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DEL.ICIO.USAre you excited about Gwinnett as the “Asian Mecca”?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman in his brilliant and best selling book titled “The World is Flat” observes that the world of the 21st century is a global village.
Friedman outlines a world where borders are porous where otherwise distant cultures now have an awareness of each other and an interdependence that could not have been imagined even 20 years ago.
Here in Gwinnett County we see strong evidence of the accuracy of Friedman’s observations. Much of the vision, modernization, and growth planned for Duluth’s Gwinnett Place area can be linked to Asian investors - many who still maintain strong cultural and financial ties to their countries of origin, such as Korea and China.
These savvy Asian investors are simply just ‘following the gold’, according to a recent AJC article titled, “A touch of Asia thrives in Gwinnett.”
Gwinnett is now on the radar of many international investors. Gwinnett is attractive because it has good schools and libraries, a sound business and governmental infrastructure, and relatively inexpensive land that is ready for development.
The “Asian Tigers” as they are called in the AJC article, have a clear upscale vision for the Pleasant Hill Road/Duluth area. Their development plans are not just attractive to the Asian community but to anyone who is a stakeholder in Gwinnett and Duluth’s future.
With their imagination and dollars we can expect to see a version of Atlanta’s Midtown’s Atlantic Station (where there is a convergence of housing, shopping, office space, and recreational opportunities) tentatively called Global Station near the Gwinnett Place area.
Moreover, it is anticipated that the Asian population will increase exponentially in the county. Some are even saying that Gwinnett is the “Asian Mecca” – like Atlanta is called “The Black Mecca” when it comes to being an attractive place where Asian culture can be celebrated and economic opportunity is abundant.
“They want to be players in…turning the Gwinnett Place area into Buckhead,” said Jim Maran, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
I think that changing Gwinnett Place into Buckhead is fantastic. It is rare to have a middle class community transformed into an upscale community.
Moreover, I welcome the increase in the number of quality shops and recreational opportunities.
And I especially look forward to my family’s property values rising in tandem with the proposed development.
I could never have imagined that the progress of my community would be inextricably linked to ideas and financing from Chinese and Korean businessmen. But a flat world with porous borders has tied our destinies together in lucrative and exciting ways.
A flat world works for me.
What do you think about the proposed development for the Gwinnett Place area?
Permalink | Comments (27) | Categories: Beni Dakar
Comments
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By Rod
August 8, 2006 11:07 AM | Link to this
I think it sucks. It just means I’ll have to move yet again. This is not progress. This is just greedy developers continuing to exploit areas and turn peaceful living environments into hellish loud areas with way to many people.
If I wanted to be packed into a sardine can, I’d move back to Buckhead. Just leave well enough alone and let us have some space to actually stretch out our legs.
By Dave
August 8, 2006 12:24 PM | Link to this
The following statement is NOT immigrant bashing, but my honest feelings and opinion.
This hoard of Asians that has invaded Gwinnett County, that do not seek to blend into the American society, except to profiteer, was a big factor considered when I decided to move to a more northern county. My neighborhood become a area of silence. Neighbors, many Asians, were seen only in their big shiny new cars, never on a sidewalk with their children or walking a dog. In other words they kept to themselves and formed their own ethnic groups from their homelands.
I peraonally feel the Feds need to put a halt to the flow of Asians, (Ear East and Far East) into this country. It is entirely out of control. I find these people much worse socially, in many ways, than those from Central, South America and Mexico. At least the Mexicans and those from further south, though any are illegal, are friendly, and are from the American Continent that share SOME of our cultural standards. One example: There are many Mexicans, Central and South Americans in our Armed Forces fighting for our way of life; how many Asians? Surely there are some, but I would say disporportionate in comparison to percentages of population.
In my humble opinion they, the Asians, are here ONLY for the quaility of life offered by our basic freedoms, but first and foremost the DOLLAR.
Best thing I have done for myself in years was to get out of Gwinnett county. Diversity may be good, but saturation is somewhat questionable in my thinking.
By Deborah Lee
August 8, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
In the words of Dave Chappelle as Clayton Bigsby the black white supremist,”Chi-nese people, with their kung-fu and their ching-ching-kong, I can’t understand youuu, go back to your country…White Power.
By Henri
August 8, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this
oh lordy..No, I am not happy..I am all for mixed neighborhoods, but most immigrants do not want to blend in and they do not know english very well which is a serious concern- accident waiting to happen, a driving hazzard…
I hate to move- but I may have too…
By Jim
August 8, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this
Most Asians move to Duluth are coming from other states (New York, Chicago and LA in particular) not from out of country. Most of them live in US for a long time. That’s what I understand.
By Dave
August 8, 2006 03:38 PM | Link to this
Note to JIM:
You may be right about their first homes in the States, but they bring their culture to Gwinnett with them (clannish). They are still anti-social, and like was said before, very dangerous people behind the wheel of a modern day vehicle. When you ID one behind the wheel, be very defensive. They will force you off the road with a big toothy smile like all is well that ends well. Duh!
By jim
August 8, 2006 05:27 PM | Link to this
Hi all,
Gwinnett place mall area is dump before all the new developments, does anybody remember that? My family won’t go there if you pay me.
One thing concerns me is the traffic. Pleasant Hill is already congested. All new developments will bring more traffic. That’s big issue.
By AD
August 8, 2006 06:04 PM | Link to this
Most of Gwinnett county is a nasty, overdeveloped suburban slum - plain and simple. And the few remaining livable areas are most likely doomed to the same fate the larger portion of the County already faces. If and when I am able to sell the home I own there, I will be completely done with the place. I say “If” I can sell my home there, because even though the subdivision it is located in is still quite nice, it is extremely dificult to sell a home in there. And it is impossible to get a decent price for it if it does sell. The school district it is in has gone from one of the better ones in the area to one of the worst, in the space of a few short years. I have already moved, and once I am rid of that property, I wish those who remain well. But you can have the place - I would never consider living there again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else.
By Scott
August 8, 2006 11:35 PM | Link to this
These comments are so sad. I have never read so much bigotry in my life. I guess when you can hide behind fake names and email addresses, the truth, or should I say, the fear comes out.
First, if you moved to a new country and could live with Americans or the local culture, I’m sure you’d live with the Americans. It would be your safety net and people that (according to your comments) accept you. People that can teach you about the new country, find you a job, and discuss politics of your home country.
Second, when your ancestors came from Europe, Africa, or wherever, I’m pretty sure that they didn’t get off of the boat and automatically know English. It takes years.
I live in another city and I live in the Little Italy of that city. Hmmm, so I guess it’s ok for a city to have a european village, but not an asian village. This isn’t just asian, almost all immigrants that came to the US lived in neighborhoods with people from their own country. Look at Boston and New York as prime examples….huge italian and irish sections. We are now seeing more of a migration from asia instead of europe.
Give them some slack and maybe say hello to them and you’ll see a change in your neighborhood, it won’t happen unless someone makes a first step. Most asians are quiet and humble people that’s why they usually keep to themselves. They don’t believe in disturbing others or drawing attention to themselves.
You weren’t a perfect driver at age 16.
Relax and embrace other cultures, it will make Atlanta a much better and culturally diverse city in the future.
Fear typically breeds hatred. Don’t be afraid of what is different, sometimes it may turn out to be better than what you know or believe.
Good for them for doing something to change their neighborhood. Unlike the people on this list who, very ironically, are moving to where there are more people like themselves and unwilling to help revitalize their community. Forge about it, there’ll always be more land to develop, right???
ciao
By LB
August 9, 2006 07:47 AM | Link to this
It’s neither exciting or sad to me. People are people. I would like to add a response to the comments above.
It’s good for Gwinnett for several reasons.
They are redeveloping space used by the old Target and Kroger. Some of those buildings have been boarded up for years.
If it will make property value go up I am all for that. My house is on almost an acre. I have been trying to renovate in order to move closer to work that is in Cobb. A price of $300,000 for my property would enable me to move.
The Asian people have always treated me nice. I have never seen any of them litter, use profanity or be lazy.
For the American Christian population, it is an opportunity for a mission field in their own back yard. Why go overseas when an opportunity is knocking on our doors. The Asians can spread the word to their families when they go home to visit.
Many of them walk to get where they are going. This conserves gas and cuts down on polution.
There are only a couple of things that may irritate me.
If they set up a large center and nothing has an English interpretation on the signs, it would imply to me that Americans are not welcome. I have found the center at Hill Drive and Pleasant Hill Road to have many shops with no English interpretation on their signs. They will not get any of my business. There is a similar shopping center on Steve Reynolds near Staples.
If no Americans are hired for jobs and only Asians, this would imply they are here to set up an Asia withing the USA. At that point I would wonder if they really wanted to be Americans.
I currently question why all Asians live in a certain part of town. The same with Hispanics, Whites, Blacks and Indians. Are real estate agents showing every house possible or are they showing certain houses to certain races?
Last one, I promise. Many American churches offer an international ministry. First Baptist Atlanta even offers a Sunday School class spoken only in Spanish. First Baptist Duluth has a Sunday School class of only Chinese people where they can study in their own language. American churches are inviting people with open arms. Why won’t more of these people visit American churches? They set up their own which is ok but no Asian or Hispanic has ever invited me to their church. I guess it’s true that churches are the most segregated places in the USA today.
By Tim
August 9, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this
Boy, this blog brings out the lunatic fringe doesn’t it? AD, first of all, if you own a house in Gwinnett and you can’t sell it for a major profit, YOU have screwed up somewhere along the way. I am buying and selling properties and only holding them for a year and getting 30% more on my investment or more. I am an average everyday life long Gwinnett resident, and I find that the Asian population is as nice to me as I am to them. They are VERY friendly when I engage in conversation although sometimes we chuckle at each other for lack of understanding. There are people in this county who are complete failures in life, and need to blame someone else for that. It is just plain racist to say one group should not be allowed to do as they choose. Development is Capitalism, and if you would like someone to come in and set controls on whether or not you can sell your property for a profit, then you are a Communist. There are over 150 counties in Georgia, and at least 100 of those counties are sparsely populated and will probably not gain 1000 people over the next 20 years. Move to one. I think they give away Rebel Flags to newcomers in many of these counties.
By jim
August 9, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this
I agree. The real estate where Koreans located is going through the roof. Some of houses in Suwanee were sold $200,000 two years ago now sold for $250,000 or more. I was outbidded several times when I tried to buy a house.
By the way, most Koreans located in good school districts (NorthView, Duluth and PeachTree Ridge are most popular). Also, Duluth High, with highest Asian population, increases their SAT every year for the past five years.
By Greg Rodgers
August 9, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this
Wow..
I am originally from Boston. The city of Quincy is almost 80% asian, certain Areas of the city are densely populated with Latinos.
In every area of any major county in Massachusetts, there are many different Immigrant factions that hold a large population. You can not avoid it. Gwinnett Is no different.
All I hear all the time is how Gwinnett has gone to crap. Where? In Grayson, Dacula, Buford, Suwannee, Loganville, Lawrenceville, and Snellville? I think you folks who have lived here all of your lives need to get out and see what really looks like Crap like the inner city of Atlanta, New York and yes Boston. Now that is some Crap!
In Gwinnett, I see cows, horses, open fields and green trees. Does not look too Crappy to me. It sounds like the real reason folks feel its going to crap is that People moving here do not look the same as you.
Move away. That is fine with me. Go move to the boondocks and live to drive 3hrs to get to work because you do not want to live near an asian, black or Indian. White flight happened to the worst areas of Boston and still property values continue To rise thru the roof.
By Janet_G
August 9, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
Moving away from Gwinnett at this point in time would be the biggest real estate investment mistake of your life. The Gwinnett Place Mall area is on the verge of a complete makeover including new streets, redesigned on and off ramps from I-85 in the Pleasant Hill area, new signage and most importantly, a reemphasis on sidewalks and pedestrian connections so that you can drive to the area and either get out of your car and walk to various shopping destinations, or be able to drive from one store to another without having to get back onto the main road. Traffic congestion is one of the number one issues that is being tackled by the Gwinnett Place CID and they have plans in place to start work on it.
They have already started sprucing up the area by installing new sidewalks, new landscaping and are maintaining the existing landscaping and picking up trash, removing weeds, etc. And all of this is being paid for by the business owners, so your taxes will NOT go up. This has already attracted new investment from Asian-americans and Gwinnett native business people and several new huge residential and commercial projects are in the planning stages.
I feel quite blessed to have bought a home a few miles from this area within the past two years and look forward to seeing my property values continue to go up as this area becomes another Cumberland Mall or Perimeter Center area. The same things are happening in those areas, primarily because of the investment of business owners, not the government. Free enterprise is the key to prosperity, not the government or the pockets of taxpayers. A new day is coming to Gwinnett and it’s about time. Anyone with the money to invest in our community to make it a better place to live is a welcomed addition as far as I’m concerned, regardless of where they moved here from.
Illegal immigrants are unable and unwilling to invest like this in their communities. They earn money to be sent home instead of putting it back into our economy and they drain our tax coffers by taking advantage of free medical care, food stamps, WIC, etc. Legal immigrants and foreign investors are pouring money INTO our economy and benefitting our community. Why shouldn’t they be able to profit from that? Why wouldn’t they tell their friends and family to come to this area where there are so many opportunities to invest and put down roots? I’m glad they’re here and I sincerely hope that they stay.
By Ajamu
August 9, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
I is so amusing to see Cauc-Asians complaining about an Asian invasion. If the U.S. was supposed to be the New Europe then why did the Europeans bring all of those Africans and Asians over here to do the labor? Now the Central and South Americans have been brought in to do the labor. It appears that there would be no U.S. agricultural or industrial foundation if not for the laborers. Now in a post industrial economy the Cauc-Asians want it to be LILLY so they can be comfortable. The reality is that people of Asian, African and non white Hispanic descent comprise the overwhelming majority of the Earth’s population. The days of the all white fantasy world are rapidly disappearing. You can’t go back to Europe bcause there are Asians and Africans over there as well. Witness the new world order, and release yourself from the concept of white privalege. We are all part of one Global village. What is it going to take for you to accept your humanity, an invasion from outer space?
By James
August 9, 2006 04:19 PM | Link to this
Having lived off of Davenport Road in Duluth for my whole life, I have witnessed the many changes of the area in question. I would love to see something replace the ugliness that is the mostly empty ex-Target shopping center and ex-Kroger shopping center. However, before this project moves forward, many things would have to be considered. The strain on resources- Pleasant Hill Rd, Satellite Blvd, Old Norcross Road, Duluth High School, Duluth Middle School, Chesney Elementary School, Harris Elementary school- is a HUGE factor. As of right now this area cannot support a whole “Atlantic Station” of development. If serious infastructure upgrades were completed first I would be happy to accept new neighbors and businesses to replace an ugly eyesore.
My only other problem is that something would have to be done about using Davenport as a cut-through. It’s already hard enough to turn out of my neighborhood with cars speeding by at 45-50 mph (speed limit of 30), adding more traffic won’t help any.
Fix these problems and I’m all for it!
By jim
August 9, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this
I agree. Traffic and overcrowd in school are two big issues they must address.
By Gwinnettian4Life
August 9, 2006 05:20 PM | Link to this
Greg, show me one cow or field left, certainly not in Gwinnett. You have wandered into Walton County by mistake.
By LB
August 9, 2006 05:32 PM | Link to this
James,
I live on Davenport and I agree with you about the cut through issue. These cut through people go to and from Hill Drive to Old Norcross Road. They do not bother to stop at the Davenport/Hill stop sign, nor do they stay on the right side of the road along the large curve going past Hill to Old Norcross.
Developers buy up one or two houses and plant an entire subdivision only to add to an already overcrowded road. Cut through traffic is overburdening Davenport and a solution is needed to eliminate cut through traffic. One solution is to make Pleasant Hill road more user friendly by timing the lights properly. Another solution is to actually reduce the speed limit on Davenport at the section between Hill and Old Norcross and add speed humps. Having a cop around during rush hour would not hurt. Somebody told me they are planning a traffic light at Hill and Davenport. I totally disagree because this is a subdivision where people live. People have kids who wait on Davenport for the school bus.
It doesn’t make sense to me why developers encourage cut through traffic to ease their over development problem in certain areas.
As for the race of the people who live near me, it makes no difference to me as long as they are legal and treat me fairly. I have welcomed them and I like them. I mentioned a few things in my comment above that would make me feel like I am being pushed out “IF” it were to happen.
Bring as many people in as we have room for. When the room runs out quit squeezing people in. And most of all, discourage cut throughs.
By Tim
August 9, 2006 09:46 PM | Link to this
Gwinnettian4Life get a clue. There are plenty of farms left even on Peachtree Industrial. Of course, the successful people who have owned this land will be able to sell it for $200,000.00 an acre at today’s rate if they so choose. Don’t you liberals hate Capitalism? Work hard all your life, make good decisions, and when it is time to retire, sell it all and kick back. Then you can watch all the people who made pitiful decisions in their life cry and whine because someone else has more “stuff” than they do. America is about choices. Anyone who can’t stand to see smart people get rich had better scoot on out of Gwinnett. We have people of all races making a killing here, and creating very nice work/live communities. If you can’t make it in Gwinnett, don’t blame other races. Most didn’t even know the language when they got here, and are thriving. America! Ain’t it GREAT!
By Dave
August 9, 2006 10:07 PM | Link to this
Note to Ajuma:
Take your New World Order and stick it where the sun don’t shine. The worst thing to happen to this world would be the theory you want to cultivate. The New World Order is the idea of a few super rich men, and will never get wide recognition except for the fools that have an axe to grind with their skin. Now go do something worthwhile.
By James
August 9, 2006 10:41 PM | Link to this
LB, I’m glad someone else feels my pain and understands where I am coming from! In the past 2 years or so things have really become awful. Turning off of my street (Citrus) onto Davenport has become downright scary. I am scared for my life as I turn out, hoping no one comes flying around those curves as I am pulling out. I have been honked at and gestured at plenty of times by drivers going 45-50 mph who came around those curves when I was halfway through my turn and then had to hit the breaks. At first I felt bad about pulling out in front of them until I realized that had they been going the speed limit it would not have been an issue.
I agree with you that putting up a light at Hill and Davenport is totally inappropriate. This is a residential area! A light would only encourage more people to cut through because they would not have to deal with the 4-way stop. However, the four-way stop is not doing a very good job of stopping people. A lot of people- black, white, asian, latino, old, young, middle-aged- seem to think that the sign means “yield”.
A little bit of police monitoring, a decreased speed limit, and speed bumps seem to be the solution. If it gets people off of Davenport I am for it.
By Bill Wright II
August 10, 2006 05:43 AM | Link to this
Baloney! All that is being accomplished is destroying what was good way of life. They are causing tax’s to go up. These investors are not having to cover the cost to infrastructer, The investors are making the money and we foot the BILL.
By Janet_G
August 11, 2006 11:21 AM | Link to this
Yes! Infrastructure! That is the beauty of redeveloping previously developed sites instead of bulldozing undeveloped property further outside of Atlanta! The infrastructure is already there when an old shopping center or big box store is torn down and the site is redeveloped. Sewers, roads, street lights, electic lines, gas lines, and storm water systems are already in place.
I agree that developers should help cover the cost of new infrastructure. I also think that if you truly believe that we shouldn’t be footing the bill for this stuff, then you should 1) vote and 2) stop moving further and further away from the city centers and older areas. When you move further away, you just fuel more and more bulldozing of undeveloped property. So don’t move, stay and DO SOMETHING. If enough of us made enough noise with our county commissioners, planning commissioners, mayors, representatives, etc. things would change. If we do nothing and say nothing to the people who have the power, then things will never change.
By self
August 11, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this
there are still farms and fields, and cows along gravel springs road in buford and all over dacula and the gwinnet side of loganville. So there is still some country left in gwinnett. I don’t know for how long though.
By Pompano
August 12, 2006 07:51 PM | Link to this
Let’s analyze - Asians move into an area and at least the property values rise.
Mexicans & Blacks move onto an area - the property values decline and crime rates increase.
Sounds like we need more Asians to help balance out the effects of the other two groups.
By Kat
August 13, 2006 05:13 PM | Link to this
I agree with the person who mentioned the Hispanic churches segregating themselves. Hispanicamerican Bautista on Burns road is a prime example. What once was a community church where ALL children could go to VBS is SPANISH ONLY. I wrote to them suggesting a Bi-lingual VBS so that the community could be involved again..My letter was meant with SILENCE.