As you may recall, I wrote an open letter to Atlantic Station a few weeks back about its oh-so-lovely Millennium Arch.  We then had a lively debate about it…”Does it reflect Roman ideals or Atlanta’s identity crisis?”  We kicked a few butts, wrote down a couple names, and then moved on.

But surprisingly, despite our learned discussion, the Arch still stands!  In fact, its undeniable strangeness is even beginning to get national attention.  The Christian Science Monitor actually attended the opening of the arch and asked locals and its creator for their opinions.  (There’s even an accompanying video, in case you’ve got time to kill and you like videos that make you feel slightly awkward.)

Though the article gives its creator some air time, its hard to ignore the general undertone of skepticism by the author towards the project.  A quote is even pulled from a critic on the Skyscraperpage.com forum that calls the Arch “a kitschy McMonument that bespeaks a cultural inferiority complex.”

So just add this article to the pile that frames Atlanta on the national stage, as a city that lacks identity.

But take heart!  Even at Atlantic Station there are efforts to tie the development to the city and its site.  Take this great piece of factory equipment from the old Atlantic Steel Mill that now serves as a statue in one of the development’s parks.

Unfortunately, these pieces don’t get the same kinda press as the silly Arch.

[h/t: Fresh Loaf]

(photo courtesy of Wikipedia)