Urban Design Services | Urban Collage

Beltline TAD Feasibility Study / Redevelopment Plan

by Stanford Harvey on August 5th, 2009 | No Comments »

project: BELTLINE TAD FEASIBILITY STUDY / REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
date: 2004 – ONGOING
location: ATLANTA, GA
client: ATLANTA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
contact: TERRI Y. MONTAGUE, PRESIDENT – ATLANTA BELTLINE, INC.

The BeltLine is a visionary ‘Smart Growth’ initiative for twenty-two miles of under utilized railroad right-of-way ringing Downtown Atlanta. Envisioned as a transit and greenway corridor with new transit-oriented development on former brownfield sites, the BeltLine proposes over 2,000 acres of new or improved parks connected by thirty-three miles of greenway trails, all available to over 50,000 new housing units as well as the residential base located in forty-six of the city’s historic neighborhoods.

Urban Collage was involved in the creation of both the 2004 TAD (Tax-Allocation District) Feasibility Study and the 2005 TAD Redevelopment Plan. Besides formulating redevelopment scenarios and program quantifications for twelve key transit-based activity centers, Urban Collage helped shape the redevelopment / future land use envelope for the entire BeltLine and were instrumental in facilitating and supporting the extensive public involvement process. Urban Collage also helped the public understand the economic development implications of a TAD (or tax-increment financing district) and the criteria for its smooth functioning; and contributed to the preliminary development guidelines that could become the basis of future regulatory control.

The BeltLine project earned top honors as Overall Deal of the Year, Award Winner
for Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Best in Atlanta Real Estate Awards.

Recipient of the 2007 American Society of Landscape Architects Analysis and Planning Honor Award.

Implementation Highlights:

Tax Allocation District legislation approved by the City of Atlanta, Fulton County and the Atlanta School System
Ongoing strategic land assembly by Trust for Public Land
Ongoing greenway capital campaign by the PATH Foundation

Brookhaven – Peachtree LCI

by Stanford Harvey on August 5th, 2009 | No Comments »

project: BROOKHAVEN – PEACHTREE LIVABLE CENTERS INITIATIVE (LCI)
date: 2005
location: DeKALB COUNTY, GA
client: DeKALB COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
contact: MARIA M. MULLINS, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In 2005, Urban Collage, Inc. was retained by DeKalb County to create a development plan for the Brookhaven community in North Atlanta, including redevelopment of the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe University MARTA rail station, as part of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative.

The plan focused on redevelopment of the 10-acre MARTA rail station property and the Peachtree Road commercial corridor to create a dynamic, mixed-use center of regional prominence. The village center is intended to become a focal point within the Brookhaven community and DeKalb County, including a mix of multi-tenant office space, retail business and multi-family residential development positioned around a central open space in a denser, pedestrian oriented pattern. Additional redevelopment projects in the area focus on developing a consistent sense of character in Brookhaven, creating a mixed-use environment with a strong sense of place, offering a variety of housing types and price points, creating a dynamic pedestrian environment and improving traffic safety.

Subsequently, Urban Collage was retained by Dekalb County to draft a form-based overlay district to implement the plan. The overlay, the first of its kind in the county, was developed with a steering committee of local stakeholders and created form sub-areas, public space standards, urban design standards & provisions for workforce housing.

Montessori of Macon Facility Master Plan

by Stanford Harvey on August 5th, 2009 | No Comments »

project: MONTESSORI OF MACON FACILITY MASTER PLAN
date: 2006
location: MACON, GA
client: MONTESSORI OF MACON SCHOOL
contact: TANYA MELVILLE, DIRECTOR

Urban Collage facilitated the development of a Facility and Campus Master Plan for Montessori of Macon in the fall of 2006. Through a series of Advisory Team meetings and stakeholder workshops, Urban Collage helped clarify the Montessori School of Macon’s vision for the future, including identification of long-term property and facility needs, development of a campus master plan, and establishment of future expansion strategies and principals.

The Master Plan includes short-term strategies for accommodating up to 200 students in 7 authentic Montessori classrooms, an Administration Building and multi-purpose support facilities. The long-term plan accommodates up to 300 students in 11 classrooms and includes a large multi-function space for community meetings and physical activity.

The Master Plan establishes a physical plan with guiding principles for selection of a new campus site, organization of the future campus and future growth and expansion. The plan also details and reinforces Montessori of Macon’s commitment to sustainable/green building practices and the desire maximize daylighting in classroom areas, develop a series of outdoor learning areas and create opportunities to teach responsible stewardship throughout the campus.

East End Small Area Plan

by Stanford Harvey on August 5th, 2009 | No Comments »

project: EAST END SMALL AREA PLAN
date: 2008
location: LEXINGTON, KY
client: LEXINGTON FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT
contact: JIM DUNCAN, DIVISION OF PLANNING

Urban Collage, Inc. in association with EHI consultants created a revitalization plan for the historic East End Neighborhood. A diverse neighborhood originally home to professionals, entertainers, and even some of the first African-American jockeys. Plans center on balancing affordability while creating new investment, including plans for a rejuvenated Third Street Corridor.

The East End Small Area plan makes recommendations for revitalization of the neighborhood such as;

Residential infill and rehabilitation throughout the neighborhood
Revitalization of the once thriving commercial core at the intersection of Third and Race Streets as well as along Midland Avenue
Increased ecological awareness and standards throughout the industrial core
Infrastructure upgrades; sidewalks, roadways, and green space
Increased connectivity throughout the East End Neighborhood as well as improving connections to surrounding areas and Downtown Lexington

PCIDs Strategic Planning and Implementation

by Stanford Harvey on August 5th, 2009 | No Comments »

project: PERIMETER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
date: 2002-2003
location: DeKALB AND FULTON COUNTIES, GA
client: PERIMETER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (PCIDs)
contact: YVONNE WILLIAMS, PERIMETER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS PRESIDENT

Urban Collage provides strategic planning and implementation services to the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs), which comprise portions of both DeKalb and Fulton Counties. This client relationship is an extension of previous planning work that Urban Collage completed for the PCID as part of a 2001 Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) planning study.

That LCI study identified a list of key projects (including intersection enhancements, streetscapes, a wayfinding system, and zoning amendments) that would further the PCID’s mission to implement transit-supportive development and maximize existing transportation investments in the area. In the firm’s current capacity as “Program Planner” to the PCID, Urban Collage has refined that initial list of projects to create a comprehensive five-year Public Improvements Program.

Implementation Highlights:

Awarded $6.5 million in implementation funds from ARC for the Perimeter Center Parkway Livable Corridor Concept
Creation of Perimeter Public Space Standards to ensure that future development is consistent with LCI plan
Oversight of Evaluation and Selection Process for Program Manager and Design/Engineering Firms
Preparation of Zoning Overlay Districts for DeKalb and Fulton

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