Downtown and inner-city Augusta going to another level II (Savannah: restaurant, authority)

[Airforceguy]

The Pennsylvania-based firm started local operations mid-January with about 60 employees staffing a help desk at a 15,000-square-foot temporary location on Claussen Road. Unisys’ workforce in Augusta has since grown to 220 employees, and the company has added two commercial clients in addition to serving the Army, said Christine Jimenez, Unisys lead service-delivery executive, who is overseeing the Augusta center.
“Our plan is to continue hiring through the end of the year because once we get into Fort Discovery, we’ll be starting to look at supporting some of our commercial clients out of that facility, as well,” Jimenez said. “It will be at a minimum of another probably 30 to 50 people by the end of the year.”
After signing a lease in March to occupy the old Fort Discovery space in the Port Royal building at 1 Seventh St., Unisys has been on the fast track to move into the riverfront space. Jimenez said the target move-in date falls in mid- or late September.
Unisys, which could employ as many as 700 workers by 2019, also remains on track with hiring projections.
The company has expected to employ 250 workers, ranging from entry-level agents to site operations managers and service desk trainers, by the end of 2015.

Unisys expects to move its operations to downtown Augusta by September | The Augusta Chronicle

[amlovingit]

Downtown moving on up like the Jefferson's

[cnd33]

Craft beer and farm-to-table eatery opening downtown | The Augusta Chronicle
Opening Saturday at the corner of 10th and Broad streets, Füse features a menu that consists of Southern dishes, renditions of popular international eats and culinary experiments by co-owner and head chef Eric Draper.Most ingredients used at Füse are locally sourced, Draper said. The restaurant has more than 20 beers on tap and a variety of speciality cocktails. Füse is the latest of three new restaurants to open downtown. In May, The Bee’s Knees owners Eric Kristi Kinlaw opened Hive Growler Bar at 215 10th St., and Clemson, S.C. restaurateur Jay Klugo opened sushi restaurant Solé Augusta at 1033 Broad St. in late June.

Füse Restaurant

[angedelune]

Don't forget about SouthBound on Central where Crum's was. Stop by Buona Coffee as well.

[Airforceguy]

The wayfinding project should be complete by September.

Nearly 100 green signs directing motorists and pedestrians to attractions such as Riverwalk Augusta, the Morris Museum of Art and the Au*gusta Convention Center, will be erected downtown by September, Au*gusta Convention and Visitors Bu*reau Destination Development Vice Presi*dent Jennifer Bowen told the Downtown Development Authority on Thursday.
Additional signs will indicate public parking areas. Those include the middle parking bays on Broad Street and a Richmond County Board of Education deck available to the public after hours and on weekends. Such signs already exist in front of the Reynolds Street parking deck.

Augusta tourist bureau's sign project nears completion | The Augusta Chronicle

[Airforceguy]

Plans are moving forward for the James Brown Plaza overhaul. So far it would include four statues honoring James Brown, plus information kiosks.

4 statues celebrating the life of James Brown could be unveiled around the Augusta Common if a commissioner has his way.

Commissioner Marion Williams wants to completely renovate the James Brown Plaza downtown, but he wants there to be enough space to hold events to honor the icon. First, overgrown vegetation and lighting on the James Brown statue will be addressed.

Future Plans could include sound booths, information stations, and maybe even a stage for people to dance to his music on. Current parking areas around the statue would be taken out. One aspect of the proposed project still up in the air, do they honor just James Brown or other Georgia musical artists as well.

Plans are just concepts for now. Commissioners plan to meet again next month to narrow down their vision for the project.

Plans Move Forward On James Brown Plaza

[Airforceguy]

Downtown Augusta will be getting several improvements over the next several years thanks to the Transportation Investment Act.

This week, Commissioners will approve a $1.2 million dollar study for the downtown area.

City leaders want to fix up Broad, Greene, and Telfair Streets, as well as the 5th Street Bridge.

Another big part of the project is an upgrade to the James Brown statue.

The Godfather of Soul’s monument could get flashing lights, music, and other new features.

Commissioners will vote on the study this Tuesday at noon.

Also this week, Augusta’s Downtown Advisory Panel will be re-established.

The group has been inactive for more than two years after several members resigned or moved out of the city.

The DAP is supposed to advise commissioners about problems in the downtown area.

Recently, members say a big problem they are facing is the mess that dogs leave behind on the sidewalks in downtown Augusta.

Commissioners will approve changes to the panel this week to make it active again.

Improvements Coming to Downtown Augusta

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

Improvements Coming to Downtown Augusta

Another 1.2 million dollar study...

[All In for Augusta]

Extending the commons needs to also be a top priority

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by All In for Augusta

Extending the commons needs to also be a top priority

It does. But not at the expense of the city paying for benefits to private developers like the recently proposed plan involved.