Blueprint Jonesboro LCI

Details:

Client: City of Jonesboro

Location: Jonesboro, Georgia

Status: Completed in 2017

Highlights:

  • Master Plan for historic downtown, including land adjacent to new public park
  • Conceptual plans for private development to leverage public investment
  • Outreach process engaged a wide swath of local citizens
  • Tour of peer City Halls provided inspiration to local officials for proposed City Hall

Description:

Blueprint Jonesboro is a Master Plan that serves as the ten-year update for the 2003 Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) plan for downtown Jonesboro, Georgia. The plan builds on local history and the newly created Lee Street Park to create a new vision for the future of downtown Jonesboro. The focus of the plan is to attract new restaurants and businesses, increase housing opportunities, construct a new City Hall facing the park, and create a more walkable downtown.

A detailed community engagement process was conducted to gather input and feedback from local citizens on the plan. The process included a workshop and other public meetings, one-on-one interviews, an online survey, a steering committee, and a draft plan open house. This allowed many local citizens to contribute to the effort and ensured that the plan reflects the needs and desires of the community.

The resulting concept plan for downtown Jonesboro puts forth a bold vision for the future. The new City Hall will replace existing aging and scattered city buildings with a new civic icon that fronts and anchors Lee Street Park. New cottages and multifamily residential buildings will add vitality to the park and, combined with infill retail and other development, will reconnect historic Main Street to the park.

The plan also recommends new sidewalk connections, a downtown business recruitment plan, a branding and marketing exercise, a design overlay, the rehabilitation of historic buildings, and a multi-use trail that will connect to the proposed commuter bus park-and-ride. The County and local church will serve as implementation partners given their significant presence downtown, they will help to ensure that the plan is implemented effectively.

In conclusion, Blueprint Jonesboro Master Plan is a comprehensive, community-driven plan that provides a clear vision for the future of downtown Jonesboro. The plan’s focus on attracting new businesses, increasing housing opportunities, and creating a more walkable downtown will help to revitalize the area and ensure a bright future for the city.