Over the past few years, development has been increasing around downtown Macon, especially areas near Poplar Street.
In 2015, one group announced they were planning to build a multi-million-dollar 'mixed use' development, which would include restaurants, a hotel, and retail shops. 13 Investigates the status of that project.
On Poplar Street, you'll find people enjoying the downtown scene, new green spaces, and new parking meters. You'll also find empty storefronts, vandalized windows, and piles of trash, but it's an area people are slowly beginning to invest in.
"Poplar is going to be the next booming street in downtown Macon," says Lee Clack, who owns Kudzu Seafood Company. "We're a Gulf Coast-style seafood place. I feel like we're the best seafood in town."
Located at 3rd Street and Poplar, his restaurant is only 1,400 square feet and seats just 45 people.
"Basically what we've done is bring the Gulf Coast to Middle Georgia," says Clack.
And soon, Clack will be expanding by taking his restaurant across Poplar Street.
Construction crews are working on building four new restaurants and about a dozen new lofts on the south end of Poplar. That's just down the block from where Miller Heath with MMI Capital, LLC says he's planning to build "Central City Commons," a $50 million "mixed use" development we first reported on in 2015.
That project was put on hold last year when Heath ran into some issues with old stormwater drains and pipes.
Alex Morrison with the Urban Development Authority sent WMAZ an email statement that says the pipes still haven't been replaced, but the UDA, County Engineering Department, and Water Authority worked together to find a "solution" for the Central City Commons project.
Morrison would not go into details, but says a minimal amount of SPLOST dollars will be used to fix the problem, saving taxpayers money.
By phone, Heath told WMAZ the Central City Commons project is "still happening." He says the old drainage pipes and a "structural redesign" delayed crews from breaking ground. He also declined going into further detail, explaining that he was in the middle of contract negotiations.
Back over at Kudzu, Clack says he's anxious for his new space to be complete, and he expects his restaurant and the other businesses coming to Poplar will continue revitalizing downtown.
"It's such a beautiful avenue and such a wide street that it just warrants more activity," says Clack.
Clack says he hopes to open his new Kudzu location on Poplar by the end of the year.