Cascade Heights Improvement District
Georgia Tech Urban Design Workshop / 2014 / collaboration with Cascade Heights Study Group / supervised by Jihan Sherman
A joint study between a research group at Georgia Tech and the Cascade Heights Improvement District Core Group sought to revitalize a distressed commercial district and empowered the residents by laying out a series of pragmatic steps and attainable goals. The long term plan included repurposing empty and abandoned structures and converting an overgrown easement to a public park. The planning committee published an illustrated program detailing these goals and the accompanying financial plans.
Early stages of the plan involved repurposing vacant businesses to vitalize the commercial district without the financial or time investment of new construction. Proposals included converting an old grocery store to a community market to host and support local entrepreneurs and gutting an abandoned gas/service station in favor of a small restaurant with an outdoor patio. These designs would both lift local business and activate outdoor spaces along the main commercial avenue of the community.