Univer-Cities
Let’s talk about ‘univer-cities’
(Or, how to leverage synergies between civic and educational planning to drive development)
Univer-cities are regions where civic and educational planning needs are connected synergistically. For example, Sizemore Group has worked with several ‘univer-cities’ to develop plans that meet the specific needs of a college or university in alignment with the city’s long-term vision. Understanding the value of this collaboration, Sizemore Group has guided civic and collegiate groups within numerous ‘univer-cities’ to maximize their investment and capitalize on opportunities for comprehensive planning.
Examples of our work involving comprehensive civic and educational planning:
Atlanta, GA
Cross-collaboration for Atlanta Metro College provided an opportunity for us to review and validate the use of space, including the option of leasing some of it to the City of Atlanta. Specifically, the use of space available on campus as an on-location office for the local public safety, contributing to the presence and visibility of security on campus as well as providing valuable space to the public safety staff.
LaGrange, GA
In 2023, Sizemore Group returned to LaGrange College following our work In 2000 during which we led their Campus Master Plan, done in coordination with the City of LaGrange. Both entities sought opportunities to collaborate in planning their future. This is as an excellent example of how our collaboration and open dialogue with all resulted in the college moving special programs closer into downtown to bring ‘gown’ (residential and academic) components into the ‘town’ area. Our work with the local community helped mitigate concerns and pave a smooth path for student housing on the edges of campus. Most recent updates have continued to expand on this as we helped the college locate townhomes on the edge of campus.
Marietta, GA
The city of Marietta LCI plan provided an opportunity -and a need- to bridge the gap between local universities and community development. Sizemore Group supported the plan to redevelop Highway 41 into a more appealing destination, while also overlapping with both KSU Marietta Campus and Life University’s need to provide a vibrant community for their students, professors, and staff.
Converting the Marietta KSU campus into a more traditional campus required housing and other resources that offered a strategic opportunity to coordinate with the City of Marietta and Life University. Sizemore Group created a vision for the 41 corridor that included housing, retail, restaurants, and other amenities that on-campus living requires, bringing private development opportunities that connected the development to Life University. Sizemore Group worked with the city of Marietta and both universities to identify those opportunities, weigh priorities, and collaborate on a beneficial plan for all parties.
Kennesaw, GA
Through this initiative, the Town Center Area CID (TCACID) sought community input to develop a shared vision for the future growth of the study area. Kennesaw State University has seen tremendous growth, bringing with it a population of students, faculty, and staff looking for housing options, entertainment, recreation, shopping, and access to the local office parks. This LCI study provided market-based guidance for future growth and quality of life in Downtown Kennesaw to create vibrant, walkable, mixed-use centers that address this growing community’s needs. The vision included increasing connectivity by way of the — bridge as paths and trails were developed to encourage a pedestrian friendly environment.
College Park, GA
Sizemore Group’s work with the City of College Park to create a new master plan for Six West, the city’s mixed-use development on 320 acres west of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, provided an excellent opportunity for our forward-thinking approach to long-term planning. Six West is a global destination rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion easily accessible to all. From residents to travelers, it is a showcase of smart cities and eco-friendly design. This was an excellent opportunity for us to envision new possibilities – such as educational developments – that haven’t yet emerged, and account for future growth in our planning process and recommendations. We understand what communities need to thrive and built that vision into our planning process for the Six West Master Plan.
Clayton County, GA
Working alongside Clayton County on its Comprehensive Plan and Facilities Master Plan, while supporting Clayton State University on its master plan and to understand its land use needs for the future, enabled Sizemore Group to help both the county and the university think strategically and collaboratively about future planning to amplify the benefit of future development. For example, understanding the need of the university to attract and retain top professors and staff, we recognized the need for more restaurant and retail amenities in the adjacent community to reflect a vibrant campus life. Improving signage leading up to campus helped showcase and promote the presence of the renowned university in county-wide economic development efforts. We also liaised with the university on the county’s need for space, potential opportunities to leverage underutilized campus buildings, and the capacity to support economic development and growth at the civic level.
Atlanta, GA
Sizemore Group’s early engagement with the Atlanta University Center Master Plan fostered a collaboration across the multiple universities that continues to benefit from this work. Bringing to the table not only the multiple universities but also the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Atlanta Planning Department initiated collaboration that resulted in improvements near Clark Atlanta, while also providing for additional housing for seniors in the area. The collaboration with Morehouse College School of Medicine resulted in the redevelopment of an entire corner with clinics that now serve the community. A shared physical plant facility was implemented to the benefit of multiple universities, allowing for pooled resources for energy management across those universities.
This represents some best-in-class service to the “Univer-Cities” concept, wherein shared conversations and collaborations between a city and a university benefit both the community and the schools.
Contact our 'Univer-cities' team
Director of Planning
EMAIL DEANNA
Joel Helms, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
President
EMAIL JOEL
Our Core Values
We are caring.
Architecture and planning has the potential to changes peoples’ lives for the better. We see our projects as acts of service that help improve the lives of the people who live, work, go to school, and worship there. Our passions for sustainability, inclusivity, and, equity are key factors in the projects we decided to pursue and how we approach them. For us, it’s all an opportunity to serve the greater good.
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Timely responses and attention to our clients’ needs have become hallmarks of our work over the years. We believe that it is our duty to answer questions and concerns quickly and decisively. The ability to anticipate the potential roadblocks within a project and plan proactively means that we keep our eye on the target when it comes to project budgets, timelines, and quality of work.
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As long as we are architects and planners, we will never stop asking questions. Whether it’s careful scrutiny of a long-standing approach or an idea for an innovative new strategy, our inquisitive nature is part of what keeps us going. We believe that, to create something, it’s important to retain a child-like sense of wonder and curiosity and welcome a diversity of voices and opinions.
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The best legacy that we can strive for is design and planning work that lives on to inspire future generations to make their communities better. Our goal to create spaces that stand the test of time is buoyed by a sense of relentless optimism for the future and the hope that those who come after us finding new ways serve their communies visions better than we ever did.
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The collaborative nature of architecture and planning fosters connections with clients, builders, and fellow creatives, enriching both personal and professional experiences. A sure sign that a project is going is the sound of laughter echoing through a project meeting. We look to infuse our projects with a sense of joy and gratitude for being in a position to transform the abstract into something beautiful.