Macon vs Warner Robins

[Metroinspect.]

I think Warner Robins is better, because it has an large airbase, plus the city is handling their budget good, and if I-14 do go through the city, it will probably out grow Macon. B)

[Spartan]

Macon gets my vote. It has some semblance of urbanity, even if its government is corrupt and it can't seem to get things going in its CBD. It has some great historic neighborhoods. I know this becuase I got lost once, which led me on a very nice tour of the area

[ironchapman]

Macon because of the reasons Spartan listed and because it has been somewhat of a center of GA politics outside of ATL.

[wks2003x]

My vote goes to Macon for the following reasons:

1. It's bigger.

2. It's urban.

3. I-75, I-475, I-16

4. Macon leaders started the base, not WR leaders.

5. It actually has a skyline.

Besides, how can you put a major city up against its own suburbs? That's like putting Atlanta against Marietta.

[Metroinspect.]

Macon and Warner Robins population is not that far apart, and for as a skyline, Warner Robins is just now building an downtown, so it not no telling how that will effect Warner Robins

[Florida]

Well I'd have to go with Macon because it sounds like Bacon and I'm hungry!

[Florida]

I was in Macon Thursday... we flew a private jet from there up here to Chicago, and I must say:

1: Where is Macon's real airport?

2: Macon has great access to Major Interstates... is it doing all it can to take advantage?

3: Macon has alot of new construction which is great! What will Macon do for its abandoned buildings and store sites?

4: What will Macon do about that Downtown? Are there any major projects proposed?

5: Macon's Colonial Mall is great!

I really see tons of potential in Macon... however Im curious... does Macon suffer an inferiority complex in the shadow of Atlanta? If so, it shouldn't.

[wks2003x]

I was in Macon Thursday... we flew a private jet from there up here to Chicago, and I must say:

1: Where is Macon's real airport?

2: Macon has great access to Major Interstates... is it doing all it can to take advantage?

3: Macon has alot of new construction which is great! What will Macon do for its abandoned buildings and store sites?

4: What will Macon do about that Downtown? Are there any major projects proposed?

5: Macon's Colonial Mall is great!

I really see tons of potential in Macon... however Im curious... does Macon suffer an inferiority complex in the shadow of Atlanta? If so, it shouldn't.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1: Macon's real airport is the Middle Georgia Regional Airport. It's located right between Macon and Warner Robins in South Bibb County.

2: Interstate usage is a mixed bag. I-75 and Atlanta are mostly responsible for the city's northward (and southward) sprawl. The Macon area stretches from Forsyth in Monroe County all the way to Perry in Houston County along I-75. See Lullwater Development in Macon. I-475 is seeing the same things happen to it that happened to I-285 in the 90s (although on a much smaller scale). It was orginally built as a bypass but the city grew into it and it's now heavily used for local travel. East of the city, I-16 remains strangely underdeveloped compared to the other area interstates...but I'm sure that will change once I-16 is widened to a 12-14 lane highway downtown.

3: Abandonment is a problem, especially in the inner-city. The city's currently re-developing the entire Beall's Hill Community in the historic district. Sadly, inner-city redevelopment is moving at a much slower pace than the city's suburban growth.

4: Downtown's a hot spot for construction. NewTown Macon is constantly rebuilding the downtown area. Old warehouses are being converted to upscale lofts, streetscapes and small parks are being reconstructed. The Gateway office building just went up and a new 8-10 story hotel is on the way across the river. The new Tubman Museum is going up and as mentioned earlier, the controversial I-16 project will get started soon.

5: Colonial Mall is now the Macon Mall...and yes, it is great!

While I like Macon just the way it is, I think the city does suffer an inferiority complex...because Atlanta is so close, and because the cities almost touch each other now due to sprawl. Many argue that leader's are trying to "Atlanta-ize" Macon to save it from becoming another ATL satellite city. We'll see what happens.

[MarcusJY]

Macon and Warner Robins population is not that far apart, and for as a skyline, Warner Robins is just now building an downtown, so it not no telling how that will effect Warner Robins

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WR is really just a bedroom community for Macon. It's population may catch up to Macon, but Macon will forever be Economic Hub of Middle GA. Also the land that RAFB is on, is owned by the City of Macon. I remember when BRAC was up, they were discussing that if the Base closes the land goes back to Macon. WR also don't have the road infrastructure to support the population boom. Some quality of life issues maybe better in WR such as schools, but there is no industry outside the base, only retail and housing.

I think their should be cooperative regional projects could be done between both communities. But Donald Walker, the mayor of WR is dead set on having a total separate identity that Macon, and wants no way to be tied to Macon. Atlanta's metro area is what makes Atlanta....Atlanta. Imagine Atlanta only being Atlanta proper, none of the surrounding counties included. Atlanta's economic impact and importance's will badly underestimated.

[Florida]

Those are the best answers I've ever gotten as a response to any question I've asked here on Urban Planet.

Although I and my family live in Tallahassee, my father commutes to Macon once a week for work he spends 4 days there.

He works on Eisenhower Parkway and I've noticed there is a great deal of new construction along that road. However there seems to be an issue with abandoning buildings, and shopping plazas. Are these properties being talked about in terms of redevelopment?

Does anyone know anything about the Butler family in Macon, who own a good number of car stores there. I just recently flew to Chicago and Athens with them on their private jet, just wondering if they are pumping any money into local redevelopment efforts.

[socaguy]

Looks like Macon is really growing. Ill be driving through there this week, will have to check it out a little.

[Metroinspect.]

Well Warner Robins is seeing alot more growth and if I-14 come through the city how will that effect it's population compare to Macon, which is about to have an city population larger than them.

[MarcusJY]

Well Warner Robins is seeing alot more growth and if I-14 come through the city how will that effect it's population compare to Macon, which is about to have an city population larger than them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But Metro, outside of retail, housing, and the base what else is there. WR gowth is fueled by Macon, call it urban sprawl, white flight, or whatever, most of the people that live there came from Macon. Like I said in another thread Macon is experiencing the same thing Atlanta and other metros experience just on a smaller scale. All surrounding counties are growing extremely fast, Jones, Monroe, Peach, & Houston, and even though the city's population is declining unincorporated Bibb Co. is growing. Question, if a resident of Houston Co. does not work on the base where do they work?...Macon. That is why I say even though people may move to surrounding counties, Macon will forever be the economic hub of Middle/Central Ga and business will continue to locate there.

[Florida]

^I wouldn't rest on my laurels when it comes to maintaining Macon's position as economic hub of middle GA, especailly when, as you say, surrounding counties are growing at alarming rates. Sooner or later the people of Warner Robins, or some other "surprise city" will realize they have an opportunity to trump Macon's dominance, that's if Macon doesn't grow smarter than its neighbors.

My only advise to Macon, fewer abandned stores... reuse them.

[thehappysmith]

I gotta say, when we relocated to Warner-Robins for a few weeks last year for our runway closure, I was deeply unimpressed. I couldn't really identify "town," such as it were, just two long boulevards with all manner of retail mishmash and housing developments stretching into the great beyond, terminating in the n-s highway that ajoins the air base. It looked like... like every other place in America, except with a bigger airport.

Maybe I-14 will be built in the area, maybe not. Maybe the city will overtake Macon in population, maybe it won't. But Macon is gonig to feel like a real city forever, and Warner-Robins, you know, maybe they could get something going in the next decade or so but I have my doubts.

You wanna know what town in the metro I like more than either of those two? Fort Valley. Cute little downtown, big vibrant college campus... yeah, that's a place with (as-yet-unrealized) potential.

[Spartan]

I really like the Beall's Hill project! With all of the pull back towards the city that should surely take off

I have never been to Warner Robins. Does anyone by chance have a some photos? I gather from the last post that it is not much to look at. If thats the case, then there should be no competition what-so-ever.

[dougtha1]

I really like the Beall's Hill project! With all of the pull back towards the city that should surely take off

I have never been to Warner Robins. Does anyone by chance have a some photos? I gather from the last post that it is not much to look at. If thats the case, then there should be no competition what-so-ever.

With a population of 57,000 imagine every house, retail developement, school, and a Huge AF Base jumbled up together on two everstretching 5 lane highways. Ahhhhh Yes, the "International Suburb"

[Metroinspect.]

Warner Robins is steady growing, and no telling how it's downtown will be develop.

[Spartan]

When it comes to existing urban infrastructure, Macon definately has the upper ahnd. I suspect that once Macon gets its act together it will probably be the more prominent urban center. Warner Robbins just doesn't have the status as anyything important (unless you consider suburbs important).

[SkyDave]

Warner Robbins is basically suburbia. It is a well developed entrance to the Air Force Base. Macon is a true city with an urban environment. There is no comparison.

[yerocal]

WARNER ROBINS IS NICE CITY, BUT MACON REALLY GIVE YOU THAT CITY FEEL MORE THAN WARNER ROBINS. I AM HAPPY TO SEE ALL THE GROW BUT I DONT THINK THAT IT WILL EVER OUT GROW MACON, BECAUSE MACON IS CONTIUING TO GROW ITS SELF. IT HAS NOT SEEM TO CATCH UP WITH MACON'S CURRENT SIZE SO OUT GROWING IT IS NOT EVEN A THREAT AT THIS POINT.

[yerocal]

Warner Robbins is basically suburbia. It is a well developed entrance to the Air Force Base. Macon is a true city with an urban environment. There is no comparison.

THANK YOU !THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THERE IS NO COMPARISON TO MACON AND WARNER ROBINS IT JUST A SUBURB CITY, JUST AS MARETTIA, DECATUR AND COLLEGE PARK IS TO ATLANTA, AND SOON THERE WILL BE NO WARNER ROBINS IT ALL GOING TO BE LOOKED AS IF THE WHOLE METRO IS MACON JUST AS IN ATLANTA, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE IN ANOTHER CITY UPTHERE IT ALL CONSIDERED AND KNOW TO BE PART OF ATLANTA.

[LizellaJacket]

Warner Robins has Atlanta like traffic

Macon has a beautiful historic downtown, but it seems that no one wants to be from Macon. The mayor is just about as corrupt as you can possibly get.

Give the nod to Macon, but Lizella beats them all

[yerocal]

I gotta say, when we relocated to Warner-Robins for a few weeks last year for our runway closure, I was deeply unimpressed. I couldn't really identify "town," such as it were, just two long boulevards with all manner of retail mishmash and housing developments stretching into the great beyond, terminating in the n-s highway that ajoins the air base. It looked like... like every other place in America, except with a bigger airport.

Maybe I-14 will be built in the area, maybe not. Maybe the city will overtake Macon in population, maybe it won't. But Macon is gonig to feel like a real city forever, and Warner-Robins, you know, maybe they could get something going in the next decade or so but I have my doubts.

You wanna know what town in the metro I like more than either of those two? Fort Valley. Cute little downtown, big vibrant college campus... yeah, that's a place with (as-yet-unrealized) potential.

yes i have to agree, I'm from Fort Valley, it does have a lot of unrealized potential.

[Captain Worley]

I lived in WR from 89-90 and 92-95. I couldn't stand it there. There wasn't a whole lot to see or do. The Houston mall had just been replaced with the Galleria towards the end of my stay there, and was really the big excitement in town.

I don't remember any sort of 'downtown' there, but I suppose that has changed in the 10+ years since I left.