If there’s one thing people said they wanted in Braselton’s town green, it was an interactive water fountain — similar to a popular attraction at Suwanee’s town center park.
And the architects working on the Braselton Town Green presented its proposed master plan on Monday that shows an interactive water fountain — along with a host of other amenities.
But can the town afford it all?
The two firms working on the town green — Mulkey Engineers and Consultants, and the firm jB+a, inc. — estimate that building everything shown on the recently-unveiled design will cost “upwards of $3 million.”
Braselton has $1.6 million in a state transportation grant, sales tax revenue and its Urban Redevelopment Agency bonds available for the project. The town council could also decide to earmark its Jackson County sales tax revenue — estimated to reach $1.1 million by the time collection stops in June 2017 — for its town green. The current sales tax program started collecting revenue in July 2011.
Steve Provost of jB+a said the master plan is a “grand vision” for the Braselton Town Green that includes both short term and long term ideas.
“The purpose of a master plan is to create a vision for how this space is to be used long term,” Provost said. “So that whatever you build first — if it’s done in phases — doesn’t get in the way of your original (plans) in the future.”
Architects, he explained, will outline potential uses of a site and provide cost estimates for the project. Provost said Braselton town officials may decide to build the town green in phases, although that hasn’t been previously discussed.
Braselton will build its town green in front of the town-owned Braselton Brothers Store complex — located at the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 53 and the former Ga. Hwy. 124. That portion of Ga. Hwy. 124 was recently realigned to the rear of the historic store and is called Davis Street.
Braselton officials have been planning for a town green for about a decade — with the project hinging on the realignment of Ga. Hwy. 124 to the rear of the store complex. Now that that project is completed, Braselton is designing its town green.
And what the architects proposed on Monday is a town green that is not only pedestrian friendly, but still accommodating for the businesses located in the Braselton Brothers Store complex, as well. It will also allow Braselton to close vehicular access to the town green for special events — such as concerts, movie screenings and other public gatherings.
“The whole intention is for this site to be flexible as possible so that on a day-to-day basis, it can function as a place that people move through as they come to for businesses here or they come to for a short lunch or get together with some people (or) they may want to bring kids here for a couple of hours,” Provost said.
Architects started with three concept plans and asked for the opinions of citizens and business owners in the store complex. The firms also got plenty of responses in an online survey.
From those comments, architects tweaked the concepts and presented a proposed master plan to the Braselton Town Council on Monday. An interactive water fountain that children may play in is one of the key pieces of the project.
“That was a popular feature that a lot of people asked for,” said Provost, who also designed the interactive water fountains at Suwanee Town Center — a public-private venture that includes an amphitheater, retail shops, residential units, parking and open space.
For the Braselton Town Green, architects proposed a small event pavilion behind the interactive water fountain — which may be turned off for performances. That area will also include seating that will serve both the amphitheater and interactive water fountain.
At interactive water fountains in other cities, many guests enjoy seating and watching their children play or “people watching,” Provost said. Braselton’s interactive water fountain will be located next to an area with trees that will include tables and chairs for picnics.
Across from the interactive water fountain will be an open, 0.60-acre lawn that may accommodate guests for outdoor movies, concerts and festivals. A restroom and concession facility is planned near the interactive water fountain.
Another seating area for the amphitheater will be located across the open lawn. That seating area will be covered with a “signature trellis shade structure,” according to plans.
In front of the Braselton Brothers Store, the architects are proposing a low wall that may accommodate people who want to sit. It will also include an ornamental fountain surrounded by a paved plaza with shade-covered terraced seating. The plaza may double as a parking area with 16 spaces or be closed with a gate for special events.
Along the former path of old Ga. Hwy. 124 — next to Gwinnett Clinic — the architects have designed a one-way street in which vehicles may enter through Ga. Hwy. 53 and exit at Davis Street. That street may accommodate 17 parallel parking spaces.
The plans call for revamping a new parking lot to allow for 32 parking spaces off Davis Street. Behind the store, the town green will include another paved plaza area with a gathering space that will feature seating walls.
In addition, the master plan shows two areas along Davis Street that can be designed for nine parking spaces each. Overall, 83 parking spaces are included in the plans.
With the Braselton Town Green potentially bringing more special events and businesses downtown, council members discussed earlier this year their options for more parking in the area. At the time, one of the proposals included a parking deck near the town green.
Town manager Jennifer Dees said the council budgeted a parking and transportation study for downtown this fiscal year.
Even after the recent realignment of Ga. Hwy. 124 to the rear of the Braselton Brothers Store, town officials still have plenty of work ahead to revitalize downtown.
Those plans include a streetscape project that will install new streetlights, sidewalks and other amenities in downtown, along with a potential amphitheater. Dees said Tuesday a separate amphitheater in downtown Braselton may not be in the works, if the town council decides that the town green will serve that purpose.
—Kerri Testement
You can also view the Braselton Town Green preliminary master plan on The Braselton News' Facebook page.
