Urban Collage

AWARD of EXCELLENCE!

Bob Begle — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:25:22 +0000

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…

Project Highlight: Rupp Arena, Arts and Entertainment District Task Force, Lexington, KY

Stanford Harvey — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:47:16 +0000

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

Project Highlight: The Atlanta Connector Project, Atlanta, GA

Eric Bosman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:16:35 +0000

Over the last half of 2011, Midtown Alliance, Midtown Improvement District, Central Atlanta Progress, and Atlanta Downtown Improvement District utilized the services of SWA Group of Houston, TX and Urban Collage to develop a bold strategic plan for enhancing Atlanta’s Downtown Interstate Highway. The Atlanta Connector Project melds landscape, lighting, art and urban design to enhance the roadway’s appearance and the experience of thousands of nearby city residents and almost half a million daily commuters and visitors to the City. The Vision outlines a $30-40 million improvement program to transform the roadway and adjacent properties and builds on Atlanta’s reputation as a City in the Forest and upon the wealth of cultural resources in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta as a variety of landscape and urban design elements to improve the Interstate’s appearance, mitigate environment impacts, and enhance wayfinding and economic development opportunities along Atlanta’s most highly traveled freeway.

Special Announcement: Urban Collage’s Lexington Office has moved

Soumi Basu — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:15:36 +0000

Project Highlight: US-280 Access Management Plan, Phenix City, AL

Dennis Madsen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:12:39 +0000

As part of a broader plan to improve access and traffic flow along US-280, Urban Collage was charged with outlining new land use strategies for development along this perimeter corridor. In cooperation with Sain Engineers out of Birmingham, a redevelopment plan was created that identified different general approaches for attracting, accommodating and maintaining growth along a stretch that had been struggling in the past decades. The plan used a “target site” to show the different manners in which growth patterns could be reshaped into a healthier, and more sustainable, commercial corridor.

UC helps plan for the future of Harrodsburg

Louis Johnson — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:24:42 +0000

Urban Collage took part in the recent Your Town Design/Planning workshop in Harrodsburg, KY. The workshop divided groups of residents, stakeholders design/preservation students and design professionals into groups that followed five themes identified by the Community Action Partnership (CAP). The themes identified by the CAP were: historic resources and green space, downtown revitalization, planning and zoning issues for ideas like for historic and scenic districts, design of gateway approaches to the city, and pedestrian access. The workshop is intended to provide a framework that includes both long term goals for the city as well as small scale/low cost projects that are instantly implementable to create positive momentum to carry the plan forward.

We had a great time participating and send our thanks to St. Catherine College, The City of Harrodsburg and the University of Kentucky Landscape Architecture Program for asking us to participate!

Before you plan… Eat!

Dennis Madsen — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 05:00:27 +0000

When we talk about public participation and making the most of community input, the focus is often on attracting a large audience, creating informative presentations and designing engaging exercises. Perhaps we’re forgetting some pretty basic notions, however. As recent studies appear to suggest, sometimes the best decisions and most fruitful considerations are realized… on a full stomach.

Please click here to read the article “Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?”…

Gainesville Gears Up for its Third Community Workshop

Niti Gajjar — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:49:45 +0000

The City of Gainesville and the planning team led by Urban Collage is gearing up for the third of the four community workshops for the Gainesville 2030 Comprehensive Plan on August 11th, at the Fair Street Neighborhood Center. The main focus of this meeting will be the Downtown/Midtown Core and the intown neighborhoods. For local news coverage on the completed second workshop please click here…

John Skach, the Principal-in-Charge of this project and Senior Associate at Urban Collage, was interviewed by Gainesville local channel TV-18, along with Rusty Ligon, the City’s Community Development Director. “This is our Gainesville” interview was part of the program – Eye on Gainesville led by Catiel Felts. The interview focused on discussing the purpose, process, and early highlights of the comprehensive plan. Please click here to view the complete interview.

Collager on YPG Member Highlight

Soumi Basu — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:20:38 +0000

Niti Gajjar, a Senior Planner at Urban Collage was recently interviewed for the summer newsletter of Young Planners Group (YPG) of the Georgia Chapter of American Planning Association. She has been serving as a Co-leader on the YPG Program Committee since the beginning of 2011. With a background in architecture and planning, she shares her thoughts on careers in urban design with young professionals. Please click here to read the full interview.

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.