Mayor LaRhonda Patrick paints a lively picture of the city’s essence.“Warner Robins is the 11th largest city in the state of Georgia,” she notes. The community is notably diverse, with a rich mix of ethnicities contributing to its cultural fabric. “It’s a very nice place to raise families,” she adds, highlighting the city’s excellent school systems and well-paying jobs. Spanning two counties—Houston and Peach—Warner Robins continues to develop at a remarkable pace. The Director of Community and Economic Development, Kate Hogan, further elaborates on the city’s strengths. She echoes Mayor Patrick’s sentiment about the community’s vibrancy and the city’s strategic advantages. “We are a vibrant community with leading global companies and investments,” she remarks. The city boasts a robust defense sector, primarily due to Robins Air Force Base and associated defense contractors, which employ around 24,000 people. The city’s demographic growth has been impressive. “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in our population from 2010 to 2022, about 23%,” Hogan states. This population boom demonstrates the city’s appeal and the opportunities it presents to residents and businesses alike. REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN WARNER ROBINS Warner Robins is actively working to transform its downtown district, through Operation ReAwaken, a central part of the city’s redevelopment strategy, which aims to create a vibrant downtown area from the ground up. Mayor Patrick highlights the importance of this initiative, stating, “Currently, one of the biggest initiatives during my administration has been to redevelop our downtown district, which includes our historic Commercial Circle.” She notes the city’s significant progress: “In the last two and a half years, the city went from owning less than an acre of the Commercial Circle area to now controlling approximately 12 acres.” Hogan shares additional details about the vision for the downtown area, aligning with the theme of economic resiliency. “As Mayor Patrick indicated, it 129 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 09 WARNER ROBINS, GA
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