The Village Forward Master Plan is a downtown revitalization strategy for the City of Stone Mountain’s historical main street. Situated directly east is Stone Mountain Park, a regional destination that attracts up to 4 million visitors annually. The downtown needed a strategic vision to guide future development and to create an attractive atmosphere for the community, promote new businesses, and attract more visitors. MXD worked in collaboration with Pond & Company to complete a master plan study to identify priority areas for redevelopment, pedestrian enhancement, and catalyst projects for short term renewal. MXD’s real estate analysis and retail gap analysis determined the optimal mix of uses that would target private investment and desired businesses. The plan includes re-configuring the gateway to the downtown, public realm improvements including wayfinding and signage, and creating a stronger connection to the Park’s trailhead.
The master plan report was well received by the stakeholders and was successfully adopted by the city council. The plan will become a part of City of Stone Mountain’s application for the RURAL Zone designation, a program that will allow the city to leverage certain tax benefits and incentives in favor of creating business growth, employment, and retail spending
