The millennial generation is rooted in Internet-era values like connectivity, cultural vibrancy and inclusion. It should come as no surprise, then, that millennials want their communities to reflect these values.
Unfortunately, metro Atlanta, as a whole, risks trending away from these values as the region becomes increasingly fragmented and socially segregated. As a millennial, I believe our regional success during the next 50 years depends on our ability to course-correct in our planning and development choices today.
Building a 21st century metro Atlanta where millennials want to live requires a two-pronged strategy. First, we must create a framework to support regional growth through key investments in alternative transit options and high-quality streetscapes. Second, we must build our communities around the things that make them unique. This means pivoting away from shopping malls as the center of civic life and refocusing on creating vibrant downtowns (both in intown Atlanta and the suburbs). This process should be a collaborative effort to create a sense of place.
Many local millennials have had the opportunity to live in or visit cities with extensive public transit options, including Washington, D.C., Boston and Chicago. These experiences have highlighted Atlanta’s lack of alternative transportation options and have bred a sense of frustration that our region has not been able to deliver more. The Beltline, MARTA’s expansion into Clayton County and its transit-oriented development initiatives, as well as the new Atlanta Streetcar are a promising start. But much more needs to be done to keep Atlanta competitive with other cities in the nation.
Millennials are a diverse group and not all of them like to live in the urban core, but no one wants to sit in traffic. Georgia’s leaders need to take notice and know that millennials will support leaders who have the courage to champion transportation issues on the regional and state level.
Once linked by transit, municipalities across the region can refashion themselves as places that can attract millennials. We typically associate urban development and downtown revitalization with big cities, but smaller urban and suburban communities throughout the region also have an opportunity to foster walkable, mixed-use districts that can attract subsets of millennials, while also creating environments where Baby Boomers can age in place.
A network of culturally diverse, walkable nodes connected via 21st century transit options would create a region that could attract and retain millennials, and many others, for years to come.
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