Why does downtown Atlanta have overhead gerbil tunnels between buildings? 20/34
Jump to… You asked, we answered: 34 things you probably don’t know about Atlanta Is Atlanta even enforcing electric scooter laws? Why are there so many damn potholes on DeKalb Avenue? Why is Underground Atlanta underground? What’s the most expensive meal in Atlanta? What does Atlanta do with my garbage and recycling? Did Clermont Lounge’s Blondie really publish a book of poetry? Why is there only one Bojangles’ ITP and a million immediately outside it? How many different cities has Hollywood turned Fairlie-Poplar into? Where did “Hotlanta” come from and why does it refuse to die? Why can’t Decatur get a Trader Joe’s? What animals have gotten loose on Atlanta highways? How many cold cases does the Atlanta Police Department have on file? Whatever happened to Baby Doe’s? How did each Kroger get its nickname? What goes into protecting the Coca-Cola formula? Why does it seem like there are suddenly more homeless people downtown? How much longer can Atlanta be a City in the Forest? Who’s the more successful movie producer: Will Packer or Tyler Perry? Why can private businesses hire cops to direct traffic on busy streets? Why does downtown Atlanta have overhead gerbil tunnels between buildings? Why do street names change at Ponce? How long could Atlanta survive in a disaster? When was Atlanta’s worst snowstorm? What happened to the giant ants at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport? Who the hell is Sloppy Floyd? What’s the fastest speed ever recorded on Ga. 400? I was in an accident on a highway with cameras. Why can’t I get footage? Who owns that tower with the torch next to the Connector? Who killed Ryan Gravel’s hopes and dreams for the BeltLine? How much can an Atlanta stripper make on a great night? Where are the best places in Atlanta to spot celebrities? Does anyone actually like the Varsity? Could commuter rail ever be installed on the train tracks that already run through Cobb County? Why is it so hard to buy a starter home in the city?
Photograph by Martha Williams
Elevated pedestrian bridges make sense in Minneapolis, where 9.5 miles of enclosed skyways connect 80 city blocks, because the average high temperature there is 24 degrees in January. But why does Atlanta, a city known for its (usually) moderate climate, boast more than 70 overhead tunnels? Technically speaking, you could spend the night, attend a conference, and take the train to the airport without once stepping outside. Many of them connect high-rises built by architect John Portman in the late 20th century—in the wake of white flight, suburbanization, and rising crime rates. In 1960, 90 percent of the metro’s office space was located downtown; but by 1999, downtown could claim only 13 percent, according to Princeton historian Kevin Kruse. Portman did not abandon the city center. But his famous atriums—like those at the Hyatt and AmericasMart—turned urban life inward, severing its connection to the streets outside. The tunnels took this isolation to, literally, another level. What once seemed futuristic now seems more dystopian. As for the highest walkway, the one 22 stories above Peachtree that connects AmericasMart to Peachtree Center? It’s usually closed, but occasionally it’s open for special events.
This article appears in our November 2019 issue .
20/34
Jump to… You asked, we answered: 34 things you probably don’t know about Atlanta Is Atlanta even enforcing electric scooter laws? Why are there so many damn potholes on DeKalb Avenue? Why is Underground Atlanta underground? What’s the most expensive meal in Atlanta? What does Atlanta do with my garbage and recycling? Did Clermont Lounge’s Blondie really publish a book of poetry? Why is there only one Bojangles’ ITP and a million immediately outside it? How many different cities has Hollywood turned Fairlie-Poplar into? Where did “Hotlanta” come from and why does it refuse to die? Why can’t Decatur get a Trader Joe’s? What animals have gotten loose on Atlanta highways? How many cold cases does the Atlanta Police Department have on file? Whatever happened to Baby Doe’s? How did each Kroger get its nickname? What goes into protecting the Coca-Cola formula? Why does it seem like there are suddenly more homeless people downtown? How much longer can Atlanta be a City in the Forest? Who’s the more successful movie producer: Will Packer or Tyler Perry? Why can private businesses hire cops to direct traffic on busy streets? Why does downtown Atlanta have overhead gerbil tunnels between buildings? Why do street names change at Ponce? How long could Atlanta survive in a disaster? When was Atlanta’s worst snowstorm? What happened to the giant ants at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport? Who the hell is Sloppy Floyd? What’s the fastest speed ever recorded on Ga. 400? I was in an accident on a highway with cameras. Why can’t I get footage? Who owns that tower with the torch next to the Connector? Who killed Ryan Gravel’s hopes and dreams for the BeltLine? How much can an Atlanta stripper make on a great night? Where are the best places in Atlanta to spot celebrities? Does anyone actually like the Varsity? Could commuter rail ever be installed on the train tracks that already run through Cobb County? Why is it so hard to buy a starter home in the city?