Things to do to improve Gordon Highway (Hampton, Harlem: for sale, real estate)

[River_Dawg]

Beautification- Plant more trees, flowers on the median and along the sidewalk, raze all eyesores
Walk-ability- Lower the speed limits on busy stretches, more sidewalks & crosswalks and construct a network of trails for South Augusta
Do something with the Regency site- A park with a lake or residential development, we must take action. I have some creative ideas out there floating around. My favorite is that the city buy the mall property ($50mill) and donate it to Augusta State U, Augusta Technical College down the street or Georgia Health and Science University.

[tckr83]

You can't MAKE the Regency Mall property owners do something with the property... it's privately owned. The city doesn't have 50million or even a few million to throw around like that only to give it away.

It's a good idea, but wishful thinking with the regency stuff. Your Gordon Highway thoughts however, are spot on. Go drive down Wheeler Road... made a big difference with the little bit of landscaping they did there. I think the Gordon Highway redesigning is in the master plan somewhere... Norton would know more about that though.

[River_Dawg]

Originally Posted by tckr83

You can't MAKE the Regency Mall property owners do something with the property... it's privately owned.

How are we making the owner do anything by buying the property for price he set? We must buy the land first if we want to do anything to move forward as a city. That is prime real estate on Gordon Highway and we are holding South Augusta back by letting this black eye just sit.

Originally Posted by tckr83

The city doesn't have 50million or even a few million to throw around like that only to give it away.

The state's only public health sciences graduate university, employs over 7,000 people. Along with University, the Medical District employs over 25,000 people and has an economic impact of over $1.8 billion. That would turn Gordon Highway into a college campus, from a ghost town.

Maybe Augusta Tech could get a piece of the property too.

[nortonguy]

It's strange how Gordon Hwy between Jimmie Dyess and the city of Harlem is building new subdivisions and even adding commercial investment(Southwest Augusta)...

The Gordon Hwy between Barton Chapel Rd and I-520(South Augusta) has the new American tire facility, golf range, new hotels, and an Hampton Inn under construction..


And the Gordon Hwy between I-520 and Walton Way(South Augusta heading towards Downtown) needs major improvements bad...

1.There's money already set aside for the new lake beside Regency mall..

2. $60k is going towards the beautification project at the intersection of Gordon Hwy/Deans Bridge rd
http://www.augustaga.gov/archives/13...TIFICATION.pdf
http://appweb.augustaga.gov/WEBLINK8...378/Page1.aspx

3. There's a $15 million master plan community Endinburgh Point community under construction off Gordon Hwy/Sibley/Millegeville rd...

4. The Rocky Creek Park Regional Mixed-Use Center and Southgate Urban Village in the master plan...
Augusta Sustainable Development Agenda Projects | The Augusta Chronicle

I think all three of River Dawg points would help make Gordon Highway look better... I wished the city would have repaved all of Gordon Hwy instead of the best parts.. They recently paved from Jimmie Dyess pkwy and stopped at around Northleg rd...

[amlovingit]

I always want to take the big bowling ball they can make then roll it down the run down building on Gordon hwy. If augusta can do away with the run down buildings on Gordon hwy it will make it look ten times better. Look at that burnt up motel, why they not forcing them to clean it up. I will start from i520 and not knock everything down heading toward downtown augusta except kmart, car dealerships bowling ally, roses everything else has to go

[tckr83]

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

How are we making the owner do anything by buying the property for price he set? We must buy the land first if we want to do anything to move forward as a city. That is prime real estate on Gordon Highway and we are holding South Augusta back by letting this black eye just sit.


The state's only public health sciences graduate university, employs over 7,000 people. Along with University, the Medical District employs over 25,000 people and has an economic impact of over $1.8 billion. That would turn Gordon Highway into a college campus, from a ghost town.

Maybe Augusta Tech could get a piece of the property too.

Augusta would be stupid to buy that property for 50million dollars... RCSO is down 4 beats some nights because they can't afford it, my brother is a richmond county deputy. Sometimes he's forced to cover multiple beats as the other unit simply isn't available that night for financial reasons. Other things are more of a priority than throwing millions and millions of dollars at that property, that's just the truth. The price went from 2+ million (or around there) as recently as a few years ago and now Augusta should buy it for 50million? I just can't see that happening, nor should it.

It would be nice to have this property and do something like you're alluding to... It will take an act of God to change the image of that section of town however. It's just not what it used to be... It's possible. But I just don't see where all this money is going to come from... on top of funding the TEE center and possibly a new multi-use facility on the river as well as a new performing arts center on the river... that's just alot for this area to do at one time. The new college campuses should go downtown not on Gordon Highway... they just don't even compare.

I love Augusta and it's turning the corner... just not too much at one time. I don't think we can realistically afford it.

[River_Dawg]

Why not Gordon Highway? Downtown already has 2 college campuses already. Outside of the Sunset Project there is no more room to expand Downtown. Put it this way, it would a second medical district in South Augusta. That would add an urban feel to the area and put Gordon Highway back on its feet. Does the Fall Line Freeway run into Gordon Highway?

[EastsideDave]

The fact of the matter is that the city is not in the financial shape to pay the ridiculous amount of money that the owners of Regency want for that property. The city CANNOT and SHOULD NOT but that property no matter how ugly it is, the only time the city should step in is if (a) the building somehow becomes dangerous to the public or if (b) the city suddenly wins a $52million 'buy abandoned malls' grant.

I'd love the to see the mall and Gordon Hwy revitalized, but the fact of the matter is that it's not the city's responsibility to do it.

[River_Dawg]

Is it possible for Gordon Highway to reach its full potential with nothing being done with the Regency site?

[tckr83]

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

Why not Gordon Highway? Downtown already has 2 college campuses already. Outside of the Sunset Project there is no more room to expand Downtown. Put it this way, it would a second medical district in South Augusta. That would add an urban feel to the area and put Gordon Highway back on its feet. Does the Fall Line Freeway run into Gordon Highway?

What two colleges are downtown?

It would be much cheaper if the city bought the former golf and gardens (around 2-3M supposedly) once it goes up for sale and then lend it to ASU/Paine/GHSU, than it would be to buy the 50 million dollar price tag for the regency mall site. I would much rather go to school downtown than on Gordon Highway. Downtown has a lot of momentum going, we need to continue that as it would benefit all areas around Augusta if the soul of the city becomes a much more attractive place for people from elsewhere to relocate. Multi-million dollar school buildings, 100's possibly a few 1000 young adults spending money/living downtown would change the dynamic of the downtown area. A rising tide raises all boats...

If some company wants to buy the regency site, they'll do it. And if all these master plans come to fruition... it will be a much more attractive area for a company to realize what is possible at the regency site.

I would like to see the school system in richmond county being the primary focus in the meantime as that is another huge reason why people would decide to relocate to augusta. Richmond county schools statistically are performing in most cases well under the state average, which is already under the national average to begin with. These few lesser glamorous areas around Augusta won't get any better until education is seen as the way to go and not the alternative as currently many follow.

There are just too many other areas Augusta needs to improve on before we throw money on a lot of the projects that are being mentioned. Not being a downer here, it's a great thing for Augusta to strive for... just gotta get the necessities in order first.