An intentional effort to make South Downtown look less “like a prison” through the deadness of parts of its urban fabric is needed. And that effort will be just as important for the goal of creating a vibrant neighborhood as filling in the blanks of empty old buildings. Moreover, prioritizing South Downtown revitalization makes sense. This is a place that is filled with the history of the city’s origins and that sits in a central location between neighborhoods that vary greatly in demographics and culture. It has the potential to connect us to our past, present and future, and to each other. But in order for it to do so, we need for the neighborhood and its buildings to not just be viable for developers – Atlanta and its residents need it to be lovable.