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Old 05-19-2013, 04:16 PM
 
Location: I-20 from Atlanta to Augusta
1,327 posts, read 1,900,343 times
Reputation: 602

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Quote:
Originally Posted by tckr83 View Post
Springview park (believe is the name) is right across the street from the old GGHF site... I have yet to see a single soul there each time I drive by... a garden/park would be a waste of riverfront land and money. It just won't fly in this city until downtown gets to where it needs to be, which is getting more people living in and around the downtown core. That takes time.
Augusta needs an investment on the part of the local population. Crime is one of the biggest reason why people are afraid to come downtown especially at night. The city needs HD cameras at all major corridors and along the riverwalk and an increase in security but that goes back to budget cuts. This whole argument can relate to Augusta wanting a north south interstate. If the citizens of the city, metro area and state want better infrastructure they will ultimately have to pay for it. Until Augusta becomes such a tourist hotspot to where most of these things can be paid for by tourists, Augusta will need to fund them. But no one wants higher taxes right.
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Old 05-19-2013, 04:38 PM
 
37,789 posts, read 41,472,106 times
Reputation: 27042
Quote:
Originally Posted by tckr83 View Post
Springview park (believe is the name) is right across the street from the old GGHF site... I have yet to see a single soul there each time I drive by... a garden/park would be a waste of riverfront land and money. It just won't fly in this city until downtown gets to where it needs to be, which is getting more people living in and around the downtown core. That takes time.
And more people won't move to the core until there are more amenities, like recreation spaces. Downtown lacks a true center city park, and an appropriately-designed one has much potential to generate pedestrian activity as well as encourage surrounding development. There are too many examples across the nation that prove this.

I don't know why so many of you think that you have to have a burgeoning downtown resident population or hoards of tourists before a downtown can support a riverfront park, more retail, etc. If anything, experience has shown that having these amenities in place first have attracted more people to downtown areas.

Last edited by Mutiny77; 05-19-2013 at 05:18 PM..
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Old 05-19-2013, 06:21 PM
 
Location: Atlanta Metro
614 posts, read 1,094,608 times
Reputation: 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutiny77 View Post
And more people won't move to the core until there are more amenities, like recreation spaces. Downtown lacks a true center city park, and an appropriately-designed one has much potential to generate pedestrian activity as well as encourage surrounding development. There are too many examples across the nation that prove this.

I don't know why so many of you think that you have to have a burgeoning downtown resident population or hoards of tourists before a downtown can support a riverfront park, more retail, etc. If anything, experience has shown that having these amenities in place first have attracted more people to downtown areas.

Do you live in Augusta? I'm not talking about you having relatives here or that you lived here 5 or so years ago. Do you live in Augusta now? Not in the outlying suburbs. Do you live in Augusta NOW?! Unless you are into bars, work downtown, or Medical District, there is no real reason to go most of the year. Once again, downtown has the bones to be something better but most of my time and money is spent at West Augusta restaurants/retailers. Downtown can't compete with the retailers/restaurants at the Mall, Exchange and in some cases Surrey Center. Here's the lineup for Surrey:


A Soft Touch
Angevine's Fine Silver
Barbara Kelly Antique Gallery
Beacon Lamps & Shades
Bistro 491
Calvert's Restaurant
Charleston Street
Coco's Cabana Design Images and Gifts
Distinctly Different Antiques
Elements Salon
Estate Jewelry Center (The)Estate Sales & Antiques, Ltd.
French Market Grille
(The)Gentry Men's Shop
House of the Bride
(The)Jos. A. Bank
Junior League of Augusta
Little Feet My Friend's Place Deli
Posh Tots
Children's Boutique
Rivers and Glen
Ronald Bowers, D.D.S.
Shoes at Surrey
SOHO
Spa Bleu
Stifel Nicolaus
Surrey Center Pharmacy
Surrey Tavern
Susan's
The Swank Co.
Sweetbrier Fair
TakoSushi
Talbots
TravelMasters
Village Vogue Cleaners
White Horse Wine & Spirits

A great combo of local and national retailers/restaurants.


One might say Downtown still has the entertainment edge. That really depends on what your looking for. Look at the calendars for Aug JBA, ATL Philips, CLT Time Warner, Cola Colonial Life. Personally, I may be hitting the road soon.
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Old 05-19-2013, 07:34 PM
 
Location: South Augusta
937 posts, read 1,791,000 times
Reputation: 85
They should build facilities (apartments, restaurants, retail etc) first. Good point to the poster regarding the Inman park (spelling) but the gghof property is best used for either GRU or high rise student housing. A garden is a waste of time mine and space, forget saving the A someone please save the citizens of Augusta from their ways of thinking.
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Old 05-19-2013, 08:51 PM
 
37,789 posts, read 41,472,106 times
Reputation: 27042
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Magician View Post
Do you live in Augusta? I'm not talking about you having relatives here or that you lived here 5 or so years ago. Do you live in Augusta now? Not in the outlying suburbs. Do you live in Augusta NOW?! Unless you are into bars, work downtown, or Medical District, there is no real reason to go most of the year. Once again, downtown has the bones to be something better but most of my time and money is spent at West Augusta restaurants/retailers. Downtown can't compete with the retailers/restaurants at the Mall, Exchange and in some cases Surrey Center. Here's the lineup for Surrey:


A Soft Touch
Angevine's Fine Silver
Barbara Kelly Antique Gallery
Beacon Lamps & Shades
Bistro 491
Calvert's Restaurant
Charleston Street
Coco's Cabana Design Images and Gifts
Distinctly Different Antiques
Elements Salon
Estate Jewelry Center (The)Estate Sales & Antiques, Ltd.
French Market Grille
(The)Gentry Men's Shop
House of the Bride
(The)Jos. A. Bank
Junior League of Augusta
Little Feet My Friend's Place Deli
Posh Tots
Children's Boutique
Rivers and Glen
Ronald Bowers, D.D.S.
Shoes at Surrey
SOHO
Spa Bleu
Stifel Nicolaus
Surrey Center Pharmacy
Surrey Tavern
Susan's
The Swank Co.
Sweetbrier Fair
TakoSushi
Talbots
TravelMasters
Village Vogue Cleaners
White Horse Wine & Spirits

A great combo of local and national retailers/restaurants.


One might say Downtown still has the entertainment edge. That really depends on what your looking for. Look at the calendars for Aug JBA, ATL Philips, CLT Time Warner, Cola Colonial Life. Personally, I may be hitting the road soon.
No, I don't live in Augusta but I'm not sure why that's relevant as there are general principles of downtown revitalization that can be applied to practically all cities.

And here's a tidbit: even in most downtowns that have experienced or are experiencing successful revitalizations of their downtowns, the suburbs still have much more to offer in terms of retail and restaurants than downtown. Take downtown Greenville, SC for example whose downtown has undergone a very notable transformation. While the restaurant options have increased in recent years, the retail options there cannot compete with Haywood Road and the mall, even with the upcoming retail additions. Charlotte, NC has had a pretty good run in the revitalization of Uptown, but there's still relatively little retail to speak of.

I think you guys should study how other cities were able to get their downtowns roaring again. It will dispel the notion that you need 10,000 downtown residents and huge tourist attractions in order for it to happen. What it will take first and foremost is a robust public-private partnership to help get the ball rolling until the market starts taking over.

Greenville, SC: Downtown Revitalizations
A History of Downtown | Downtown Wilmington, NC
NextStep Case Study - Chattanooga, TN
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Old 05-19-2013, 09:14 PM
 
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,504 posts, read 15,010,119 times
Reputation: 948
Quote:
Originally Posted by dpatt.marine1 View Post
Augusta needs an investment on the part of the local population. Crime is one of the biggest reason why people are afraid to come downtown especially at night. The city needs HD cameras at all major corridors and along the riverwalk and an increase in security but that goes back to budget cuts. This whole argument can relate to Augusta wanting a north south interstate. If the citizens of the city, metro area and state want better infrastructure they will ultimately have to pay for it. Until Augusta becomes such a tourist hotspot to where most of these things can be paid for by tourists, Augusta will need to fund them. But no one wants higher taxes right.
I have to disagree 100%, because the CBD has one of the lowest crime rates in the entire CSRA. I think you mean 'perception', and not reality. The Chronicle had the article were the crime rate of downtown is similar to West Augusta.

How many places in the CSRA besides the CBD only have one homicide since 2011? Especially considering how much the population increases on the weekend downtown.

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Magician View Post
Do you live in Augusta? I'm not talking about you having relatives here or that you lived here 5 or so years ago. Do you live in Augusta now? Not in the outlying suburbs. Do you live in Augusta NOW?! Unless you are into bars, work downtown, or Medical District, there is no real reason to go most of the year. Once again, downtown has the bones to be something better but most of my time and money is spent at West Augusta restaurants/retailers. Downtown can't compete with the retailers/restaurants at the Mall, Exchange and in some cases Surrey Center. Here's the lineup for Surrey:
Quote:
Originally Posted by tckr83 View Post
Springview park (believe is the name) is right across the street from the old GGHF site... I have yet to see a single soul there each time I drive by... a garden/park would be a waste of riverfront land and money. It just won't fly in this city until downtown gets to where it needs to be, which is getting more people living in and around the downtown core. That takes time.
To be fair Springview is a TERRIBLE example..... Very tiny, empty fountains, etc...

I see people using the park at the Riverwalk, and the Augusta Common daily.


Downtown is 'busier' than the Surrey Center .....

Last edited by nortonguy; 05-19-2013 at 09:24 PM..
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Old 05-19-2013, 09:21 PM
 
Location: I-20 from Atlanta to Augusta
1,327 posts, read 1,900,343 times
Reputation: 602
Quote:
Originally Posted by nortonguy View Post
I think you mean 'perception', because the CBD has one of the lowest crime rates in the entire CSRA.
Yes perception of crime. Not to mention the media completely blows up any criminal activity that happens downtown. I guarantee you if there was a stabbing in Evans and downtown Augusta on the same night, the stabbing in Augusta would make the paper first.
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Old 05-19-2013, 09:30 PM
 
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,504 posts, read 15,010,119 times
Reputation: 948
Quote:
Originally Posted by dpatt.marine1 View Post
Yes perception of crime. Not to mention the media completely blows up any criminal activity that happens downtown. I guarantee you if there was a stabbing in Evans and downtown Augusta on the same night, the stabbing in Augusta would make the paper first.
Cameras will definitely be coming downtown, and eventually to the major corridors in the suburbs of Augusta.

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Magician View Post
GRU has enough land. I just don't see them expanding right now or in the future, which is basically what I got from Azziz when he said the University wasn't ready to move on the Mills Campus project. Azziz is going to make GRU a topnotch U. He is raising entrance standards, raising money, and unfortunately may be raising tuition. With 2 of those things happening, I don't expect GRU to grow at the rate that ASU was. Azziz isn't going to let people in for the sake of letting them in to fill up some Mills Campus. On the other hand, if you couldn't get into ASU then you probably can't get into any other 4 yr school in georgia. Dr. Bloodworth had ASU at 7K and on it's way to 10K had he been able to expand. So what happens now, the students that can't get into GRU, who probably would have gotten into ASU, have to go through East Georgia State U! In the end, I don't think that GRU is going to do for downtown what Georgia State is doing for ATL or USC is doing for Columbia, but it will probably be a more prestigious U.
I don't know the quote your referencing, but he probably meant in terms of any 'final details' until they come up with the funding sources..

Their already moving forward with the Cultural/Mills campuses..

''The University System of Georgia Board of Regents has hired a consultant to evaluate Au*gusta's proposal to develop a cultural campus downtown and a mills campus in Har*ris*burg, according to City Admin*is*trator Fred Russell.'


GRU will only have enough land once they begun on the Mills/Cultural campuses. I think you should know that Dr. Azziz/Board of Regents already knew about this proposal before the public did.
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Old 05-19-2013, 09:47 PM
 
Location: Atlanta Metro
614 posts, read 1,094,608 times
Reputation: 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutiny77 View Post
I think you guys should study how other cities were able to get their downtowns roaring again. It will dispel the notion that you need 10,000 downtown residents and huge tourist attractions in order for it to happen
I don't think downtown needs tourist attractions nor 10000 residents for it to make a comeback. I asked whether you lived in Augusta because, I know you don't know that not many people frequent downtown. What most of us want on this board is something downtown that would generate foot traffic and everything else should follow. There need to be demand for services. If there isn't one no one is going to build anything. In Augusta, Let's build it and they'll come doesn't work. ATL, CLT and maybe some 2tier cities can get away with it, but not here in Augusta. The people of Augusta are fickle when it comes to things. Why that is, I don't know. Second, attractions aren't a bad thing. They definitely don't hurt. Many of us see attractions as a positive because many of us travel to attractions in other cities. Many Augustans travel to ATL for World of Coke, Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, MLB, NFL, NBA, etc.. Anybody in their right mind knows those things are positives. Those things drive foot traffic. A lot of us go to Columbia for Riverbanks Zoo, USC, etc. Those things drive foot traffic. The intent of the GGHoF was to drive foot traffic. The mayor wanted to build a ballpark downtown in hopes of spurring revitalization. There has to be a reason for people to go downtown and for Augusta a botanical garden ain't it. It seems like so long ago, that the talk was how to keep Augustan's downtown after concerts, hockey games, arena football games, etc.
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Old 05-19-2013, 10:10 PM
 
Location: Atlanta Metro
614 posts, read 1,094,608 times
Reputation: 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by nortonguy View Post
Cameras will definitely be coming downtown, and eventually to the major corridors in the suburbs of Augusta.



I don't know the quote your referencing, but he probably meant in terms of any 'final details' until they come up with the funding sources..

Their already moving forward with the Cultural/Mills campuses..

''The University System of Georgia Board of Regents has hired a consultant to evaluate Au*gusta's proposal to develop a cultural campus downtown and a mills campus in Har*ris*burg, according to City Admin*is*trator Fred Russell.'


GRU will only have enough land once they begun on the Mills/Cultural campuses. I think you should know that Dr. Azziz/Board of Regents already knew about this proposal before the public did.

As WJBF News Channel 6 first reported, the city of Augusta is trying to sell Georgia Regents University on using two old mills as possible dorms and classrooms. In order for the move to take place, the city of Augusta will need to pony up $400,000 on a study to make sure the plans are feasible with the University and University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

In his address, the GRU President showed interest in the city's mill offer but stopped short of making a hard core commitment on the properties pending the Board of Regents approval of the plans (WJBF).

Lauren: "You just called the mills campuses a game changer. What will it take for the university to commit to those campuses?"
Azziz: "Well, it has a lot to do with A) the finances and the financial structure. The university does not have the resources to make that happen unless the city itself commits to make that happen."
The city was recently asked for $400,000 to continue research on what it'll take to develop the mills.
"I'm strongly in favor of doing that," said mayor Deke Copenhaver. "I think anytime you invest in higher education, it's a good thing. We're looking at the potential avenues to go about funding that."
But Azziz says GRU doesn't have the money to pitch in.
Lauren: "Will the university contribute to that research?"
Azziz: "No, at this point we will not. This is a city effort. We will be as helpful as we can be. But this is not our effort at this point. The city is doing this. We respect that (WAGT)."

Nort, Augusta has to pay 400,000 and pretty much pay all the monies to get the Mills prepped for GRU because GRU HAS NO MONEY FOR EXPANSION. So Augustans are gonna foot the bill for a U that their kids probably won't be able to get into? Also, who is going to pay to maintain these facilities, Augustans? Now, based on Augusta's track record I'd like to say this thing is dead. Then again, the powers that be pulled some Hocus Pocus and got the TEE done. C'mon GRU enrollment is probably going to decrease. We're talking about hudreds of thousands, possibly millions of dollars for expansion campuses. The bulk of students wouldn't even be attending classes at these campuses. Lastly, even if it is feasible it still may not be approved. So how do you explain to Augustans that you spent half a million on a pointless study. That's right, Deke the puppet is on his way out. He doesn't care. Just give me the damn money. Jesus, I want to know how much Augusta has spent on studies. It is getting retarted to the max. Why can't there be a study on how much Augusta spends on studies. Not only that, but the money spent on studies covering the same damn parts of town. The inept manner in which politicians operate in Augusta is majestic. More so than a Unicorn. When I think about Augusta politics, I want to club a motherless, baby seal then eat it. It drives me absolutely mad.

Last edited by The Magician; 05-19-2013 at 11:02 PM..
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