FALL 2004 NEWSLETTER
Urban Collage, Inc. p: 404.586.0277
Dear #mem.FirstName#,

Urban Collage would like to welcome you to our first volume of the quarterly @Collage Newsletter. We invite you to see our latest PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS, OFFICE NEWS and RECENT SUCCESS STORIES.

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Imagine Downtown, Atlanta, GA
Over the past year, Downtown Atlanta undertook a precedent-setting planning initiative to chart the course of short and long-term development -- aptly named Imagine Downtown. The goal of the process was to derive a vision for future neighborhood development by assessing the needs and interests of all Downtown stakeholders including residents, business owners, property owners, students, developers and elected and appointed officials. This effort has been accomplished by means of 1) an online survey, the Imagine Downtown Compass and 2) a series of five Focus Area visioning workshops.

To date, Imagine Downtown has secured over $36 million to implement ideas fostered by the plan. Among these ideas is a wayfinding signage system, several large-scale infrastructure projects including a new east-west arterial connecting the convention center area to the hotel district, other streetscape and pedestrian improvements, and a parking management study. Imagine has prompted a change in the outlook for private investment as evidenced by project announcements, new starts, and adjustments to private development projects to reflect the aspirations contained in the plan.  We are also proud to announce that the Imagine Downtown plan received the 2004 GPA Award for most Innovative and Effective Planning Process.

Oakland City / Lakewood LCI, Atlanta, GA.
In the Spring of 2004, Urban Collage, Inc. was retained to conduct the Oakland City/ Lakewood Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) planning process. In an attempt to spur redevelopment efforts, the City of Atlanta in collaboration with MARTA are focused on developing a long-range plan for the Oakland City and Lakewood-Ft. McPherson MARTA Stations. The plan gives comprehensive recommendations for future land use patterns, transportation and circulation options and implementation strategies for the area surrounding the transit stations. While the primary focus of planning work surrounds the transit stations, the Study Area also included the immediate residential neighborhoods and major commercial corridor in the vicinity of Metropolitan Parkway.
Anderson School District Four, Anderson, SC

Anderson (SC) School District Four recently completed and adopted a Long Range Facilities Plan developed by Urban Collage. After several months of research, data analysis and work sessions with district leaders and a community based Facilities and Attendance Area Study Team, Urban Collage presented three alternatives for accommodating future enrollment growth within the district.

The plan calls for construction of a new elementary school for 450 students on the east side of the district, reassignment of sixth graders to elementary school facilities, and future additions at Pendleton High School and Townville Elementary School. This option was clearly preferred by the community during a series of seven public meetings, was identified as the strongest option by the district’s instructional leaders, maintains the relatively small school sizes desired in District Four and provides the most long-term flexibility. The option was adopted unanimously by District Trustees at their June 17, 2004 meeting.
  • Urban Collage is happy to announce that Ms. Trupti Kalbag has been promoted from Planner to Associate. We also welcomed Mr. Matt Cherry, a recent graduate from the University of Michigan Master of Urban Design Program, who has joined the firm as a Planner and Ms. Eva Hare our new office manager.
  • Urban Collage in collaboration with EDAW, Inc. has been awarded the Beltline TAD Feasibility Study.  This important project will explore the implementation strategy for one of the most innovative intown transit and open space systems in the country. 
  • The City of Suwanee received a 2004 Georgia Planning Association award for outstanding plan implementation of the Suwanee Town Center Plan. This project also received Georgia Chapter support as the State's American Planning Association National Award Nomination.
  • Two of our clients, the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Columbia Housing Authority were recently awarded approximately $31 million for redevelopment of two communities: McDaniel-Glenn in Atlanta and the former Hendley Homes in Columbia. In addition, the Charlotte Housing Authority was awarded $20 million for redeveloping the Piedmont Courts community as part of the Belmont Area Revitalization Plan.

 
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