS RISING
7
TOP LOCAL ALBUMS
.20
FOWLER DRIVE ELEMENTARY....
8
TOP NATIONAL ALBUMS
22
ATHENIAN IN CHILE
9
THE CALENDAR!
23
HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE
.... 10
BULLETIN BOARD
28
GRUB NOTES
...13
ART AROUND TOWN
29
ART NOTES
.... 13
COMICS
30
MOVIE DOPE
.... 14
REALITY CHECK
31
MOVIE PICK
...15
CLASSIFIEDS
32
FILM NOTEBOOK
...16
TOWNI ECONOMY
34
in
CONTACT US:
Our own Cobbloviate makes The New York Times
Ort takes a virtual trip and finds some cool places
Alabama
World View analyzes the accusations
Our music writers weigh in with their top-10 lists!
Jeff Tobias’ Q&A with Zs
ike White shares his favorite live shows and photos
tom 2010
Need some advice to guide you into the new year ?
Submit your query to Reality Check
EDITOR & PUBLISHES Pete McCommons
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VOLUME 24
ISSUE NUMBER 51
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DECEMBER 22,2010 FLAGPOlE.COM
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