Newnan is one of nine Atlanta area communities to receive a Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) award. And for Newnan, the Feb. 8 announcement comes with a $120,000 award for the Newnan Town Center project that will focus on redevelopment opportunities near the old Newnan Hospital.
The announcement of Newnan as one of the recipients came by way of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and was part of the organization’s $654,000 grant package. The LCI grants will help these communities create new plans for quality growth and help develop innovative policies that support more vibrant, connected communities. Once their studies and plans are complete, these communities will be eligible for additional LCI funding for transportation projects needed to implement their plans, said ARC spokesman Jim Jaquish.
“This plan will focus on redevelopment opportunities near the old Newnan Hospital and various industrial properties, creating a mix of land uses in a way that is compatible with the town’s historic character, as well as on improving connectivity both within Newnan and from Newnan to the larger regional transportation network,” Jaquish said.
The former hospital on Jackson Street is the site identified for the University of West Georgia to establish a satellite campus.
Other LCI grant recipients include the Medline Regional Activity Center in DeKalb County along with projects in Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Norcross, Gwinnett County and Atlanta.
Since its inception in 1999, LCI has assisted 111 communities with more than $154 million in planning and implementation grants to devise strategies that reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by better connecting homes, shops and offices. LCI communities cover only five percent of the region’s land area, but contain seven percent of its residential development, 24 percent of its commercial development and 38 percent of its office development.
“LCI has helped communities across metro Atlanta re-tool and redesign over the years, creating more places that attract residents and businesses alike,” said Tad Leithead, ARC Chairman. “Our local government partners have used these grants to the benefit of their communities and the entire region.”
The LCI program is funded with federal transportation dollars. The grants fund 80 percent of the study, with the recipient making a 20 percent match.
“Communities are eager to revitalize their town centers and underutilized properties to create places that foster a vibrant neighborhood feel and environment,” said Doug Hooker, ARC Executive Director. “LCI grants have helped communities re-imagine what they can be, and then helped them make those plans a reality.”
