This is not just a problem in Atlanta. Nationwide there seems to be more mentally ill people released to fend for themselves on downtown streets.
Isn’t the whole point of Quayside to test new patterns and street layouts? Sidewalks quirky street patterns and emphasis on ride sharing may not be ideal solutions, but we will certainly learn more from trying this than by replicating a street grid that already exists in countless cities.
The productivity lost due to distractions is made up multiple times by the increased communication and energy. I switched to an open plan after working on a trading floor in the ‘90's and realized that real time communication made long status meetings unnecessary. A colleague whose expertise is needed can get pulled into a conversation real time…