What you told us:

“Community Arbor Day for planting trees and gardens.”

“Make/organize Christmas Market (as Weihnachtsmarkt) or make more “street” parties”

“Something that younger crowds can do.”

“Convert alleys to pedestrian/ bike-friendly with lighting/ clean space/and smooth pedestrian-friendly surfacing.”

“More live music and free community events.”

1.1 Keep the urban core clean and safe for all to enjoy

a. Enhance the comfort and appeal of the urban core’s public realm with expanded streetscaping efforts

YES i. Take on a signature MAP beautification project short

Main Street Macon short

YES iii. Incorporate lighting on street trees, buildings, and along the trails short to medium $3,300,000 b. Introduce additional trash, recycling, and maintenance efforts i. Institute a comprehensive municipal recycling strategy that includes public recycling bins medium ii. Introduce single-stream recycling bins in the Urban Core’s public realm medium

Under review by Macon-Bibb Solid Waste Department

UDA, NewTown Macon, Macon-Bibb Parks and Beautification, Public Works Department, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission, Macon Tree Commission, Main Street Macon , Macon Civic Spaces

UDA, private

Foundation support, Capital dollars from local partners

UDA, Macon-Bibb Solid Waste Department, Macon-Bibb County Parks and Beautification, Macon-Bibb Green Team, Public Works Department, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission, Georgia Recycling Commission public

Urban Core Experience 67/ DRAFT

1.2 Transform Macon’s sidewalks and public spaces as the center stage for community life

a. Improve use of underutilized spaces including alleys, medians, and vacant storefronts i. Create destination alleys with restricted traffic, decorative lights, seating, and permeable pavement for stormwater management short, medium (permeable pavers)

YES ii. Develop a movable furniture purchasing plan (umbrellas, tables, chairs, lounge chairs) iii. Launch a Friends of the Medians group that focuses on infusing life and color into Macon’s historic medians iv. Activate vacant storefronts with pop-up installations

UDA, NewTown, Public Works Department, Adjacent business owners public, private

Bibb County Master Gardener Program (UGA Cooperative Extension, Macon-Bibb Parks & Rec, Macon Civic Spaces, adjacent businesses

UDA, NewTown Macon

Arts Alliance, NewTown Capital dollars from local partners b. Improve and expand open spaces to create a central gathering space downtown and in each neighborhood short (design development, landscaping); medium (full development) ii. iii.

Cotton Avenue Plaza – “Passive & green” (tables, chairs, landscaping. Closing of Cotton Ave. between Mulberry St. Lane and Mulberry St.)

Cherry Street Plaza- “Blank slate” (programmable space, better connections to fountain, landscaping, raised crosswalks, distinctive paving) iv. Revisit the landscaping at Poplar Yards and add programming short (test phase); medium (full development) $750,000 short (test phase); long (full development) short (landscaping); medium (full redesign)

$1,250,000

Macon-Bibb Parks and Beautification, Public Works Department, Keep MaconBibb Beautiful Commission, Macon Tree Commission, Main Street Macon , Macon Civic Spaces; UDA, NewTown

Public, Capital dollars from local partners

Public, Capital dollars from local partners

Public, Capital dollars from local partners v. Upgrade Neighborhood Parks medium

$50,000 (initial improvements); $500,000 (paving)

$150,000 : Berndt Park / $1,100,000: Tattnall Sq./ TBD - Booker T Washington / $600,000: Stormwater park on Clinton Street

$150,000: Family Investment Center orchard

UDA, Macon-Bibb Parks and Beautification, Public Works Department Public, private support

/68 Macon Action Plan = COMMUNITY PRIORITY DRAFT c. Integrate the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail as a key downtown amenity i. Create a connected, continuous Ocmulgee Heritage Trail Downtown River Loop medium ii.

YES iii.

Connect Downtown to the Loop via medians and on-street lanes (e.g. 3rd Street, Mulberry, Poplar medians, and Riverside Drive and Walnut Street to Central City Park)

Foster bike/pedestrian connections across the river: Improve access to the existing trail from Downtown - Provide bike lanes on the Spring Street and MLK bridges

Riverside Trail: $2,500,000 Trail along River’s Edge: $12,000,000 Expanded MLK Bridge: TBD New Ped Bridge: $1,500,000 medium $5,000,000 short (initiate conversations with GDOT); long (design-build) $350,000

1.3 Program downtown’s social life and build the local audience

a. Maintain support for existing events and add new events i. ii. short ongoing

Existing: (e.g.) First Friday, First Saturday Village Market in Mercer Village, Mulberry Market in Tattnall Square Park, Second Sunday Concert Series, Bragg Jam, Cherry Blossom, etc.

Macon-Bibb Parks and Beautification, NewTown State & federal grants, donations, Splost, foundation support

Macon-Bibb Public Works Department, NewTown, UDA

State & federal grants, donations, Splost, foundation support

Macon-Bibb Public Works Department, NewTown, Georgia Department of Transportation

State & federal grants, donations, Splost, foundation support

One-Off/Temporary (new): Rooftop Pop-Up (dinner and/or dance party), Pop-Up Beer Garden, PopUp MiniGolf, Pop-Up Ice Skating, Open Streets short

$10,000/pop-up iii. Regular (new): Spring Parklets, Parking Day, Food Truck Rally short; medium (spring parklets) $10,000/parklet iv.

Place Specific (new): Programming for the Downtown Medians (e.g. yoga, fitness, sandbox for kids, wildflowers/ bird & butterfly garden, games, informal playspaces), Riverfront (movie screenings, night cruises, rubber ducky race, DIY float race (“anything floats” regatta) short (test phase: e.g. informal playspaces, yoga, fitness); medium (larger-scale events)

$60,000

NewTown Macon, First Saturday Village Market, Community Health Works, Macon Roots, College Hill Alliance, Cherry Blossom Office foundation, local commercial & institutional sponsors

UDA, NewTown, College Hill Alliance foundation, local commercial & institutional sponsors

UDA, NewTown, MaconBibb Public Works Department foundation, local commercial & institutional sponsors

UDA, NewTown, College Hill Alliance, Macon-Bibb Public Works department foundation, local commercial & institutional sponsors

1.4 Foster a sense of arrival and make good first impressions at gateways

a. Improve Downtown approaches from main thoroughfares i.

Landscape medians where possible, include entrance signage (e.g. from Marriot/Coliseum, from Riverside in conjunction with future redevelopment of triangle TAD site) medium $500,000 b. Capitalize on local institutions and assets as gateways to the Urban Core i. Navicent gateway at Triple Triangle Park (2 options: with or without roundabout) medium $750,000 ii. Spring and Georgia by Mercer Law and the Hay House (road realignment) medium $2,000,000 iii. Poplar and First by City Hall and Rosa Parks square (“oval-about”) long $1,250,000 iv. East Macon/Mounds on Coliseum at Clinton Street: create a bolder, greener entrance medium $750,000

Macon-Bibb Public Works department, UDA Public, private support

Macon-Bibb Public Works Department Navicent, Federal / state grants

Macon-Bibb Public Works Department Federal/state grants, private support

GA DOT, Macon-Bibb Public Works Department Federal/state grants, private support

GA DOT, Macon-Bibb Public Works Department UDA, Federal/state grants, foundation support c. Develop a signage and wayfinding system for key destinations, major employers, and parking areas in the Urban Core

YES i. Design a palette of signs to assist with wayfinding for key destinations short

YES ii. Coordinate with key institutions for consistent wayfinding signage short

YES iii. Develop and install signage for parking lots and structures to help visitors find a spot quickly and affordably short

$ 50,000 (design)

$ 250,000 (installation)

Gateway Macon, Chamber of Commerce, UDA, NewTown Macon, College Hill, Main Street Macon

UDA, NewTown Macon, Gateway Macon, College Hill, local institutions

Navicent, Mercer, Coliseum, local schools private

$ 125,000 (installation) Parking authority, UDA Parking authority, UDA

YES iv. Create an online parking map for use by venues and guests who prefer to plan ahead short $5,000 Parking authority, UDA Parking authority, UDA

1.5 Generate national buzz about Macon’s unique assets and broaden the tourism audience

a. Brand Macon’s Urban Core

YES i. Develop a consistent, compelling brand and message short $100,000

Gateway Macon, Chamber of Commerce, CVB, UDA, NewTown Macon, College Hill, Main Street Macon

UDA, NewTown Macon, Gateway Macon, College Hill, local institutions b. Support the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative’s bid to expand the National Monument as the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve

YES i. Cultivate community advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve short ongoing ii. Invest in East Macon’s public realm and neighborhood fabric to improve the approach to the aspiring National Park and Preserve medium

The Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative (ONPPI), Gateway Macon, Macon-Bibb Convention & Visitors Bureau, Macon Arts Alliance

The Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative (ONPPI), Gateway Macon, MaconBibb Convention & Visitors Bureau

$100,000 (signage & public art) UDA, Macon Arts Alliance, ONPPI Federal/state arts grants c. Focus on the broader story, past and present, to encourage tourism in Macon i. Package historical and cultural assets in contrast to highlighting one-off sites medium $15,000 CVB tourism and marketing organizations

YES ii. Support College Hill’s work toward a website that offers insider access about upcoming events to locals and visitors alike short ongoing College Hill Alliance College Hill Alliance