FALL 2006 NEWSLETTER
Urban Collage, Inc. p: 404.586.0277
Dear #mem.FirstName#,

The end of another year provides an opportunity to look back on several successful projects and look forward to great things in 2007.  Please check out our PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS, OFFICE NEWS and RECENT SUCCESS STORIES below.

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East Decatur Development Plan
Urban Collage was engaged by a private developer to examine potential for redevelopment within East Decatur, an approximately 100-acre district adjacent to Downtown Decatur.  Located immediately adjacent to the Avondale MARTA rail station in Decatur, GA, the district is currently a mix of light industrial and commercial uses bordering single-family neighborhoods.  Urban Collage helped to envision the district as a higher-density mixed-use neighborhood, with a scale sensitive to nearby homes. A focal point of the proposed development is an "amenitized" retention area that would accommodate stormwater retention, functioning as an attractive open-space and contributing to the sustainability of the neighborhood.
Southside Tax Allocation District Studies
Urban Collage, as part of a team lead by the Bleakly Advisory Group, was charged by the Atlanta Development Authority with examining the feasibility, impact and potential for two proposed Tax Allocation Districts:  The "Stadium Area" (Turner Field) and the Campbellton Road Corridor.  The Stadium Area TAD lies predominately in the Summerhill and Mechanicsville neighborhoods and consists mostly of vast surface parking lots currently owned by the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority and leased by the Atlanta Braves.  As part of this study, Urban Collage outlined possibilities for large-scale, high-density mixed use redevelopment of these lots, built around new decks that would replace and improve the existing parking.  For the Campbellton Road corridor, a blighted strip lined with aging and dilapidated shopping centers, Urban Collage identified and prioritized future projects that would reinvigorate the commercial base while attracting new and higher-quality residential development to support both the corridor and future redevelopment of Fort McPherson.  Both TADs were approved by the Atlanta City Council in November of 2006.
Montessori of Macon
Through a series of meetings and workshops, Urban Collage has helped clarify the future vision for Montessori of Macon (Macon, Georgia), including identification of long-term property and facility needs, development of a campus master plan, and  establishment of  future expansion strategies and principals.  Now in it's final phase of planning, Urban Collage continues to advise Montessori of Macon on site selection and will be providing information and  graphic materials  for  the school's capital campaign.

Senior Associate Presents at Brownfields Conference
John Skach, Senior Associate at Urban Collage, participated as a guest speaker for the Brownfields 2006 conference in Boston, Massachusetts.  Collaborating with colleagues from the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as designers from Harvard University and StoSS Landscape Urbanism, John reviewed how urban design was applied at the celebrated Atlantic Station project in Atlanta.  John also shared his insights regarding TODs, brownfields, and (the forthcoming) East Decatur Station in a roundtable discussion.  For more information on the conference click here.

New Hire
Urban Collage welcomes new planner Kadu Badami, who will assist on a wide range of projects, drawing from her past experience in Geographic Information Systems, Historic Preservation and Architecture.  After graduating from the Academy of Architecture in Mumbai, India, Ms. Badami studied Heritage Preservation at Georgia State University and worked with the Atlanta Urban Design Commission documenting historic resources along the BeltLine project.

Planners Get Promoted
Congratulations to both Alix Nadi and Matt Cherry, both of whom were recently promoted to Senior Planner.

 

Town Center Poised for New Development
On November 8, Cobb County hosted a symposium geared towards implementation of the Town Center LCI vision.  The event was well-attended by developers interested in advancing key projects outlined in the LCI study and the Town Center Design Guidelines and Zoning Recommendations Study.  These guidelines, which were created by Urban Collage and recently adopted by the Town Center Area CID Board, include public space standards as well as urban design guidelines for new development in the Town Center LCI Area.   

Peachtree Streetscapes Enter Second Phase
After years of planning, design and coordination, the second phase of the Peachtree Streetscape in Midtown will soon be under way.  The project, which is part of the Midtown Alliance's Cityscapes Program, will be implemented between 10th Street and Peachtree Circle and will include new sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, street trees, handicap ramps and the installation of new on-street parking in many areas.  The first phase, which ran between 3rd and 10th Streets was completed in early 2006.  Urban Collage has been assisting the Midtown Alliance in planning such projects since 2000.

Brookhaven Overlay Zoning District
The Atlanta Regional Commission awarded DeKalb County with a $15,000 Supplemental Study Grant to develop a Brookhaven-Peachtree Overlay District, as recommended in the Brookhaven-Peachtree LCI Plan (completed by Urban Collage in 2005).  The Overlay District is being modeled after the Urban Design and Development Guidelines included in the LCI Plan and will be a model ordinance that may be applied to other transit station areas in DeKalb County.  The Draft Overlay District is currently being reviewed by DeKalb County officials and is expected to be adopted in early 2007.

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