City Manager Gibson says city is talking with tech college about a campus in the Pavilion area
Fayette Senior Services was the April 6 setting that had Fayetteville City Manager Ray Gibson giving an update on the city’s strategic planning for the downtown area. Future development could include residential over retail, a mix of restaurants, open space and a dinner-and-a-movie theater, Gibson said.
Above, Fayetteville City Manager Ray Gibson (standing) talks about the city’s future. Photo/Ben Nelms.
The city manager gave an overview of the recently-adopted Fayetteville Comprehensive Plan, which came with the participation of hundreds of city residents. Though some of his comments dealt with potential development on the city’s north, east and west sides, the bulk of the presentation included plans for the downtown area.
Gibson said the downtown master plan, as initially designated in three pods, includes retail, office, restaurant and residential space.
Pod A includes 5.6 acres situated on the eastern portion of the property between Lanier Avenue and Lafayette Avenue. Gibson said the developer of The Meridian apartments is in the process of purchasing the property and could begin construction efforts in 2019. Though still in the concept phase, that could include a 3-story building on Lanier Avenue and a 2-story building on Lafayette Avenue. The result could be a mix of retail, office and residential, with largely one-bedroom apartments on the top two floors on Lanier Avenue.
One of those attending the meeting, a relative newcomer to the community, stated the desire that Fayetteville have apartments downtown that seniors could afford to rent.
Pod B includes 5.9 acres between Lanier Avenue and Stonewall Avenue, and conceptually, could see a mix of uses.
Pod C includes 10.5 acres of school system property, the soon to be vacated central office and former bus barn property, located on Stonewall Avenue. The area, to date, is slated for a new City Hall location, open space and other offerings such as restaurants and a business incubator.
Gibson said the city is in talks with Cinemark to have a CineBistro located in the area. Cinebistro is a luxury dinner-and-a-movie theater with reserved seating and chef-prepared cuisine.
Asked about the county offices located at Stonewall and Ga. Highway 85, Gibson said the city has been involved in only limited discussions with the county about potential uses for the property.
Looking to the north side of town, Gibson said the city is working with Southern Crescent Technical College on the possibility of establishing a campus in the Fayette Pavilion area.
