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For how to develop downtowns, look westward For the last few months, when Coweta County has been mentioned, Fayette residents in person and on our website react like they have a bad case of heartburn. The county has been bashed for allowing the McIntosh Village plan to be built, just across Peachtree City’s border near Sharpsburg. Apocalyptic predictions have occurred about traffic problems, and you would think that a plague of locusts is getting ready to descend on the county. Since there hasn’t been any dirt moved yet on the project, I’ll reserve my judgment for a few more years. Instead I’d like to focus on development that’s already in Coweta County and an ambitious plan that will see fruition in about six months. These two examples could provide a blueprint for how Fayette’s cities should look to develop. Last Wednesday, I journeyed over to Newnan. It was a rare night where I didn’t have to attend a meeting, and I thought I would check out the health of Newnan’s downtown. Having lived in Newnan from 1985-1989, I remember the moribund reputation of the area surrounding the square and how any sense of urban life left the streets around 6 p.m. But visiting the area nearly 18 years later, I was pleasantly surprised to see how the area had been developed. I arrived around 8:30 p.m. and nearly all the parking spots around the square were full. I stopped by for a slice of pizza at Fabiano’s and was surrounded by a group of young professionals all enjoying a nice dinner. Next door, 20-somethings milled around a coffee store, and around the corner, couples were enjoying dancing at an Irish pub. My next stop was the adjoining Alamo Jacks, where a group of 30-somethings was enjoying a night of karaoke. When I got in my car around 11 p.m., the restaurants and pub were still busy, and I contrasted that with the situation around Fayetteville’s town square. If you drive through that square at 8:30 p.m., you’ll have no problem finding a parking space, because there is nothing open and nothing to do. Fayetteville and Tyrone leaders constantly talk about downtown development, but their focus remains somewhat askew. Fayette County is a great place to raise a family, but what about the students who finish college and want to move back here? There is simply very little to attract college-educated students who want to move back here, but have no social outlets. Just down the road in Senoia, the owners of RiverWood Studios have embarked on an ambitious plan to remake the town’s aging business district. A three-story building is under construction that will open in December and feature the Redneck Gourmet restaurant, along with a McGuire’s Irish pub. After that building is completed, another building will rise across the street and feature more opportunities for restaurants. The developers also have two current spaces on Main Street that they are actively marketing as restaurant spaces. By Christmas, residents and visitors will be able to sample the food fare on Main Street in Senoia, and also wander through some of the boutique gift stores that are also planned for the area. Eventually, the area will feature lofts with retail on the bottom floors and Senoia will be on its way to having a bona fide downtown. Meanwhile, city leaders in Fayette wring their hands over the lack of business in their downtown area. Perhaps Horace Greely had it right when he urged, “Go west, young man.” It sure seems like Coweta’s towns have a clue to creating an urban environment in its cities. login to post comments | John Thompson's blog
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