Urban Collage is proud to announce that the “I-75/85 Connector Transformation” plan is the recipient of this year’s American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) Award of Excellence (Texas Chapter).  The Connector Transformation plan is a groundbreaking and visionary effort to re-imagine Atlanta’s downtown interstate connector. What is currently an unattractive, uninspired transportation workhorse for hundreds of thousands of commuters and visitors each day is re-envisioned as an exciting visual ‘gateway’ and ‘front door’ for downtown including new public art, decorative lighting and an urban forest.

Urban Collage helped conceive the project and managed a talented team of consultants on behalf of Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Midtown Alliance. The lead consultant for the plan was the SWA Group out of Houston, Texas.

For more information on the project please click here…

Over the last year, 47 community leaders, as part of Mayor Jim Gray’s Arena, Arts & Entertainment District Task Force, studied and discussed a potential arts and entertainment district in Downtown Lexington that would be anchored by historic Rupp Arena and the Lexington Convention Center.  The effort documented existing conditions and defined potential community “needs” in the areas of Sports & Entertainment, Hospitality, Housing & Mixed Use and Arts & Culture. Assisted by some of the most talented professionals across the globe and locally, the resultant design studies and overall development plan for the Rupp Arena, Arts & Entertainment District lay out a visionary and catalytic blueprint for developing over 46 acres of publicly-owned lands around the Lexington Center.  Urban Collage served as the Project Manager and staff support for this comprehensive effort, which Governor Steve Beshear has called one of the most important economic development initiatives in Kentucky. More information can be found at www.ruppdistrict.com

After three months of online comment and four public meetings, the City of Alpharetta, Georgia has revised and detailed a plan to reinvigorate its Downtown with the help of Urban Collage, Inc. In May, the City published a Downtown Concept for public comment. Based on community interest, the City hosted a series of public meetings and enlisted Urban Collage to facilitate the meetings and revise the plan based upon public input. The updated plan was presented on July 21, 2011 to a full house at Alpharetta City Hall. City Council has placed a $29 Million bond referendum on the November ballot to support implementation of the plan.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has formally grandfathered the recently completed Georgetown / North Shallowford Master Plan into its nationally recognized Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) program. The plan joins the Dunwoody Village Master Plan – also prepared by Urban Collage – and qualifies the City for a select pot of transportation related implementation funds. Congratulations to the City of Dunwoody and the community participants who worked so hard on the plan!

The Bluegrass Community and Technical College Newtown Pike Campus Master Plan has been awarded the Professional Merit Award by the Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (KYASLA). A multi-disciplinary team led by EOP Architects, including Urban Collage and M2D Design Group, explored the redevelopment of the 65-acre former Eastern State Mental Hospital. The historic nature of the site as well as its context within Downtown Lexington was considered while planning for a sustainable campus and environs.