In fall 2006, the Knight Foundation sponsored a group of Senior Capstone students on a trip to meet Richard Florida of the Creative Class Group in Washington, D.C., to learn how they could help spur the economic development of the region. Florida’s work “focuses on diversity and creativity as basic drivers of innovation and regional and national growth.” These students discovered that Macon was well positioned to recruit and grow creative service industries, such as graphic design, marketing, and the arts, by retaining talented young people graduating from the city’s academic institutions.
Inspired by this visit, the group of Mercer University students proposed a plan to make Macon more attractive to young professionals by connecting Mercer University and downtown Macon to create a "college town" atmosphere. (See College Hill Revisited.) In response, Mercer University President Bill Underwood and then Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis formed the College Hill Corridor Commission to accomplish the primary goal of creating an attractive, safe, and well-defined retail and entertainment corridor connecting Mercer University and downtown.
Goals and Accomplishments of the Commission
- The Commission's plan will improve pedestrian and bicycle access patterns, achieve clean-up and beautification, execute public event planning, promote the corridor’s rich heritage assets, attract new business, rehabilitate substandard housing, and improve intown recreational and relaxation amenities.
- Besides providing an enhanced quality of life, the College Hill Corridor is expected to provide Macon residents increased property values, a stabilized tax base, business growth, creative service industry development, student involvement, decreased environmental impact, and downtown regeneration.
- The City of Macon, Bibb County, Mercer University, the Macon Bibb County School Board, Historic Macon, NewTown Macon, Macon Arts, Mount de Sales Academy, the Intown Neighborhood Association and downtown business owners all have representatives on the Commission
- As of January 2008, the Commission has held three public meetings (attended by 70 plus neighbors, faculty, civic leaders, and students [graduate, undergraduate, and high school]), has hosted a “Screen on the Green,” where the movie "Ghostbusters" was screened, and has worked to catalyze a larger, coordinated redevelopment effort in Macon’s historic intown neighborhoods
- Most recently, the Commission has launched the Bear Bikes program, a free program where Mercer University students, faculty and staff can check out reconditioned bright orange bikes to ride around campus and through downtown.
- As its contribution to the College Hill Corridor, Mercer University has renovated vacant commercial space across the street from the Macon campus to house a local pizza restaurant and a coffee house.
Student Involvement with this Program
Students involved with the Commission encounter a variety and complexity of real world problems. Most importantly, students are involved in building consensus around ideas in diverse communities. While individual projects engage skill sets such as event planning, urban design, economic development, affordable housing, public art, city beautification, and business recruitment, each project teaches students how to communicate effectively and express their ideas in executive level meetings and work groups. Students debate and inform local leaders throughout their involvement.
How to Become Involved in the College Hill Corridor Commission
Contact the Director at info@collegehillcorridor.com, visit the website at www.collegehillcorridor.com, or contact Co-Chair of the Commission, Sarah Gerwig-Moore at (478) 301-2195 or gerwig-moor_s@Law.mercer.edu.
Faculty and Staff Contacts
Sarah Gerwig-Moore
Assistant Professor
Walter F. George School of Law
gerwig-moor_s@Law.mercer.edu
(478) 301-2195
Dr. Peter C. Brown
Senior Vice Provost
brown_pc@mercer.edu
(478) 301-5372
Dan Fischer
Associate Vice President for Budget and Analysis
fischer_dp@mercer.edu
(478) 301-2489
Links to Helpful Web Sites
College Hill Corridor: www.collegehillcorridor.com
NewTown Macon: www.newtownmacon.com
Historic Macon: www.historicmacon.org
The Knight Foundation: www.knightfdn.org
City of Macon: www.cityofmacon.net
Intown Macon: www.intownmacon.org
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Making an Impact
"I would say that my work with Peter Brown's service-learning course truly changed my life. Working towards the formation of the College Hill Corridor Commission helped me to find my vocation. It was because of my work, and the inspiration from Peter, and the response from President Underwood and the Macon Community that my worldview changed. I now know that people can really make a difference towards something they love."
-Alex Morrison, '07
Concord, Ga.
University of Georgia Master of Public Administration student, class of 2010
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