The Importance of City Planning

Ancient civilizations remained isolated for generations, relying only upon the vast expanse of what was above them for spiritual guidance and a subconscious knowledge that they were not alone. Global monumental construction became commonplace, and erecting megaliths became a statement by many technologically advanced peoples; that is, that they were here and that they had a purpose. Since the beginning of time, people have utilized construction methods as a means of communication. Whether it is for religious, ceremonial, or astronomical objectives, leaving physical legacies for future generations has been a central goal for humanity and a means of allowing connections through communication, thereby dissolving their social isolation.


Ruins of Sacsayhuaman

Urban design and city planning are not recent concepts. They have advanced over thousands of years into organized thought-processes that can lead to purpose-driven development and sustainable economic and social communities. There are many facets to this field and even encompass the realms of ecology, sociology, economics, urban geography, and law. City planning programs at universities are so vast and students must specialize in such fields as economic development, environmental planning and systems, geographic information systems, land and community development, land use planning, transportation, and urban design.

As I have begun to research for the McDonough Square, concepts of different forms of transportation in cities have caught my attention. The south metro area of Atlanta is growing too fast for the department of transportation to maintain roads and by the time new roads are built, construction takes so long that they simultaneously become obsolete. Typically thought of as having the worst traffic in the country, a recent study has found that Atlanta traffic is the 10th worst. Seeing as it took me 2 and a half hours to get to work yesterday, I cannot imagine a more worse commute. A blog I have been reading focuses on transportation around the country though he has not had a post about Atlanta traffic which I am kind of surprised about.




McDonough Square

In order to be successful, a commercial, business, and residential center needs to have some sort of anchor store such as a Starbucks in order to attract people in the first place. Ultimately, placing local McDonough or other Georgia-based businesses on the square would be ideal, but people are not extremely trusting of and confident in new stores initially. Attending school in Athens at UGA for the past 4 years has provided me with a great example of how a downtown can thrive. In fact, Athens has one of the oldest, economically sustainable downtown areas in the country and it most certainly has the University to thank for that. Now, since there is not a major University in McDonough it cannot rely on just people in their late teens and early twenties for profit. But since the majority of people living in McDonough are 24 to 45 it has good potential for a classy nightlife scene. Opening up a small theatre music venue, and cinema much like Cine in Athens would be a good option to extend the hours by which the McDonough Square is profitable.

Restaurants are another big factor when planning a downtown area and since exits off the interstate have their fair share of chain restaurants, choosing restaurants that offer unique dining is key. One such restaurant is Mirko which has locations in Athens, Watkinsville, Monroe, Buford, Peachtree City, and Macon. This is a counter service pasta restaurant where customers choose their pasta and sauce a la carte. It is interactive, priced well, has a great atmosphere, and is very good quality with a menu that changes seasonally. I believe that it would be a great addition to any downtown area. Figo in metro and downtown parts of Atlanta is very similar, though I believe that Mirko one ups it.


Bliss Cupcakes

The McDonough Square is not all bad, however. An awesome cupcake shop called Bliss opened about a year ago and is doing great! It began as just a wedding cake bakery and then began serving cupcakes and other baked goods at the front of the store in order to attract customers shopping for the day. The interior is very well-designed, completely executed by the owner who is a business major passionate about baking, with a French boutique look split into three sections: the bakery front with seating, a small shop in the middle where you can buy baking products and unique accessories to make cakes look like how you see them on tv, and the bakery in the back. Though it closes at 5 and is not open on the weekends, the shop is definitely the hero of the square. Hopefully more local businesses can open up and thrive, but as Bliss displays it needs an owner who has an economic and business background who knows what he/she is doing.

Next to it, however, is another cupcake bakery. That zoning conclusion astounds me, but that is for another post on a less cynical day.

Beginning of McDonough Square Revitalization Project

It is my last semester as an undergrad interior design student at UGA and I am going to spend the rest of my semester on one project. Since I am in the process of applying to the Masters of City and Regional Planning program at Georgia Tech I decided to use this project as a means of connecting my two passions.

Growing up in a relatively small suburb in the south metro Atlanta area has allowed me
to experience the energy of a busy city from a distance while relishing the slower pace of life in a one-street neighborhood. Lately, however, these lines have been blurred and the exponential growth occurring in McDonough, Georgia has brought an
exorbitant amount of traffic with streets unable to withstand this increased congestion, fused with zoning ordinances that do not take into account the rising growth in population. Combine these issues with countless amounts of conventional chain restaurants and corporate businesses, and you have a city disintegrating into historical oblivion with an ever-depleting local charm. That is not the city in which I want my children to grow up; that is not the place that I have always called home.

At the heart of the city, however, is a delightful town square desperately grasping to the prosperity of the 1990's. Teeming with potential, the McDonough Square has an inordinately high store turn-over rate coupled with poor planning for adequate parking that prevents it from being developed to its potential. Yet, it is the nucleus of the county and a picturesque unavoidability when traveling locally. A passion of mine has been to refurbish hometown squares like my own into balanced, viable commercial properties by which businesses can invest. Any town, no matter the size, needs to communicate a direct purpose with a comprehensive plan to encourage a workable business plan for the area. Creating a walk-able community flourishing with successful, local businesses and suitable housing, however, cannot occur overnight. Nevertheless, with community and government involvement, citizens, designers, planners, and politicians can come together to propose a cooperative, sustainable, and economically effective district able to adhere to the needs and functions of multiple age groups, whereby conserving its historical integrity.

Design tells a story: to create new things from old. Learning from our heritage, we can highlight the fact that everything that occurs within the universe and, therefore, in design, comes full circle. Complexity stems from simplicity, and vice versa. We can then apply these lessons to products, interiors, and even cities. With an interior design background, and an emphasis on sustainability through projects and a LEED preparation class, I have discovered a new-found focus on the importance of programming and site-analysis portions of assignments. After all, the users of architecture will always know more about buildings than the architects themselves. This notion is the foundation of architect Christopher Alexander’s novel, “A Pattern Language,” and can be directly applied to construction at its largest scale. Whether fabricating a new city or revitalizing an existing town square;whether regulating vernacular architecture or enacting classical patterns of design, the concept of timelessness must encompass every aspect. Successful design creates a sense of home for every occupant and allows them to leave their own, minute footstep in the vast expanse of our planet.