Growing Downtown and All Around
The determined efforts of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Macon Economic Development Commission, the Downtown Council, local government, and state officials, have brought a multitude of new businesses to the area. The planned $50 million revitalization of downtown is quickly generating renewed interest in this historic part of the city. As easy distribution paths provided by Macon's central location bring more businesses here, the resulting influx of people to the area is producing a boom in home construction, service sector, and retail businesses.
From its inception, Macon welcomed the entrepreneurs and visionaries who built a strong foundation for a booming business center here in the heart of Georgia. Even before the first city lots were auctioned, 500 bags of cotton went downstream in 1817 and a boatbuilding factory opened in 1819 to produce flat-bottomed pole boats for trading cotton and other goods with neighboring river towns. The first steamboat, the Pioneer, arrived in 1833 and joined the many barges routinely following the Ocmulgee River to Macon. This growing port city was a natural destination point, since its position along the fall-line prevented larger vessels from traveling further upstream. The railroads, heavily supported by Maconites well before the Civil War, quickly made Macon their main connection point for moving goods to and from the river.
The convergence of rail lines at Macon maintained the city's prominence as the hub for the region's business long after the Ocmulgee River was no longer practical to navigate. At one point, over 100 passenger trains a day rolled through the city's beautiful Terminal Station. This 520-foot long, classical structure still stands at the end of Cherry Street. Constructed in 1916 and renovated in the 1980s, the Terminal Station is one of many historic buildings connecting Macon's past with the present.
Macon's attention directly focused on its splendid downtown as the times progressed from dirt to paved streets, from horses to automobiles, from trolleys to buses. The streets bustled with shoppers and business people during the day, and several entertainment venues drew large crowds in the evenings. The Grand Opera House on Mulberry Street, which opened in 1884 as the Academy of Music, captivated audiences with tremendous productions upon its sprawling stage. The Douglass Theatre introduced black audiences to legendary musicians, including Bessie Smith and Macon residents "Little Richard" Penniman and Otis Redding. Cotton Avenue supported a multitude of black-owned businesses as well as Capricorn Records, once the world's largest independent recording company. Nearby, the favorite diner of the Allman Brothers Band, the H and H Restaurant, still fills plates with " soul food." Around the corner on First Street, City Hall continues to draw downtown activity, just as it did when it gallantly served in 1836 as a bank, later as an innovative fireproof cotton warehouse and, in 1864-65, as the temporary capitol of Georgia and host of the March term of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
The city limits expanded continually until the 1950s to encompass the land of surrounding villages. Interestingly, Payne City, a small municipality named for the mill owned in 1899 by William Sims Payne, resisted annexation. Macon dauntlessly grew around it instead. Today Payne City is said to be the only separate city operating inside another city. Despite this aberration in the Macon planners' goals, at one time or another a large portion of Macon's addresses boasted a successful shop, popular restaurant, active church, prominent bank, stately office, or well kept home. This would change with the movement of businesses and residences outward to the "suburbs" in the 1960s and 70s.
The Business Center
Macon today resounds with the vitality of a continually growing city and the pride of an historic town. The area's healthy economy and viable business opportunities blaze like a beacon throughout downtown and the surrounding county, attracting developers, commerce, and new residents. Sounds of hammers and saws punctuate the enthusiasm as construction projects for new homes, refurbishing, tourist attractions, and businesses spring up on every part of Macon's map.
The Grand Opera House captivates audiences with their productions upon its sprawling staqe.
Photography by Ken Krakow.
The city and county's central location immediately gets attention among national and international business owners and developers. Literally in the middle of the state, the Macon-Bibb County area encapsulates three interstate highways and several four-lane roadways, connecting businesses and residents here to virtually every major city in Georgia. New street improvements promise even more convenient travel within the city and county. This centralized network of roadways increases the accessibility of statewide sales territories while it decreases travel time. Commuters easily drive to or from Atlanta, and Maconites can reach the Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport in slightly over one hour. For retailers, this just as easily brings people to Macon. Studies show shoppers drive from as far as 32 dffferent counties to make purchases here.
Macon's central location similarly provides an optimal distribution point for industry. More than 30 over-the-road hauling companies operate trucks through Macon, and air service is readily available from Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport, the Middle Georgia Regional Airport, or Herbert Smart Airport. Three railroad companies provide service in Macon; and the nearby ports of Savannah, Brunswick, Jacksonville, and Charleston offer international shipping. Attesting to its viability as an economical and efficient distribution hub, Macon serves as the headquarters for the United States Postal Service South Georgia District which processes over a million pieces of mail daily.
Ready to Work
The central location also allows employers to hire from a 22-county area surrounding Macon. An estimated pool of 267,275 men and women comprise this highly trainable, loyal, and hard-working civilian labor force. Not surprisingly, the area's unemployment rate tends to run lower than that of Georgia or the United States.
Cooperative efforts between businesses and educators continue to advance the workforce skill level. The Mercer University School of Engineering and Mercer Engineering Research Center instituted programs which train students for professional careers and simultaneously assist local industry with ongoing research and development projects. Macon Technical Institute, Macon College, Wesleyan College and other state educational facilities also work closely with business leaders to provide students with appropriate courses for local job opportunities.
The educational and business partnership particularly works to fulfill the need for highly trained employees in the aerospace, health services and back-office fields. Dominating "Aerospace Alley," Robins Air Force Base and Air Logistics Center employs some 12,500 civilians and 4,000 military personnel within the Macon Wamer Robins Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The "Big Three" aerospace firms, Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Northrop Grumman, operate facilities here and their combined employment accounts for about 2,300 jobs.
The Macon area also employs some 9,000 people in health service positions. A large portion of those jobs support Macon's six major hospitals. Likewise, the estimated 11,725 firms located in central Georgia need an ever-increasing number of skilled people to fill back-office positions.
The higher employment rates here, in tum, attract major retailers to Macon. Employment translates into greater amounts of dollars for shoppers to spend. Per capita income in the Macon Warner Robins MSA has shown a significant increase since 1970, closely following the statewide growth; the median household effective buying income for Macon and Bibb County stood at $31,484 in 1993. Also, the population in Macon-Bibb County generally remains young with the early thirties as the median age for men and women—a significant market for many retail businesses.
Built Better for Business
Macon and Bibb County's sound infrastructure adds another enticement to developing industry and businesses here. Georgia Power Company supplies most of the electrical energy to the area as well as to much of the state. Using its "high reliability" distribution system, power conditioning equipment, or the uninterruptible power supplies option, commercial and industrial customers receive a continuous power flow without concem for the slight chance of equipment problems or momentary outages. EMCs also offer high-quality electrical service to the area.
Major natural gas pipelines run through Macon and Bibb County and efficiently meet even heavy industrial demands. The Colonial Pipeline Company, Georgia Natural Gas Company, and Southern Natural Gas Company work in cooperation to assure a consistent supply for the area today and in the future.
For many facilities, profitable operations also require affordable water supplies. The Macon-Bibb County Water and Sewerage Authority's monthly charge to industrial and commercial customers averages about 20 to 25 percent less than the national average, according to a survey conducted by the engineering firm of Ernst & Young. Adequate water and sewer capacity exists to the year 2050 with the current systems. Daily, Macon distributes only 50 percent of its water capacity; another 25 million gallons could be produced. The Great Flood of 1994 stirred up heated debates over Macon's water system, but it also cemented plans for a new floodproof water treatment facility. The new system will provide 60 million gallons, with up to 90 million gallons possible - far more than most cities in the United States.
The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce remains committed
to supporting existing industries and attracting new businesses.
Photography by Ken Krakow.
State-of-the-art telecommunication services for both commercial and residential customers are another significant component of the area's impressive infrastructure. Provided by BellSouth, more than 90,000 access lines and about 16,000 miles of optical fiber currently link the Macon exchanges to the global communication network. BellSouth's advanced electronic switching system also enhances the selection of additional features available to business subscribers. Nearly instantaneous and highly dependable data transfer, information processing, and video transmission become a reality through these optional systems.
Rejuenating the City's Center
Macon's strong business climate permeates its downtown's central business district and the areas circling it. The downtown area's resilience today traces much of its success to the retailers, business owners, and residents who remained in the city limits when so many others tested suburbia. Together, these devoted downtowners wisely began saving what already existed: valuable pieces of American history.
The Middle Georgia Historical Society established itself in 1964 and various preservation efforts soon began, such as the restoration of the Grand Opera House in 1970, the $2.5 million renovation of the copper-domed Macon City Auditorium in 1979, and the refurbishing of Luther Williams Field in 1991—built in 1929 and the nation's second oldest minor league baseball park. The Middle Georgia Historical Society and the Intown Macon Neighborhood Association formed the Macon Heritage Foundation, helping to establish the Historic Zoning Ordinance in 1976 and eventually placing ten historic districts and over 40 individual sites on the National Register of Historic Places.
Merging the old with the new, the downtown planning continues today and an exciting new role for this distinctively historic and highly progressive area is forming. Already, the Parks and Recreation Department plants thousands of flowers each season throughout much of the city's 919 acres of parks. Colorful pansies and chrysanthemums in the fall, pink tulips and daffodils for the spring's Cherry Blossom Festival, marigolds and other bright annuals in the summer all seem to herald the renewed spirit of this beautiful downtown area.
The New Old Meeting Place
The rejuvenation plan positions downtown as the central meeting place, whether for business or pleasure, where something is always happening. Consolidating similar types of businesses or attractions into adjoining districts when it's feasible is a key component in the plan. A pedestrian plaza linking several of these districts serves as a congregating point for visitors, residents, and downtown workers.
The historical aspects of the city stand as a tourism attraction in themselves, and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Georgia Sports Hall of Fame highlight the tourism district in the new vision. This is complemented by an entertainment district, featuring venue enhancements such as the renovation of the Douglass Theatre. It also incorporates the $15.8 million renovation and expansion project for the Macon Coliseum. The updated Coliseum, part of the Macon Centreplex, doubles the original in size and offers a premium multi-purpose convention site along I-16.
The copper-domed Macon City Auditorium with its stately
limestone Greek Doric columns lining the wide terraces. Photography by Ken Krakow.
The integrated development strategies for downtown also propose hospitality and retail districts, commercial and industrial sections, and increased housing availability. The Mayor's Housing Challenge encourages first-time homeowners to purchase innercity homes by offering city assistance.
City leaders continually seek new businesses and developers, and encourage existing enterprises to expand downtown. Private capital investment of about $130 million and an additional $50 million marked for downtown construction reflects the shared commitment among govemment and private businesses to secure the downtown's continued success.
Incentives such as grants and low-interest loans resulted in the rehabilitation of 80 buildings during the 1980s. More recent major renovation or restoration projects geared toward increasing the number of downtown employees include the Georgia Federal Building for The Medical Center of Central Georgia, the Hardeman Building for Lawrence Mayer's Florist, the Capricorn Records studio for Phoenix Sound Recording, the old Woolworth's and Galleria Buildings for the Bankruptcy Court of the U.S. Judiciary Department, the old Zayre Shopping Center for the Bibb County Board of Health, the Wachovia Building for the Bibb County Board of Education, and the old Macon Library for the Macon Heritage Foundation. In addition, construction of the Peyton Anderson Community Services Center, multiple expansion projects, and plans for a small-and minority-business incubator also help ensure a strong future for downtown.
Busy Beyond Downtown
The influx of new residents to Bibb County has kept construction workers
busy building homes, schools, churches, and stores. Photography by Ken Krakow.
Sharing the excitement of a rejuvenated downtown, commercial and residential developers also look to complement those efforts in every direction outward from the city limits. "Controlled growth" are the key words as the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission and its Long-Range Planning Strategy Committee prepare for the area's future. From 1980 to 1990, the Macon Warner Robins MSA experienced a 6.6 percent population spurt and projections estimate another 30,000 people will move to the MSA by 2005.
The influx of new residents to Bibb County has kept construction workers busy building homes, schools, churches, and stores. New home sales and home resales climbed above predictions, especially in 1994. The first comprehensively planned sub-community broke ground that same year at Plantation Centre in the northwest section of Bibb County. This multi-purpose development plan features housing, offices, stores, services, restaurants, entertainment, and more. The concept focuses on cohesive construction, rather than the typical piecemeal approach, to produce an updated, orderly, and convenient mini-town.
Other new residential developments encircle Macon's downtown. Some of the single-family home subdivisions feature adjoining golf courses, such as Barrington Hall and River North. Others concentrate on the tranquillity of graceful ponds and lakes, such as Rivoli Downs or Lake Wildwood. Spacious apartment complexes, including River Place, Spring Creek, Forest Pointe, and many others, encourage a community atmosphere. With elegant names, grand entrances and carefully landscaped streets, most of these developments emerged according to planned construction sites and self-imposed covenants for protecting the quality of their neighborhoods.
City leaders work together to expand and help Macon grow and prosper.
Photography by Ken Krakow.
Commercial developments continue to crop up near the burgeoning residential areas, making it even more convenient to grocery shop, rent movies, bank, or dine out. Adding the planned expansions of Macon Mall and Westgate Center, the Planning and Zoning Commission expects that the total retail space in Bibb County will have increased by one million square feet at the turn of the century.
Industry, too, has found the perimeter of Macon condusive to manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. More than 350 manufacturing firms operate in the area, many of which are located in Macon's large industrial parks. Since 1990, over 30 industrial expansions, employee relocations, and new industries have brought some 9,000 jobs to the Macon area.
Strong Economic Encouragement
Ranked as the top destination in Central Georgia, Macon Mall is the area's largest retail shopping center.
Photography by Ken Krakow.
Just as a good gardener tends to each new seedling, Macon's leaders have carefully helped the city grow and blossom. In the 1890s, the Macon Board of Trade actively supported the area's agricultural and retail base, while the Macon Chamber of Commerce, also formed in the late 1800s, embraced similar goals of economic development for the city. Now called the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, this non-profit organization remains committed to supporting existing industries and attracting new businesses in conjunction with other agencies and governments at all levels, including the city, county, and state.
One local leader commented, "I think one of the unique things about Macon is how the leaders work together and how the people care about the city. We may have differences in opinion, but in the end, we're all trying to do what's best for the area."
The City of Macon and Bibb County share a positive and complementary relationship with the various organizations working toward the area's economic development. The "Macon-Bibb County" prefix in many business and organization names stands as a constant reminder of the cohesiveness and interdependence of the city proper and its surrounding area. A long list of nongovernmental organizations work with the Mayor's office, City Council, County Commissioners, Middle Georgia Regional Development Center, Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission, Macon-Bibb County Water and Sewage Authority, and other elected and appointed offices. Some of these volunteer based groups include the Macon Economic Development Commission, Urban Development Authority, Downtown Council and their umbrella organization, the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce. In addition, The Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Middle Georgia Historical Society diligently pursue efforts to ensure that Macon maintains a high profle and positive image worldwide. Together, the city's leaders from all facets of the community continue to expand and support the region's economy.
