DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

COMER, GEORGIA

URBAN DESIGN STUDIO - SPRING 2022

COMER, GEORGIA IS LOCATED IN MADISON COUNTY, JUST OUTSIDE OF ATHENS, GEORGIA. THE TOWN HAS A POPULATION OF JUST OVER 1,500 WHICH IS ON THE RISE WITH MORE AND MORE CHOOSING TO LEAVE THE DENSER CITIES FOR A MORE RELAXED LIFE IN RURAL GEORGIA. DOWNTOWN COMER HAS GREAT POTENTIAL, WITH NURMEROUS HISTORIC STURCTURES CURRENTLY SITTING VACANT, A DESIRABLE STREETSCAPE IN NEED ATTENTION, A CONVEINENT DOWNTOWN PARK, AND A FOCAL POINT OF A RAILROAD RUNNING DOWNTOWN.

A MASTERPLAN WAS PRODUCED TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN COMER, GEORGIA. THE FOCUS WAS TO CREATE A MIXED USE CENTER FOR MADISON COUNTY, WITH REHABILITATED EXISITING BUILDINGS AND A REVAMPED COMMUNITY PARK. MUCH UNUSED SPACE WAS CLAIMED IN THE FORM OF NEW PEDESTRIAN PLAZAS, EXPANDED STREETSCAPES, UPDATED PARKING, AND ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND HOUSING. THE MASTERPLAN CALLS FOR ADDING HOUSING DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS DINING, RETAIL, AND OFFICE SPACE.

EXISITING BUILDINGS PROPOSED BUILDINGS

MASTER PLAN DRAFTED IN AUTOCAD AND RENDERED IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP AND ILLUSTRTAOR.

Main Street Streetscape

SECTION CREATED USING AUTOCAD AND RENDERED IN PH0TOSHOP.

REFINISHED MAIN STREET SHOPS

Main Street Planting Palette

THE UPDATED STREETSCAPE INCLUDES STREET TREES TO PROVIDE SHADE AND GIVE FORM TO THE STREET. THE PLANTING PALETTE CONSISTS OF NATIVES TO NORTH GEORGIA.

THE EXISITING MAIN STREET SHOPS ARE REFINISHED TO PROVIDE A MODERN AND UPDATED LOOK WHILE STILL KEEPING WITH THE VERNACULAR OF HISTORIC COMER. THE STREETSCAPE IS UPDATED TO INCLUDE LIGHTING, SEATING, STREET TREES, NATIVE LANDSCAPING, AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE UNIQUE TO COMER. THE STREETSCAPE LEADS USERS DOWN MAIN STREET TO SHOPS AND DINING, AND ULTIMATELY TO THE NEW DOWNTOWN PARK.

SWITCH GRASS CONEFLOWER LENTEN ROSE

CREEPING PHLOX

MUHLY GRASS

SWITCH GRASS

CONEFLOWER

LENTEN ROSE

CARDINAL FLOWER

RUSSIAN SAGE

BLACK-EYED SUSAN

LAMB’S EAR

‘AUTUMN CORAL’ ENCORE AZALEA

‘FOREST PANSY’ EASTERN REDBUD

BLACK-EYED SUSAN

LAMB’S EAR ‘FOREST PANSY’ EASTERN REDBUD

Retail

MAGGIE’S CAFE

COMER HAS EXPERIENCED AN INFLUX OF ARTISTS COMING IN TO THE ESCAPE THE RISING COSTS OF LARGER CITIES, AS WELL AS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CRAFTMANSHIP TO THE CITY. WITH THIS IN MIND, COMER WILL INCLUDE A FUTURE ARTISTS MARKET, AS WELL RECEIVE PUBLIC ART IN THE FORM OF SCULPTURES, MURALS AND OTHER INSTALLATIONS. COMER’S CURRENT TOWN MOTTO IS “MAKE OUR TOWN YOUR TOWN”, PREVIOUSLY “HONEY POT”. CURRENTLY THE TOWN IS HOME TO THE HONEY POND GARDEN CLUB AND THE HONEY POND DISTILLERY. PLAYING OFF THE HONEY MOTIFS, A DOWNTOWN WAYFINDING SIGNAGE SYSTEM WAS CREATED USING THE HONEYCOMB SHAPE AND A BRIGHT COLOR PALETTE TO WELOME VISITORS.

Artist Shop

CAKES & CANDI BY BRANDI

Construction Details

DETAILS CREATED USING AUTOCAD AND LANDFX.