South by Southeast and Southwest

“There are stars in the southern sky, southward as you go…”
– Seven Bridges Road, the Eagles
 
It’s been a never-ending winter here in New England but - being the intrepid and wise souls that we are - the team has been spending much of its time in warmer climates.  This marks a major geographic expansion for NP, expanding into both the Southeast and Texas, in addition to our recent work in the Midwest and Great Plains. Immersing ourselves in these places has enhanced our perspective on who is doing what, what works, and why.  
 
Comprehensive Planning in Montgomery, Alabama:  
 Montgomery (pop 200k) wears many hats - birthplace of the modern civil rights movement, state capital, home to corporations like Hyundai Motor, and the host community for Maxwell Air Force Base – home of the USAF Air University.  One thing strikes you when you drive around Montgomery - the city’s history is palpable. It lives in every building and on every tree-lined street.
 
NP is excited to be part of planningNEXT led team for Envision Montgomery 2040, the City’s first comprehensive planning process in more than 50 years. NP will be responsible for the land use and economic components of the plan. 
 
Entrepreneur & Retail Development in Downtown Macon, Georgia: 
 
Macon (pop 153k) is the urban center for Mid Georgia. It possesses a musical tradition rooted in soul and southern rock and as you walk through the city, you can hear the echoes of musicians; past and present.  Downtown Macon is undergoing a rebirth thanks to the efforts of a number of organizations guided by the Macon Action Plan.
 
NP is working on the next stage of development with a specific focus on a retail enhancement strategy for the downtown. The project is with Macon-Bibb Unified Government, Newtown Macon and is funded by the Knight Foundation.  Using our proprietary approach to retail experience analysis, NP will marry different data sets, interviews, and immersion in the community to identify actions that build upon the work already underway in creating a vibrant destination.
 
Innovation & TOD in Richardson, Texas: 
 
Richardson (pop 100k) is one of the original Dallas-Fort Worth MetroPlex suburbs. Its population is one of the most diverse in north Texas. Because of this diversity it is home to a wide range of authentic ethnic restaurants. On the innovation front, Richardson is best known for its high-tech Telecom Corridor – once the epicenter of the telecom broadband revolution. The city remains a major innovation center with an extensive corporate R&D, cybersecurity & online UX/UI presence and the University of Texas at Dallas– a fast growing, Tier 1 research university.  Most importantly, the UTD football team remains undefeated!  
 
NP is part of an Interface Studio led team that is developing a Transit Oriented Development and Innovation District Plan for a 1,200-acre parcel in this city, centered on the Collins – Arapaho DART Station. NP is providing the innovation activity, economic and real estate analysis for the study. 

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