Chapter 9 ~ Urban Island Oasis Atlantic Station is a point of destination just off the major traveled path of Peachtree Street (although, not being on or extremely close to Peachtree Street could be advantageous to the development of the rest of downtown). While it is promoting a New Urbanist feel and attempting to blend into its surroundings so it will be a friendly neighbor, it is also creating a self-enclosed Island. Atlantic Station is walled in on all sides, not just walls built by the development but walls that have occurred from the chaotic growth of Atlanta. Atlantic Station basically sits in a residual space. To the east it is bordered by the interstate with the only sole connection to Midtown being 17th street, other than the fact that Atlanta can't build any more roads shouldn't 16th street also have been considered as a connection. To the north is the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line along with a cement encased wall of dirt that was not allowed to be removed from the site due to the contamination of being a Brownfield. This allows absolutely no connection to the north until 17th street makes its connection to Northside Drive. To the south, the fact that there is a 30 foot drop creates a wall of its own not to exclude the inability to develop the land just west of State Street because Georgia Tech owns and uses the land. While Atlantic Station wants to promote interaction between the inside and outside of the development, it limits the ability to come to the development. The only way to get to Atlantic Station by way of MARTA is to wait for the bus after you have taken the train from where ever you were. Atlantic Station is not designed as another stop before you get to your final destination i.e. the many stops one might have when walking from home to work or work to home, or even driving or riding mass transit to and from work. Atlantic Station is designed as a final stop, if you don't live on site you sidetrack in order to come and do what you do and then turn around and get back on your regular path to your final destination.

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