Urban Collage » Success Stories

Project Highlight: Downtown Development Plan, Alpharetta, GA

Eric Bosman — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:10:16 +0000

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.

More Good News for Dunwoody!

Bob Begle — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:25:19 +0000

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!

KYASLA Merit Award for BCTC Newtown Pike Campus Plan

Soumi Basu — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:09:13 +0000

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.

All Three UC Clients Awarded 2010 CNI Grant Funds

John Skach — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:07:12 +0000

HUD recently announced the first planning grant recipients of the groundbreaking Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, or CNI. Out of 119 planning submissions, only 17 were awarded grant funds to conduct comprehensive and inclusive neighborhood planning around public housing and HUD-assisted communities. Urban Collage is honored to have contributed to the success of teams in Atlanta, Georgia; Norfolk, Virginia; and Wilmington, North Carolina.

For more information on the CNI program and award specifics click here…

A New Neighborhood Conservation District in Lexington

Stanford Harvey — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:36:56 +0000

For the last three years, Urban Collage has assisted the Neighbors of Montclair, a historic neighborhood adjoining the University of Kentucky, in developing a “Neighborhood Design” overlay to protect its unique character. Work included documenting each property and home in the neighborhood, facilitating community meetings and developing draft design standards that have now been formalized into the new Montclair ND-1 overlay district, adopted by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on January 27.

Old Wilmington Road Revitalization receives funding for construction

John Skach — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:22:42 +0000

Fayetteville’s (NC) Old Wilmington Road Revitalization has taken one more step toward completion! The 72-unit Campbell Avenue senior residential phase was recently funded by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency in a competitive process, paving the way for construction. Urban Collage assisted the development team in submitting application materials as well as preparing design concepts for the site and building, continuing a collaboration that began with a successful HUD HOPE VI award in 2007. The ambitious revitalization promises to transform one of Fayetteville’s most historic neighborhoods into a sustainable model for intown living.

Town of Braselton plans ahead 20 years

Matt Cherry — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:30:08 +0000

Ever wonder what the area around Road Atlanta, Chateau Elan and historic downtown Braselton will look like in 30 years? Urban Collage, Inc. recently completed the 2030 Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Braselton, Georgia. Over the last decade, the town has experienced dramatic residential development and population growth, the opening and expansion of the Chateau Elan Resort and Winery, and development of several key warehousing and distribution centers. The plan focuses on clarifying and updating the town’s growth management strategies while fostering new high quality development and maintaining the town’s pastoral character. The town’s vision includes reinvestment in its early-1900s Historic Downtown area, creation of TND-styled development around a forthcoming hospital facility and strategies to prevent sprawling development patterns.

The Town of Braselton adopted the new Comprehensive Plan in early August 2010.

Georgia City Goes All-American

Bob Begle — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:35:00 +0000

Acworth, Georgia – a long-time Urban Collage client – was recently honored as an official “All-American City” by the National Civic League. The City competed nationally against 25 other cities and towns across the US. We at Urban Collage have known for years that Acworth is a great place to call home, run a business, raise a child and meet new friends…and now the rest of the country knows it too! We congratulate the good folks of Acworth for this recognition!

To read the announcement on the City’s website click here…

BCTC Campus Plan Unveiled

Stanford Harvey — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:11:14 +0000

Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) recently unveiled the final campus master plan for its new 48-acre campus in the historic northside of Lexington. Urban Collage was part of a multi-disciplinary team that explored adaptive reuse of the former Eastern State Mental Hospital site and buildings and created a visionary plan for over 8,000 students. The urban campus seeks to establish ties to surrounding neighborhoods and leverage the College for economic development along the emerging Newtown Pike corridor.

More information can be found here

Garner Plan Adopted

Eric Bosman — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:35:55 +0000

The Town of Garner unanimously adopted the Historic Downtown Garner Plan last Tuesday evening, 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.

More information can be found here