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submitted by Kristina A. Harpst, AICP, District 5 Director
What began as a Mercer University student project has quickly evolved into an active public-private partnership with broad-based community support. The combination of Mercer University’s vision of Macon being “college-town cool” and the City of Macon’s desire to retain creative University graduates to live and work in the City, led the two entities to come together in 2007 to form the “College Hill Corridor Commission.” Under the direction of two co-chairs, one from the City of Macon and the other a Mercer University law professor, the Commission is a well-rounded stakeholder group comprised of local community and business leaders, historic preservation and redevelopment experts, students and professors, appointed by the Mayor of Macon and the President of Mercer University.
The Commission’s task is to redevelop the corridor stretching between Mercer University and downtown Macon into a bike and pedestrian-friendly area that “adds economic value to the city’s tax base, beautifies residential and commercial areas, attracts and retains creative young professionals and programs fun public events.” Development projects are already underway with a local pizzeria, regional coffee shop and wing restaurant all opening locations in Mercer Village over the past year and a half. In an effort to “encourage increased permeability between town and gown,” the Commission also hosts regular events, including the popular Second Sunday Brunch held each month in Washington Park.
From the beginning, the Commission has received generous financial support from the James S. and John L. Knight Foundation and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia to attain its goal of “creating a physical, cultural and social path to connect Mercer University to downtown.” Due to this financial support, the Commission was able to engage Interface Studio, a Philadelphia-based design firm, to create an economically and environmentally sustainable Master Plan for the Corridor, a draft of which was completed in January 2009.
Most recently, in June 2009, the Knight Foundation awarded the Commission a $5 million grant with $2 million earmarked to form the College Hill Alliance, funding positions for an Executive Director and Marketing Communications Coordinator with the specific directive to “accelerate neighborhood revitalization around Mercer Village.” The other $3 million of the grant was directed toward the Community Foundation of Central Georgia to “fund the resident’s best ideas for transforming the neighborhood.”
As the College Hill Corridor Alliance and Commission continue redevelopment efforts, regular updates are made to the project’s interactive website to provide news and information as well as to continue to engage and inspire both residents and students about this exciting project. For additional information about the College Hill Corridor project, implementation efforts, and to view the draft Master Plan, visit www.collegehillcorridor.com.
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