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The first installment of Flagpole’s new column on planning and development news.

Aug 22, 2007

Seeing the very real effects of the ACC Comprehensive Plan all over town…

Sep 5, 2007

A look at the large-scale development projects either underway, just approved, or merely under discussion.

Sep 19, 2007

This week: a focus on campus planning at UGA.

Oct 3, 2007

AR zoning begins to come to fruition in the greenbelt, new townhomes come to Five Points, and more large-scale building downtown.

Oct 17, 2007

Infill moves to the ’burbs, and gets creative in East Athens, among other projects…

Nov 14, 2007

Greenways, Charmar, Milledge and downtown…  plenty going on that deserves a good look.

Dec 5, 2007

Athens is supposed to have new regs on the books to prevent destructive construction practices from happening. So what’s going on?

Dec 19, 2007

A focus on infill projects of the past few years: the good, the bad and the ugly. (And - oh, yeah - the pastel, too.)

Dec 26, 2007

This week: a special focus on two hundred-foot high-rises proposed for West Broad Street between Finley and Pope streets.

Jan 16, 2008

Catching up with construction projects and Planning Department proposals all over town - including a new conservation subdivision aiming for the west side.

Jan 30, 2008

This week: an in-depth look into the factors pushing proposed high-rises beyond the periphery of Athens’ core downtown area.

Feb 13, 2008

A look at two new projects proposed inside Athens-Clarke’s greenbelt, plus brief notes on plans at Athens Regional Medical Center and the first officially-proposed piece of “Fred’s Uptown” on Sunset Drive.

Feb 27, 2008

In this edition: real compromises, and real solutions, for local roads.

Mar 26, 2008

Exploring one big lesson from the recent charrette in Potterytown: preserving both the cultural and natural history of local river corridors and their old mill villages. Plus, activity on the final portion of the Chase Park warehouse complex.

Apr 9, 2008

Updates on several projects, including new submittals on Ruth Street and next to the future rail-trail at Peter Street.

Apr 30, 2008

It might seem like development has slowed down a bit this month, but as usual, there’s plenty going on, from the new art school at UGA to a new county building and work towards establishing the Reese Street Historic District.

May 21, 2008

Special edition (part one): What’s with all the “Brick-and Tan” in this town?

Jun 4, 2008

Continued from last week: this time, a more serious discussion of the “Brick-and-Tan” style that’s become so popular locally.

Jun 11, 2008

What to do when the housing market goes down? Start thinking about retirees.

Jun 25, 2008

The hip Hotel Indigo will turn a grim facade toward downtown.

Jul 9, 2008

This week: a close look at chain drug stores. There are four new ones slated for construction in Athens soon.

Jul 30, 2008

A look at the creative community of downtown Athens: past, present and future.

Aug 20, 2008

A round-up of projects all around town right now, including Hotel Indigo downtown, an AR zone large-lot plan on the far Eastside, and more sprawl for northern Oconee County.

Sep 3, 2008

The news out of Normaltown: another medical office building, this one on the Allen’s lot.

Sep 10, 2008

Notes on greenway planning, plus the O’Malley’s building and the Boulevard/Chase corner.

Sep 24, 2008

A focus on what might be called Athens’ disappearing “Southern Gothic” landscape.

Oct 8, 2008

All around town, from a big shopping center on Jefferson Road to nice ideas downtown.

Oct 29, 2008

This week: A first-hand account of bicycling in Portland, OR - with lessons for Athens.

Nov 5, 2008

A roundup of projects from Oak Grove to the Discount Depot to First Presbyterian and more.

Nov 26, 2008

A look at some of the past year’s big issues, with an eye toward the future.

Dec 24, 2008

Exactly what does the term “neighborhood school” mean, anyway?

Jan 14, 2009

Special edition: UGA and its greenspaces. Do local residents have a stake in the planning?

Jan 26, 2009

Special Edition: Campus Planning (Part 2)
Picking up the thread from last week’s examination of UGA-owned greenspace.

Feb 4, 2009

Taking a closer look at the idea of a pedestrian mall for downtown Athens.

Feb 11, 2009

In defense of the downtown parking deck.

Nov 4, 2009

A construction roundup - there’s actually a lot going on around town despite the economy.

Mar 4, 2009

This week: Winterville, with half-built subdivisions and strip malls, but success stories, too.

Mar 18, 2009

In tough times, are public streetscape and development projects worth the money? Yes, if done right.

Apr 1, 2009

Springboarding off of the Oconee County rail-trail discussions of late - possibilities are many.

Apr 22, 2009

A new plan in East Athens could serve as a positive model for the future of local affordable housing.

Apr 29, 2009

Thoughts on the nature of maps in planning. Two current projects provide good local case studies.

May 13, 2009

Local architect Bob Segrest has fresh plans in hand for the lot next to University Tower downtown, and meanwhile the strip mall proposal at Oak Grove goes to the ACC Commissioners June 2: should they approve it?

May 27, 2009

Special Edition: Downtown Master-Planning
It’s on the way, at long last. How can we ensure it’s done the best way possible for Athens?

Jun 17, 2009

Special Edition: Downtown Master-Planning, Part Two
Maybe we need to take advantage of downtown’s eccentricities and let them guide any planning for the area.

Jun 24, 2009

Could downtown’s gentrification kill the Athens music scene of the future?

Jul 15, 2009

Special Edition: The Eastside
It isn’t impossible for a conversion to walkability to happen there; here are some places to start.

Jul 29, 2009

Eastside Semantics
New! Web-only Athens Rising explorations. Here, a first foray… feedback encouraged!

Aug 7, 2009

The town’s built environment has actually changed a lot over the summer, especially on campus.

Aug 12, 2009

One Week
Let’s just close off College Square for a week and see what happens. Why not?

Aug 17, 2009

As UGA builds disparate campuses throughout the county, what planning principles will reign?

Aug 19, 2009

Two-Wheeled Culture
Putting Athens on the map for a whole new reason?

Aug 21, 2009

A partial “reboot” of sorts for Athens Rising, two years into its Flagpole run. What’s ahead?

Aug 26, 2009

On Green-Building Regs
Will the new ACC committee produce worthwhile results? Why not just go with LEED standards?

Aug 25, 2009

Special Edition: Sharing the Road
Part of a perennial discussion in Athens…

Sep 9, 2009

SPLOST FACE-OFF
Let's overhaul the SPLOST process!

Sep 4, 2009

The Big Red Barn
Reports and rumors vary as to the long-term plans for and current conditions of the big red barn off South Milledge Avenue…

Sep 7, 2009

Rethinking West Broad

Sep 11, 2009

A new house doesn’t have to look old.

Sep 16, 2009

Undeveloped, tiny parks are scattered all over town.

Sep 23, 2009

Greenways as Transportation Networks
With fun diagrams! Check it out, yo.

Sep 24, 2009

A Pattern of Attack East of Downtown?
What to make of the parking flap at the Jittery Joe's roaster? One writer's conspiracy theory…

Oct 2, 2009

Athens needs more poetry in the street.

Sep 30, 2009

Oct 7, 2009

Other Uses for Old Frat Lots
Why put up with surface parking along Lumpkin Street for the next few years?

Oct 10, 2009

In tough times, most new building around here is for athletics—but it can benefit the rest of us, too.

Oct 14, 2009

On Carbon Offsets
Local entities engaging in carbon-offset tree-planting would create local benefits, too.

Oct 21, 2009

On Postponing SPLOST Projects
Let's be smart about where the real costs and benefits lie as we look at putting off some SPLOST projects for budgetary reasons.

Oct 26, 2009

Two Local Blogs to Check Out
The more people broadcast their own ideas for their own parts of town, the more we all plan together as a city.

Oct 29, 2009

On Summer, Winter, and Outdoor Living
Why don't we follow urban Northerners' lead and use our outdoor public spaces?

Nov 5, 2009

A walking tour of historic development along the Pope Street corridor.

Nov 11, 2009

Looking out over the Oconee and into a possible future of affordable housing in Athens.

Nov 18, 2009

A survey of local grass-roots initiatives that are changing the community for the better.

Nov 25, 2009

A few initial proposals for a listing of local endangered architecture.

Dec 9, 2009

Adapting some of Atlanta's urban development ideas for Athens' smaller scale.

Dec 16, 2009

Red Barn Ideas
Here's a way to kill two birds with one stone.

Dec 17, 2009

An "end-of-the-aughts" look at what the next decade may hold for Athens' development, population and infrastructure growth.

Dec 23, 2009

A few suggestions for reviving Mayor Davison's idea of a "green SPLOST."

Jan 6, 2010

Last View of the City on the Hill
All but one of the major inroads to downtown Athens has lost its view of the City Hall dome.

Jan 11, 2010

Expanding Normaltown
How best to ease growing pains as intown neighborhoods become increasingly urbanized?

Jan 15, 2010

Local design firms can provide valuable guidance for civic planning and development, in ways that may not be obvious.

Jan 13, 2010

A guide to freely available resources for you, the civically engaged reader.

Jan 20, 2010

Losing Detail
Some conspicuously missing details of Athens art and architecture.

Jan 21, 2010

Some big, timely ideas for planning the expansion of the Classic Center.

Jan 27, 2010

Looking at the things that bring neighborhoods together—and take them apart.

Feb 3, 2010

People often use private spaces in public ways, and civic development patterns can take those uses into account.

Feb 10, 2010

Considering the implications of moving scooter parking to the outskirts of the UGA campus.

23 days ago

Are there local industries we'd be better off supporting rather than courting pharma giants for the "technology corridor"?

16 days ago

A timely roundup of local projects and issues from our in-house wonk.

9 days ago

A timely roundup of local projects and issues from our in-house wonk.

9 days ago

Looking at pathways to a more sustainable energy future for Athens.

2 days ago