Augusta 2008 & 2009

[augga706]

Augusta 2007 Headlines

6 percent growth in Augusta's tax digest over the past year

$4 million deficit to a $2 million surplus

city's first Business Improvement District. in January the city center will be cleaned up like never before

Augusta Mall lifestyle center expansion. I just saw liberty, fla, jenkins, laurens, dekalb, gwinnet, fulton, screven, clayton, oconee, chatham tags and the usual counties close to augusta. This was saturday

half-a-billion-dollar National Security Agency facility in Fort Gordon. house 4,000 people, 1,000 jobs

ADP a Fortune 300 company 1,000 new employees

Martin-Marietta's Augusta facility $50 million expansion

ESi, a global leader in crisis information management technology, held the dedication of their new world headquarters in the National Exchange Bank building at 823 Broad St. company leaders stressed their commitment to Augusta and to being a strong partner in our ongoing downtown redevelopment efforts.

T-Mobile 750 jobs, 80,000-square-foot facility

Trinity Hospital , Medical College of Georgia, University Hospital, Doctors Hospital expansions

Augusta Regional Airport terminal

new TEE center will bring $37.5 million to redevelop historic inner-city neighborhoods

Downtown Stadium Exploratory Committee to develop a new riverfront multi-use entertainment facility

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/122307/op__177760.shtml

What's great is the mayor left alot of projects out. Including the condos and judicial center which are two of the biggest. The mayor said he couldn't name everything that happen in the past year. Which is a great problem he stated. 2008? 2009?

[jungletobacco]

The judicial center is becoming a urban myth. Does anyone know the progress or the status on this project? The ADP development happened last year, right. I hope the Village at Riverwatch start showing signs of construction next year. Cant wait to see if 2008 & 2009 are worth the hype.

[augga706]

The judicial center is becoming a urban myth. Does anyone know the progress or the status on this project? The ADP development happened last year, right. I hope the Village at Riverwatch start showing signs of construction next year. Cant wait to see if 2008 & 2009 are worth the hype.

[augga706]

Pics of some construction

Whites Building downtown

Bee Hive right next door coming soon

Watermark condos off the savannah downtown

Bungalow rd off peach orchard

Peach orchard rd

[augga706]

Barton Chapel rd

Milledgeville rd by barton chapel. looks like a new neighborhood

gordon hwy near ft. gordon.

Hotel and resturant on jimmie dyess

Charleston style hospital village across the street on jimmie dyess

[augga706]

The construction at the grovetown interchange is pretty impressive with 2 cranes. For a little town of 10,000 people. The aiken and north augusta interchanges mostly exit 5 have alot of construction to. I-20 in columbia county from belair rd to the grovetown exit has lane construction. It looks like a good portion of I-20 in columiba county will be 6 lane. Now driving down I-20 it has construction going on from grovetown in columbia county. All the way almost to graniteville in aiken county. Both the ga and sc side of augusta's I-20 will look totally diffrent.

[augga706]

downtown won't never look the same

Whites Building 5 stories

cost 10 million

50 condos on the top three floors(80 residential units in total)

Over 40,000 sq. ft of commercial retail and office space

Onsite private parking lot

Private elevator access

Concierge service

The three broad st. store units i.e. resturant, coffee shop, etc

There will be two more store units in the rear of the building

The remaining available space on the first floor will be turned into office or retail condos

the bottom level Starbucks, a FedEx, and a police substation

http://thewhitesbuilding.com/index.html

Pic before construction rear of building

I still hope the city goes through with the new canal.

[augga706]

Mayor's hopes are high for 2008

Starting construction in 2008. judicial center, public library, the Watermark condominium project on the river, St. Sebastian Way fly-over, and possibly the Trade, Exhibition and Event center. TEE center's completion date in 2010.

In January, the Business Improvement District will be put in place. City workers will clean up Broad Street and the rest of downtown. There will be increased bicycle patrols and ambassadors on the streets guiding visitors and residents to attractions.

"Downtown will be cleaner than it's ever been

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/122607/met_178143.shtml

[augga706]

Medical College of GA expansion. About 250 families will have to relocate. They will have 90 days to move. No word of when demolishing will occur.

[augga706]

Augusta Looks Forward To Downtown Development In 2008

.

The article has a video. That talks about a push to bring the stadium downtown. How in 2008 and 2009 more residents will be moving downtown. The golf and garden reopening jan 5th. And the mayor stating there will be alot of economic developments. Announced next year.

http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/12905022.html

[augga706]

Road work will shift into high gear in 2008-09

Mike Keene from GA Dot, said 2008 will be one of the biggest for major road work in Richmond County. About $500 million worth of projects out of the Augusta office

$191 million I-20 and Bobby Jones interchange project.

In 2008 and 2009 big bridges will be going up in the air

Most new construction in Richmond County will be downtown

21 million project to extend St. Sebastian Way

[augga706]

Bobby Jones lanes to shift for much of 2008.

Later this week, the westbound lanes on Bobby Jones will be shifted to the eastbound lanes, from Old Trail Road to I-20. The shift will last most of the year, and will probably mean delays for drivers.

The whole project should be finished sometime in 2010. It involves new flyover ramps over I-20.

Flyover Ramps

Collector Distributor Lanes

Storm Water Retention Inside Loops

Grade Separation Intersection

[augga706]

Georgia Economic Outlook 2008

Job creation in Augusta was one of the topics as the University of Georgia's Terry School of Business put on its annual economic forecast for the state and the city. Mayor Copenhaver stated "I think we're going to have continued success, and continue to build on the momentum that we've seen over the past year.

the Dean at UGA's school told Augusta leaders that problems in the housing market, with energy costs, and Georgia's drought could put the brakes on job growth, statewide. Dr Sumichrast said "There is certainly a strong risk of a recession, but I think the most likely scenario, is growth in '08. I think Augusta will do better. I think Augusta will do better than the state, as a whole, we've got a growing population in Augusta for the first time in a long time."

Augusta's growth helped small business grow, in '07, and for those here, the hope is things continue to look good in '08.

The whites building, the watermark, enterprise mill, woolworth building, and the james brown enclave will help richmond county population grow even faster. I see alot of new residents coming to RC in 2008 and 2009. Great to hear there predicting that we will do better than the state.

[augga706]

MCG Expansion and I-20 construction on Gov. Perdue's mind as he visits Augusta

Governor Perdue went on to talk about the expansion work being done on Interstate 20 and how important it is to the growing population.

The governor says he still wants to build the ga golf hall of fame in the gardens. The mayor says he wants to incoporate the golf hall of fame. Into the new baseball stadium that would be built downtown.

Also city leaders said in the next 6 months. They will start to redevelop some historic areas throught the city.. Including laney walker, and the bethelem neighborhood. This is the beginning of a larger plan to restore historic communities.

[augga706]

Savannah River Site Gets $800 Million Dollars Richer

Walkers Want Sidewalks On Washington Road dot said sidewalks will come with future road projects

Drivers Beware: Construction Congestion On River Watch Parkway Could Lead To Crashes Ga dot said construction won't be done until late 2009.

the Harrisburg West End Neighborhood Association, said more than 28 houses are scheduled for demolition. License and Inspection says at next week's Commission meeting, they'll ask for funding to demolish 3 lots in the Harrisburg neighborhood. Out of the 2,600 properties in Harrisburg West End, several hundred need some work, but 25 have been identified by the city as homes that need to be dealt with, immediately. The kroc center must be about to start construction soon

Bethlehem Neighborhood Meeting

City leaders look at ways to reviatalize neighborhoods mainly bethlehem and laney walker

http://www.wjbf.com/midatlantic/jbf/news_i...01-10-0005.html

[augga706]

According to Mayor Deke Copenhaver Augusta's economy was predicted. By The Terry College of Business to grow at a faster pace than the rest of the state. For the second time year in a row. 2007 and 2008

[augga706]

The tri-hulled, enclosed boat will accommodate 85 passengers and will have permanent mooring behind the Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites on 10th Street. It will be available for tours of the Savannah River from downtown Augusta to the New Savannah Bluff Locks.

The Patriot, he said, will make regular daily tours of the river and also will be available for charters, weddings and events.

Tour boat is ready for Savannah River

[socaguy]

I was in Augusta for a little while today and got to drive around to a few places and from my very brief and limited trip I made some observations...

1) The Laney Walker neighborhood near Downtown is filled with new housing! Also, the main drag, Laney Walker Boulevard is looking better than ever. I cant believe the amount of work they have done to beautify that road which was once one of the slumiest strips in town!

2) That new spinal/back center on Riverwatch parkway is MUCH nicer than I expected. I was thinking it would be a typical brick or faux stone building typical of that area but I never would have expected the sleek blue glass and contemporary look. Someone was thinking outside of the box!

3) Summerville area- the streetfront retail shops on Monte Sano Avenue and Central Ave. that were renovated a few years back finally seemed to have filled up with art galleries, boutiques and coffee shops. The area seemed more alive than ever.

4) I-20 the WHOLE way through Augusta on the Georgia side is an absolute mess and I dont even recognize the area around Sams Club (Scott-Nixon and Bobby Jones). Traffic should be interesting when the Masters comes to town!

[krazeeboi]

Wow, it's hard to imagine a revitalized Laney Walker Blvd. It's been several years since I've been through that area and it was always a rough-looking area. Good to know that part of town hasn't been forgotten.

[augga706]

Workers tear down a building in the National Hills Shopping Center on Washington Road to make way for an expanded Fresh Market grocery store. The new store is scheduled to open in February.