The Vision

This proposal creates a broad framework for redevelopment in Downtown Watkinsville with the following principles:

Public spaces, including associated infrastructure, should aim for maximum impact and flexibility to make efficient use of public funds. This was second nature to our ancestors, who realized that a courthouse square was not just the physical address of the seat of government but a vital part of life and commerce in the community.
Civic buildings, which historically have been designed as monuments representing the people, deserve a place of honor in the community.
To make efficient use of public funds, different branches of government, including city, county, and school board, can be housed in one building or cluster of buildings, which reduces duplication of meeting spaces, support areas and staff, and parking.
New civic buildings should be designed with a simple layout and shape, allowing for architectural impact at critical spaces (e.g., entries, Council Chambers, etc.), ease of circulation, and flexibility for functional areas. Many new buildings are so complex that they are very expensive to maintain and difficult to adapt as needs change, which makes the structure---and the public investment---obsolete faster.
The buildings surrounding the Civic Green can take a variety of different forms, but they should be compatible with one another to define the space of the green and house a variety of businesses and housing types.

Plan of Watkinsville