The Town of Garner, NC, hired a team led by Urban Collage to develop a strategic plan to re-invent its historic downtown. The Plan utilized a market-based planning approach that first sought to establish the downtown area’s economic potential. The market study was followed by a two-week Charrette process involving significant community input. The Town of Garner unanimously adopted the Historic Downtown Garner Plan on April 20, 2010. In addition to the Town’s recent designation as a Main Street Community,   the adopted Master Plan will guide future public/private investments to expand the historic town center and create greater connectivity and visibility from US Highway 70.

Urban Collage, in collaboration with Louisville Metro Planning & Design and several cities in the area, has recently completed a plan for continued improvement of the Westport Road Corridor in eastern Louisville. The plan calls for preserving and enhancing open space, creating significant ped/bike improvements and taming the character of Westport Road. The community, home to strong neighborhoods, sought to create three walkable “village” commercial centers along the corridor’s length.

Urban Collage, led a team that developed the 2030 Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Braselton, Georgia. The plan focuses on clarifying and updating the town’s growth management strategies and maintaining the town’s pastoral character while fostering new high quality development. Particular areas of focus within the plan include the Town’s Historic Downtown, an emerging activity center near Chateau Elan, and two interstate interchanges within the Town.

Matt Cherry, an Associate at Urban Collage, was recently accredited as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Associate. With knowledge of the fundamentals of green building, green products, energy-saving technologies, sustainable water management and land development practices, Matt has added a new level of expertise to the firm’s multidisciplinary repertoire and will continue to take a more active role in an ever-increasing number of “green” projects.

Stanford Harvey, Principal of Urban Collage, was invited to become a board member of The Fayette Alliance, Lexington, KY. The Fayette Alliance is Lexington’s only land-use advocacy organization that regularly educates and lobbies local government for a sustainable growth model that benefits all. Please click HERE to access their website for more information.

Rosewood Hills, a 166-unit development by the Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) in Columbia, S.C. recently received “the best affordable home by a production builder” from the National Association of Home Builders and a 2010 Energy Star Leadership in Housing Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For the same project, CHA was also awarded the 2009 Affordable Housing Developer of the Year from the U.S. Green Building Council, last year.

Bibb County Schools in Macon, GA recently received one of ten national recognitions for excellence in facilities management. The FMXcellence award by Building Operating Management magazine recognizes facility management teams that are “making a difference” in supporting their organizations. Urban Collage assisted Bibb County School’s Facility Management Team on the rebuild of Central High School and Southwest High School to involve the local communities in the facility planning and implementation process.

This year, the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Best in Atlanta Real Estate Awards” recognized the “Deals of the Decade.” Identified through several categories including Commercial, Residential, and Mixed-Use, projects were awarded for their creative vision and contribution to the economic sustainability of the metro Atlanta area. The “Overall Deal of the Decade,” was awarded to the Midtown community, including several key development teams and the Midtown Alliance. Having worked as a key advisor to the Midtown Alliance for over 10 years, Urban Collage congratulates the Midtown community on its significant achievements.