Downtown Clarkesville Scenic Revamp

At one time, Clarkesville was the first Northeast Georgia resort town, with a bustling downtown full of tourists, hotels, beautiful homes, shoppers, and businesspeople. Given the rich fabric of the city’s history, the planning/design team was charged with weaving together the best of the past with the most enlightened practices of the future for strong urbanism and community. These plans create a social and economic value through market-tested planning strategies.

Greek Revival storefronts, streamlined moderne storefronts (historically), and a brutalist courthouse all sit within one intersection. Design created plans for a return to the square as a public green, like Savannah, as well as revamped streetscapes for future implementation that weave all styles seamlessly.

Ensuring the best assets are celebrated to continue creating an authentic sense of place was paramount. The Soque River, Lake Burton, and Moccasin Creek State Park (among others) were interwoven into the innovative plans for green-friendly building, preservation of biodiversity, transportation, tourism/business needs, landscaping and more. Massive renovation of a downtown in an eco-conscious way means incorporating strategic plans for solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, throngs of greenspace and habitat land, and incredible bike/pedestrian systems.