Master Plan Implementation Teams
Each Implementation Team will be continueing to reach out to the community for assistance in helping to implement this progressive 20 year plan.
FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS
Westobou Crossing/East End Higher Education District
Co-Chairs: Mr. Monty Osteen and Mr. Samuel Bennett
This Implementation Team has started to assess the two city urban areas that span the Savannah River.
Included in this district is the Westobou Crossing Market Creation Project that will tie North Augusta and Augusta communities together with new development that spans the Savannah River and includes destination attraction options for both cities. A recommendation for this Market Creation Project is to remake historic Hamburg into an inviting, recreationally-themed waterfront community of high density, mixed-uses including housing, restaurants, retail, boat dock and fishing venues in the brick pond. The Augusta anchor includes the exisitng marina and Riverwalk as well as proposed new development on the Pension site and in the adjoining former Coca-Cola bottling plant to the east.
A major recommendation of the 2009 Master Plan was to promote devleopment of new and expanded institutions of higher learning. The optimal location for this initiative is in the swath of area from Broad Street above Olde Town south toward Laney Walker Blvd. The Augusta urban core is a superior site for future public and private higher education development. A key recommendation of the Master Plan is to capitalize on the resources of exisitng health sciences and high technology public and private entities already in the area, i.e. the Medical College of Georgia, the Savannah River Site, Fort Gordon, the Southeastern National Sciences Academy and the National Science Center.
Downtown District
Co-Chairs: Mr. Julian Osbon and Ms. Nadia Butler
The Downtown District Implementation Team is evaluating the Master Plan as it relates to Augusta's urban core.
This district is the defining heart of the region's urban area and is the traditional business, cultural and entertainment center for the entire five county region. Included in the Master Plan's recommendations for this district is the Market Creation Project, the Westobou Arts Center, proposed to be located on the Savannah River north of the Augusta Common. This Center would be a state-of-the-art regional arts complex. Another Market Creation Project, Marbury Village, also is within this district. Marbury Village would revitalize three blocks of Broad Street (10th to 13th Street) into a uniqUe and exciting up-scale living, working, and retail environment with Augusta's downtOwn core. A third Market Creation Project within this district is the Augusta Canal Park Neighborhood. This new central park between the downtown and emerging THird Level Canal redevelopment area and the medical area could act as both a connector and a catAlyst to surrounding development, while a new in-town neighborhood would develop around this park. The park would be large enough to enjoy for recreation and outdoor events.
Other projects in this district that are part of the Master Plan include a proposed minor league ballpark, rehabilitation of historic homes, a trade, exhibit and event center and a proposed mid-rise hotel complex.
Medical District
Co-Chairs: Mr. Stan Shepherd and Dr. Michael Ash
The master plan identifies a large expansion area to the current medical district. The expansion area lies between the existing medical area and downtown Augusta. The implementation team will address this expansion area and the projects identified in the master plan such as expansion along the new St. Sebastian Way roadway, Tenth Street Health Sciences Park, a transportation center within the boundaries of the area and a St. Sebastian Health Sciences Park.
The St. Sebastian Health Sciences Park is a designated Market Creation Project in the master plan. The park will reinforce the connection of the medical area to the downtown and realize a cutting edge, nationally significant, mixed-use health sciences park in this area of underutilized land between the present medical area and the downtown core.
Harrisburg District
Chair: Mr. Clayton Boardman
The Harrisburg area extends from Lake Olmstead through portions of the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, King and Sibley Mls and Chaffee Park to 15th Street. The Harrisburg Implementation Team will address various recommendations in the master plan including the following:
- Future Health Sciences Related Development
- Kroc Center
- Ongoing Broad Street Housing Renovation
- Sibley Mill Redevelopment
- Ball Park Reuse
- Harrisburg Canal Village
Tkhe Market Creation Project proposed for this district is the Harrisburg Village to be developed along the First Level of the Augusta Canal between Chaffee Park and 15th Street. This will be a new mixed-use retail center and residential center. This portion of the First Level of the Augusta Canal provides nearly a mile of high quality waterfront. It is envisioned that there will be developed a Canal Village with a the canal bordered by tree lined pathways providing a direct access to the water. A canal-side greenway network would provide another direct connection to the downtown urban core.
Laney Walker/Bethlehem District
Co-Chairs: Mr. Thomas Coghill and Dr. George Bradley
This Implementation Team will be working on the key projects and initiaitves as outlined in the master plan. These include:
- Private and not-for-profit Residential Development
- Development around the Judicial Center
- Ninth Street Gateway Improvmenets
- Proposed Walton Way Commercial Center
- Dyess Park Revitalization
- Dyess Park Canal Village
The Market Creation Project within this district is the Dyess Park Canal Village. It is projected that residential development around Dyess Park and the Third Level of the Augusta Canal will create a high-quality affordable neighborhood of renovated and new housing. This project will capitalize on the presence of the Judicial Center to create a new neighborhood commercial center.
Olde Towne East of East Boundary
Co-Chairs: Mr. Robert Osborne and Patrick Rice, Esq.
Olde Towne East of East Boundary sits on the eastern end of the urban area and runs from Gordon Highway eastward to I-520 and from Laney Walker to the Savannah River. The large area north of Sand Bar Ferry to the river offers the opportunity for a neighborhood-defining redevelopment into a unique recreation-oriented new community with both a waterfront and a rural character right on the edge of the urban area. With its location on the east end of Augusta, this area is poised to become a major gateway corridor into the downtown area.
The Implementation Team will be working on key projects outlined in the master plan such as Underwood Home redevelopment, Marion Homes Redevelopment, Hornsby Elementary School, proposed fair grounds reuse and proposed Broad Street and Sand Bar Ferry Road traffic improvements.
A major Market Creation Project is proposed for this district. It is the Sand Bar Ferry Riverside Project. This project would create a new, regional, multi-use open space destination at the eastern edge of the Augusta downtown core. It proposes including a "New Urbanist" village with a waterfromt park and recreation fields utilizing the mile of underdeveloped Savannah River waterfront. The area between Sand Bar Ferry Road and the levee, which is also underutilied, opens up various other use options.
North Augusta Historic Area & East Buena Vista/I-520 Gateway
Chair: Mr. Samuel Bennett
There are major projects and initiatives designed for this area. One of the major initiatives proposed in the master plan for North Augusta is the Market Creation Project - the North Augusta Town Center. This Market Creation Project proposes that the Municipal Center at the foot of Georgia Avenue forms a visual southern gateway to historic Georgia Avenue and the downtown commercial area. A new Town Center is proposed by extending the public open-space fronting the Municipal Center northward to create a new public common around which development can occur.
Some of the other proposed projects for North Augusta as outlined in the master plan include:
- Continuation of North Augusta 2000 Initiative
- Hotel on the Bluff
- Hammond's Ferry continued development
- Ravine Parks
- Neighborhood infill development
In addition, the I-520 Gateway and East Buena Vista Avenue corridor create major opportunities for attractive roadway developments and neighborhood revitalization. Some of the key projects and initiatives in the I-520 Gateway and East Buena Vista Avenue corridor include:
- US 1/East Martintown Road Intersection Imrprovements & corridor development guidelines
- East Buena Vista Avenue Improvmenets
- Schultz's Overlook - a public park atop the bluff
- Various neighborhood redevelopment
Entryways & Corridors
Chair: Mr. Barry Storey
A major recommendation of the master plan is to enhance the access corridors and gateways into the urban area. A partial list of these gateways include the following:
- Riverwatch Parkway
- Walton Way
- Wheeler Road
- Gordon Highway
- Sand Bar Ferry Road
- Laney Walker East
- I-520/US 1 Corridor
- Georgia Avenue/13th Street
Key gateways into the urban area are found in every direction and need attention and enforceable guidelines for adjacent development. As visitors come to Augusta and North Augusta, the gateways and corridors into our cities form a first impression. This Implementation Team will be working with city and state government and private individuals to address the lack of focus on our gateways. This lack of focus has caused many of the gateways to project an uncomplimentary view of our cities.