incorporate new retail, civic spaces, and potentially a new city hall,” he shares. In addition to modernizing downtown, Mableton is also preserving its historical legacy.The mayor highlights the original grid layout of historic Mableton, which still exists in some areas, along with a few original buildings like the Barnes Hardware store. “We want to keep that intact, and we’re working to revive the historic Mableton area,” he says. Mableton is forming a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to guide these efforts, which will play a key role in shaping the city’s growth. Mayor Owens also touches on the city’s broader economic development goals, which include establishing a required by the state, sets the foundation for future growth, with special attention given to creating a vibrant downtown. “There’s a pretty defined area when we talk about downtown Mableton,” he says, noting that one focus will be on making the space more recognizable. “Right now, people don’t know when they’re entering Mableton, much less the downtown area.” At the core of this vision is what Mayor Owens calls the “Center City,” located at Floyd Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway.This area will be transformed into a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use space that combines Mableton’s historical roots with modern amenities. “We’re looking at building out our Center City to 165 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 11 MABLETON, GA
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