Every five years, NewTown Macon embarks on a new chapter. We create a fresh strategic plan—a roadmap that guides our revitalization efforts in downtown Macon. This plan becomes the compass that leads our work, aligning resources and setting ambitious goals.
With each plan, we rally our public and private partners around a shared vision. Together, we commit to leveraging our collective resources to breathe life into every corner of downtown. The plan ensures our actions are strategic, focused, and impactful. As we shape the plan, strategies are carefully matched with available resources. It becomes a framework for progress, allowing us to measure milestones and adjust our course along the way. It serves as a beacon of hope, driving our determination to reverse decline and revitalize our historic city center.
The latest chapter began on July 1, 2022, with the launch of our most ambitious strategic plan yet. We embarked on a journey spanning the next five years, accelerating downtown Macon's revitalization. Together, we'll write a new narrative—a story of growth, vibrancy, and community pride.
2022-2027
Strategic Plan
Our current strategic plan correlates with our 2022-2027 capital campaign. This five-year plan builds upon the goals for downtown revitalization in the original Macon Action Plan and MAP 2.0 and sets the course for leveraging Macon’s distinctly local assets into a five-year work plan for our Board and Staff. With your investment, we promise to deliver measurable progress for downtown revitalization.
Strategic Plan Report Card
Each year, we publish a Strategic Plan Report Card in our annual report to track our success and to show what we have left to accomplish.
Previous Reports
Campaigns
At NewTown Macon, we operate on a five-year capital campaign model, which demonstrates our growth and sustainability. With each campaign, we delve into research, measure progress, and evaluate benchmarks to streamline our efforts and focus on key priorities. Our campaigns are launched with a primary objective—to harness the immense economic and cultural benefits that lie within downtown Macon and transform them into a tangible reality.
Through capital campaigns, we establish a self-sustaining infrastructure that supports downtown as an economic engine and cultural hub for all of Central Georgia. These campaigns enable us to leverage the latent potential of our region, unlocking its power to drive growth and prosperity. By adopting this strategic approach, we ensure that our efforts have a lasting and transformative impact on downtown and the surrounding community.
As we embark on each new campaign, we are committed to maximizing the potential of downtown Macon, capitalizing on its unique strengths, and creating a vibrant environment where businesses thrive and culture flourishes.
Leveraging Local Campaign
NewTown’s last campaign, Building on Progress, challenged Macon to dream bigger. Between 2017 and 2022, downtown Macon’s success was cemented in the mind of the public and the revitalization of downtown became a certainty, rather than a question. The Leveraging Local campaign builds upon NewTown’s first 25 years of success, and downtown’s newfound confidence, to accelerate the growth of downtown Macon with a focus on investing in local entrepreneurs and real estate developers.
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Originate and close $22.5 million in real estate and small business loans
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Increase the net number of black-owned businesses to 53 and proportion of black-owned businesses from 18% to 30%
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Convert 20 renting entrepreneurs into real estate owners in downtown
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Deliver at least 200 new hotels rooms in at least two new hotels to market
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Fulfill the vision for the original Ocmulgee Heritage Tail master plan
Consider investing to assist us in meeting our goals by making a gift today!
Building on Progress Campaign
After twenty years of leading the charge for a completely revitalized urban core, NewTown plans to continue to build an economic empire in downtown Macon. This work is desirable, necessary, and possible with the commencement of our new five-year capital campaign, Building on Progress.
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Invest at least $5 million in loans for real estate development
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Increase walkability by investing in pedestrian safety and activating public spaces
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Plan, fund, and construct several enticing connections from the existing Ocmulgee Heritage Trail network
Focused on the Future Campaign
NewTown hired the Middle Georgia Regional Commission to assess downtown’s strengths and opportunities, analyze the capacity of partner organizations to manage revitalization projects, and solicit community feedback on downtown’s future. The process resulted in an exciting new strategic direction. This plan focused on a block-by-block approach to adding residents and businesses and creative ways of leveraging capital to reinvigorate downtown’s revitalization.
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Added over 125 housing units
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Maintained 85% occupancy rates in existing housing developments
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Achieved an 85% occupancy rate in new housing developments within two years of opening
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Increased commercial occupancy rates in the target areas by 25%
Welcome Home Campaign
The Welcome Home campaign sought to aggressively promote the historical beauty and reputation of Macon. Through a host of initiatives and a cohesive plan, NewTown looked to combine several facets of Macon’s current infrastructure, tourism, and old town charm with a modern agenda of growth.
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Netted 61 new businesses
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Leveraged over $135 million in restoration or construction
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Assisted the City to establish three Tax Allocation Districts
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Renovated Terminal Station and constructed a bus transfer station
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Constructed Cherry Street Plaza
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Secured a $5.5 million federal grant to construct pavilions, canoe and boat launches, trails, and playground at Amerson River Park
Community Challenge Campaign
In 1999, NewTown Macon launched the Community Challenge Campaign with $6 million in challenge grants from the Peyton Anderson and Robert W. Woodruff foundations. In 2002, NewTown completed the unprecedented $36 million campaign, with $14 million from the private sector and $22 million in pledges from public agencies, and the organization also began a record investment in downtown revitalization projects.
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Purchased the Cox Capitol Theatre leading to a $1.2 million renovation
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Enticed 26 enterprises downtown and added over 100 jobs
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Assisted the City to establish three Tax Allocation Districts
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Constructed over nine miles of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail