Henry County, in collaboration with the cities of McDonough and Stockbridge, is embarking on a study to formulate a Creative Placemaking Plan for Local Bus Stops. Creative Placemaking intentionally transforms transit stops into community amenities, serving as safe and clean spaces for bus waiting, information hubs, access points for various needs, and platforms for storytelling.

The project is slated for completion within a 12-month timeframe. Throughout this period, the collaborative efforts of creative teams, including Sizemore Group, Atlanta Regional Commission, and Dashboard, will involve community engagement to enhance access to commuter bus stops along the Henry Connect future bus route LB-17. This enhancement will encompass improvements in pedestrian, bicycle, and transportation elements, as well as the activation of public spaces. Furthermore, the plan aims to conceptualize three innovative bus shelters, providing opportunities for creative placemaking.

Sizemore Group creates cultural places and beautiful spaces through innovative, sustainable architecture, planning and interior design. They are a full-service design studio that looks ahead, while rooted by their rich history and experience with people and places. They specialize in every phase of the place-making process, from community-supported planning to beautiful building design, from creative interiors and project management to public engagement.

Their focus and specialty is in large scale development and experiential planning projects that create interactive and memorable experiences for town centers and communities – such as the Smyrna Baseline to connect Cumberland CID to the Atlanta Braves Battery and immersive experiences at Ft. McPherson. They have also designed many notable spaces and places – including portions of Centennial Olympic Park, UGA Medical Partnership Building and Smyrna Town Center – over their 40 years of business.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is one of 12 regional commissions in Georgia established by the Georgia Planning Act to help local governments with community planning. Over the years, ARC’s portfolio has expanded and now includes regional transportation planning, aging services, water resources management, workforce development, and homeland security.

ARC is charged with considering issues from a regional perspective and working with community partners to plan the investments needed to secure a better, brighter future.

Created as a way to reduce vehicle miles traveled and improve air quality, the ARC's Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) is a grant program that incentivizes local jurisdictions to re-envision their communities as vibrant, walkable places that offer increased mobility options, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide improved access to jobs and services.

The Artist Forum was the first public engagement for the project, held on February 27, 2024.

Hosted virtually, the objective of this forum was to share details about the new initiative and see what opportunities exist for creatives to join the conversation.