city of chamblee master plan

The City of Chamblee saw an opportunity to reinvent its historic downtown as a new ‘Town Center’ destination. In partnership with Seven Oaks Company, HGOR led a community engagement process to develop a new master plan identifiable with the city’s character to adapt to changes in the market. The final master plan consists of a road framework, pedestrian paths, open greenspace and proposed new buildings. Broken out into phases, the redevelopment blueprint is expected to be completed in 2024.

HOW IT WORKED
Preparation:
• Observed other City Models to compare sense of space/benchmark

• Analyzed topography’s potential and various approaches of mobility and connectivity to the greater area

• Made achievable priorities and short to long term phasing plans

Organization:
• Established core team(s) consisting of all stakeholders in the project

• Merged public investment and private development to maximize development opportunities

• Established a framework that addressed functionality

Engagement:
• Transparently shared our visions throughout the entire process

• Received feedback from citizens and stakeholders through online surveys and charrette

Innovation and Construction:
• Introduced new streets and moved the police station and jail out of the Town Center to make way for opportunities

• Used unique downtown traits to our advantage

• Established a building height strategy that respected the scale of the existing buildings

PUBLIC PROCESS:
A large part of the project was community engagement. Multiple charrettes were held to gather feedback from City Council members, DDA members and nearby private business owners and residents. A series of survey questions, approved by the DDA Board, was compiled, which reflected the voices of over 350 individuals. Information from the surveys proved helpful and resonated through to the final proposed plan, revealing the desire for a linear public/park/plaza space connection, passive parks, additional transportation connections, and a look and feel that provides a genuine sense of place.

SIMILAR PROJECTS