Welcome to Grayson, Georgia

Welcome to Grayson, Georgia

www.CityOfGrayson.org www.GraysonDDA.org

Prepared by the Mainstreet Georgia Committee of Grayson October 18, 2013

GRAYSON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY at 438 Grayson Parkway

by Gail Lane, Manager Grayson Downtown Development Authority The Grayson Downtown Development Authority was formed by a Grayson City resolution on September 21, 2009. In 2010, the City purchased an unused metal and stucco industrial building in the heart of Downtown Grayson with plans to use it for a DDA Business Incubator and city maintenance needs. In the process, the city turned an eyesore in the middle of town into a showcase for architectural standards and curb appeal that will spread throughout the downtown district.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

The DDA renovated the offices and opened the doors in April as plans were made for the incubator as well as fulfilling the needs of our business community with a professional co-working facility for small businesses.

The Grayson DDA Incubator is hosting one client at this time as we interview other potential small businesses for an opportunity to grow in this environment. Our co-workers enjoy the interaction with other professionals as they step away from their home offices and into Grayson.

The Main Street Georgia Program will be managed as a cooperative effort between Grayson’s administration and the DDA. Members of council and the DDA board of directors sit on the committee that has been formed as part of the requirements for designation.

Welcome to Grayson!

by Allison Wilkerson, Mayor-Elect Grayson, Georgia Welcome to the City of Grayson! We are very excited to have you here today.

Grayson is a city rich in history and you will see and hear names today that go all the way back to even before we were chartered in 1901.

In 1829, Tilford McConnell and Nancy Billue were married in Tennessee and eight years later followed her brother to a small community, now known as Grayson, where they had ten children.

In the early 1880’s one of their sons, James P McConnell, and his wife purchased 80 acres from his uncle and built their home and a store. That was located where the Walgreens sits today, right in the center of town. In that store, he was able to establish a Post Office and named himself the first postmaster. This is where Grayson’s history gets a bit comical. Mr. McConnell named us Trip, then in 1901 the first Mayor, John Jacobs, changed the name to Berkeley then Graymont, since all 3 of those were already taken in 1902, Mr. Jacobs received a letter from his wife who was visiting relatives in Grayson County Texas. He was sold! So, on December 17, 1902 the Georgia General Assembly finally named us Grayson.

The L&L (Lawrenceville to Loganville) Railroad came to Grayson in December of 1898 and made two trips thru town daily carrying passengers, mail, and freight. You can still see its rail beds running along the side of our City park.

Soon after 1900 the first two story school house was built. The land was a gift from the McConnell family “for as long as the land is used for school purposes.” In 1913 Grayson High School was built there under a bond issue, the two story school was consolidated with South Gwinnett High School in 1956. It was then torn down to build what is now Grayson Elementary.

Grayson has changed a lot since the railroad days but we are still proud of our rich history for education and religion.

Grayson is the proud home of two Elementary Schools and a Middle School. Grayson High School reopened in the Fall of 2000 right down the road.

We are still the home to three Churches over 100 years old Chestnut Grove Baptist Church was organized in 1850, Grayson United Methodist was organized under a brush arbor in 1884 and Grayson First Baptist celebrated their first 100 years this year.

I didn’t arrive on the scene until 1974 but since then we have seen a lot of growth.

The McConnell family is still in Grayson. Ray and Jimmie Mae McConnell Sosebee sold part of the McConnell family farm in 2000 for Grayson’s only grocery store. They built on the other side of the property along with their two sons and their families. When their home was torn down, they took her grandfathers rock with them, it is now on their new home. Tom and Ponnie McConnell Moore’s family still lives on the other side of the Kroger shopping center.

It is hard to believe that the sleepy railroad town of the early 1900’s is now the home to over 2700 people.

The City of Grayson now boast three public schools, two day cares, one adult day care, six churches, fifteen subdivisions, twenty restaurants and six shopping centers.

In the 1990’s we were dubbed as Gwinnett’s Best Kept Secret, well I do believe the secret is out .... and I for one am glad!

When the down turn of the economy hit we felt it here.

In 2007, the City issued 127 building permits; in 2008 we issued only 27. We are picking back up, however, and in the first nine and a half months of 2013 we have issued 42.

In the next 45-60 days we hope to see construction begin on two of our subdivisions that have sat overgrown for the past three years. We still have a ways to go as our businesses have also been hit by the recession. In 2008 we issued 214 business licenses; this year only 197 have been issued and 42 of those are home based. Throughout this, however, the city is proud to have kept our millage rate low. We lowered it again this year to 2.25 mills; our property tax revenue, however is down $80,000 from 2008 to 2012.

With that being said, we operate the City of Grayson with a Mayor and Council who believe we are true public servants; we are one of only two cities in Gwinnett that do not have a paid Mayor and Council. We have a full time City Administrator and 3/4 time code enforcement officer who also handles our public works and they each have an assistant that works 25-30 hours a week. We also have a part time Arts and History Center director.

When the package store at the corner of town opened in 2012 we saw the revenue that the City was going to receive and we gave it back to our residents in the form of free garbage, yard waste and recycling for a total of over $160,000 a year.

Where do I see Grayson going? Unfortunately, right out of town ... We were known as a bedroom community through the 90’s and I want that perception gone! The intersection right out front where Grayson Parkway crosses Highway 20 sees over 26,000 cars a day! Where are they going? I want Grayson to be a true live, work and play city.

I want our business owners to employ our children and our families, I want them to find homes here and live among those of us who shop in their stores and eat in their restaurants.

I want our downtown to continue to flourish and to become a walkable destination. All of this progress while we still remember our roots, taking pride that the first Mayor of Grayson’s home is still standing.

Some say Ms Hazel, his wife, still walks those stairs everyday. I believe them, I know she loves this town and is still being our first First Lady. I want the children at Grayson and Starling Elementary to know who JP McConnell was and why he and Mrs Susan made Grayson their home.

I am excited to show you our downtown, I am very proud of it. It reminds me of my dining room furniture, it is an antique that belonged to my dad’s parents. It is rich in history, full of memories and while part of it may need some sanding and buffing its home and it makes me smile every time I see it.

From top left: Grayson’s Main Street consists of buildings built from the turn of the century augmented with those constructed in the 1960’s and 1970’s; artifacts from around the area are part of our community park; Grayson Elementary’s “Rock Building” was renovated in the late 1990’s and classes are still held there. Top right; the Livery Stable still stands as a testament to the railroad that ran from Lawrenceville to Loganville; the bell donated in 1913 still stands on the grounds of Grayson Elementary.

Grayson Main Street & Highway 20 Corridor Main Street in Grayson is currently comprised of a church, an elementary school, a day care, City Hall, the Grayson DDA, Grayson Community Park and several privately owned businesses which include restaurants, hair salons, and commercial enterprises. The historic section lies at the intersection of Grayson Parkway and State Highway 20 with 2 sections of buildings that are held by 5 separate property owners. Most of the tenants are leasing space and in most cases, they have invested their own monies for renovation. At this time, these buildings are 99% leased.

On one corner is a salon called Peace.Love.Hair. that is privately owned by Melissa Langley who always dreamed of having her own studio, rather than just renting a chair in another salon. Two years ago, she invested her savings to renovate one of the doorways in one of the historic buildings that front our Main Street.

She has brought a shabby chic feel to an otherwise drab rock building. She has successfully grown her business in Grayson to to a point that has allowed her to double her size and clientele within the first year. Her main obstacle for continued growth at this point is one of parking along our Main Street, which is a major issue for retailers and commercial businesses with walk-in clients.

At the other end of the other section of historic buildings, Vic Edens, moved Edens Heating and Air from Lawrenceville to Grayson in 2011. His success in Grayson has led him to purchase his building as a permanent home for his business.

We’re proud that the three historic homes that are along Highway 20 are used for commercial purposes and have landlords that seek to maintain the landscape and appreciate the intrinsic value of each type of architecture reflected.

• Blue Victorian – Gwinnett School of Music • Craftsman Style – Pam Britt’s Office Complex • Georgian Style – Houston & Company CPA’s Was the home of John Jacobs, Grayson’s first mayor Highway 20 is a busy state road that creates challenges with future walkable development opportunities. Though our plan shows retail and commercial development on the westbound side of the street, pedestrian traffic is likely to be intimidated with the idea of crossing 4-5 lanes of a busy state highway.

PARKSIDE AT GRAYSON

Parkside at Grayson opened in 2008 as a father-son endeavor. The Wynn’s had been a staple in the City of Duluth for many years when they were approached by several private investors about building a center in Grayson to fill the need of office, medical and retail space. This center is 23,000 square feet and has the ability to be 12 suites.

Currently all suites except for one are occupied.

One of the challenges that we saw with this building was parking. In the past, buildings have been designed for the convenience of cars. Parkside represents the next generation of buildings that are more aesthetically pleasing buildings with limited parking in front, and more user-friendly to patrons by requiring inter-parcel access. With fewer curb cuts and joint driveways, we have also found that traffic flows a lot better along Highway 20.

heard about what the Wynn family was looking to build and they were sold. They moved Southern Sisters to Parkside in 2008. In the 6 years they have been located at Parkside they have more than doubled their square footage and their business, but they aren’t finished yet… With the suite to their left becoming available in February, they are dreaming of expanding their business to include a ladies clothing boutique.

Dr. Kathy Huber opened her dental practice in Snellville just 2 years out of dental school in 1981.

She and her family moved to Grayson in 1989.

When Dr. Huber started looking for new office space, she looked in Snellville but just couldn’t find the right fit. Soon, it became obvious that Parkside was where she was meant to be. It turned out to be the best decision she ever made; in September 2008 Salon 124 was founded in 1991 in Snellville by she made Grayson home professionally as well as Brian and Karen Perdue. They relocated their personally when she opened her office in Parkside. salon to Grayson in 2008, and they also have their corporate office upstairs. They have 260 employees among 7 salons and a school, with 56 of those in Grayson. You will see the suite to their right has some construction going on; the salon is going retail.

CRUSH is opening in January, so you will be able to purchase all of your salon favorites along with some aromatherapy candles and lotions. They will also feature a private waxing area.

Southern Sisters Embroidery and Gifts began as Barrons Monograms in Gwinnett Place Mall. In 2000 Robin Nash purchased the store from her Aunt.

Her older sister Sandi was working for her and was about to have her 2nd child so she was looking for a work place closer to home. The decision was made to close the mall store and make Grayson home, so together, they opened Southern Sisters in May of 2002 in the Kroger shopping center, right behind us.

When Robin had her daughter in 2006 they again began looking for a place closer to home. They

Gateway to Grayson The City of Grayson has a 49 year lease, with an automatic 49 year extension, with the Georgia Department of Transportation for $100 per year for both of the corners on the park side of Rosebud Road at Highway 20. This is a 1.2 acre tract that when completed will provide a passive park with sidewalks of not only concrete but also brick pavers.

On the east side, closest to Essex Bank, is a .7 acre tract that will boast a beautiful clock tower and a rock wall welcoming you to The City of Grayson. The west side, at the Goodyear, is a .5 of an acre and you will not only find the sidewalks but also several benches and beautiful landscaping. Our goal is to not only help beautify this area but also to showcase Grayson. When this project is completed it will be approximately $460,000 and will be funded thru the Transportation Enhancement Grant with the City matching 20%.

City Parking Lot

Located on your left, you will see a parking lot that the City built on City property in 2008 to help alleviate some of our parking concerns. This lot is used daily by the employees and patrons of the Parkside shopping center and parents enjoying the City Park.

This first, of hopefully several, joint public-private partnerships was funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant.

CITY OF GRAYSON PARKS & AMENITIES Laurie Anderson, Council Person City of Grayson As Grayson grew through the 1980’s, the population began to outgrow the city water system. Grayson was purchasing 60% of its water from Gwinnett County to supplement the low output from the City’s well system. In 1993, The Mayor and Council were able to sell the City’s water system to Gwinnett County for $300,000. With those funds, the Mayor and Council purchased the site of the current City Hall and Senior Center, as well as a portion of the current park.

In 1996, their vision for a new home for the city was realized when they opened the doors of the new City Hall, as well as a Senior Center funded with CDBG funds.

In October 2001, the Mayor and Council purchased the Cox property, now known as the Grayson Arts and History Center. Over the past 12 years the City has been able to acquire additional adjacent properties to enhance the town center and park area.

WORKING TOGETHER to Build a Cohesive Main Street Program

by Steve Sappington Grayson City Planner Grayson Main Street Program • DDA • City Council • Business Community • Civic Community • Religious Community • Residences Existing Destinations of Grayson Parkway “Main Street” • Grayson has a variety of commercial, social, and civic activities along “Main Street” • Book-ended by library at one end and bank at other end • Church • Single-family Residences • Restaurants

• Arts & History Center • School • City Hall • City Park • Offices • Drug Store • Beauty Shop • Weekly Farmers Market • Blues ‘n Brews Festival • Grayson Days Festival • Christmas Parade • Tour of Homes Creating a Quality Main Street • Encourage more flourishing activities, goods, and services • Enhance community environment and efficiency for citizens • Provide an entertaining experience • Accommodate centralized parking and enhance “walkability”

Design of Main Street • Wide streetsides and pedestrian areas to support • Street Cafes • Social Interactions • Strolling • Window Shopping • On-street Parking • Bicycle Lanes • Private Local Transit and Public Parking Strategies • Unified Urban Design Buildings and Features • Street Frontage Appeal • Enhanced Public Space • Mix of Uses to generate pedestrian activity with day and night uses • Wider Walkways with street furniture and street trees and plantings • Traffic Calming Strategies and Pedestrian Crosswalks • Way-finding Signage • Underground Utilities to Reduce Visual Clutter

Main n Stree et

Existing Implementation Strategies • Conceptual Master plan • Pending Park Master Plan • Existing Zoning Ordinance Overlay District Requirements • Comprehensive Plan and Pending Short-Term Work Program Updates • Recent Purchases of Properties along “Main Street” • TE Grant Streetscape Enhancements • SRTS (Safe Routes to School) Sidewalk Program

Pending Implementation Strategy • DCA’s Main Street Program

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graft: A Commitment to Grayson

by Ashley Clemence Owner/Operator graft I chose Grayson because it is an extremely supportive community of families and young adults that have no outlet for a quality-driven local restaurant that is not franchise or a pizza/ pub spot.

Also, the city was very eager to help me implement a creative, local change in the restaurant scene. There is expendable money in the area as many of the head of the households commute into the city just so that their families have an opportunity to get an excellent education in Gwinnett County.

I personally invested over $100,000 to renovate and establish this restaurant. I do have further plans for graft and for the community garden which I would like additional financial assistance in order to better the restaurant, our events and to also bring the community together.

Some of the major challenges that I have been up against are educating the community on what we are doing with truly working with local farmers and ranchers and getting customers in the actual door; we are not a “fancy/uppity� restaurant, we are excellent quality. Staffing was and still is difficult as I expect professionalism and a passion of who we support and what we offer.

The actual renovation was definitely challenging with a home that was over 100 years old; we tried to reclaim and reuse almost every piece of wood or working device from the original home.

As mentioned, yes the city has been very encouraging. The community and the customers who understand what we are doing LOVE graft.

There is a continued increase in appreciation for supporting local farmers.

I only have more anticipated goals and ideas of furthering and educating our community through events, menus, gardens and experiences. I believe that graft will be a destination restaurant for people to come see what we offer in the middle of downtown Grayson. We have been open a little over a year now and I greatly look forward to many, many years to come!

Main Street Standards Chip Mitchell, Vice Chair Grayson Downtown Development Authority 1. Has broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process, with strong support from both the public and private sectors.

1.1. This is evidenced by the existing history of recent private investments such as Parkside and Graft, as well as public investments in areas like the park and 438 building. In addition, the attendance of so many community leaders at today’s event is an indicator that Grayson is excited about becoming a Mainstreet community.

2. Has developed vision and mission statements relevant to community conditions and to the local Main Street program’s organizational stage.

2.1. Our Mainstreet vision parallels what has been developed in the City’s comprehensive plan and the DDA conceptual downtown development. In addition, the City has established architectural and land use guidelines to help our vision stay on track.

3. Has a comprehensive Main Street work plan

3.1. If we are accepted into the Mainstreet program, we intend to adapt our downtown development plans to follow the Four Point Approach and Eight Principles of downtown development.

4. Possesses an historic preservation ethic

4.1. Our pride in Grayson’s history has been demonstrated in our discussions today, and is visible in the building that Graft calls home.

5. Has an active board of directors and committees

5.1. The City Council, Downtown Development Authority, and Mainstreet application committee are all represented here today. Their participation indicates how closely each entity works together, and how we will continue to do so in implementing the Mainstreet program.

6. Has an adequate operating budget

6.1. The city has allocated $165,000 toward downtown development, and has allowed some freedom in the use of those funds so that we may make best use of them in our efforts to grow downtown.

7. Has a paid professional program manager

7.1. Gail Lane, who is also the Downtown Development manager, will be the paid professional in charge of implementing Mainstreet.

Mainstreet Program Committee Gail Lane Grayson Downtown Development Authority 438 Grayson Parkway Grayson, GA 30017 (678) 467-4637 gail@graysondda.org

Jamie Dempsey Greater Eastside Chamber of Commerce 430 Crested View Drive Loganville, GA 30052 (706) 202-8574 jdempsey@mooseheadmarketingsolutions.com

Allison Wilkerson 800 Windsor Place Circle Grayson, GA 30017 (678) 776-6021 allisonwilkerson@bellsouth.net

Jim Nash 778 Natchez Valley Trace Grayson, GA 30017 (770) 560-8124 jimnash45@gmail.com

Blake Hawkins The Hail Mary Pub 1950 Grayson Highway Grayson, GA 30017 (404) 550-4572 hail_mary@att.net

David Sitz The 124 Group 2023 Grayson Highway, Suite 201 Grayson, GA 30017 (678) 758-6180 dsitz@salon124.com

Chip Mitchell Elevation Realty P.O. Box 323 Grayson, GA 30017 chipmitchell@gmail.com

Steve Sappington, RLA, LEED*AP Precision Planning, Inc. 400 Pike Blvd.

Lawrenceville, GA 30046 (770) 338-8149 740ss@ppi.us

Linda Nash 778 Natchez Valley Trace Grayson, GA 30017 LindaENash@gmail.com

October 18, 2013 Grayson, Georgia