MACON, Ga. — EDITOR'S NOTE: This story originally incorrectly stated that the Newman building on Poplar Street will be replace as part of the Gateway 75 project. It will not. Also, the Gateway 75 is not connected to the $89 million Central City Commons project proposed for Poplar, although both projects include parking garages.
The Bibb County Commission voted Monday to update construction plans for an additional housing and parking project planned for downtown Macon.
Developer Gateway 75 will remove an alleyway behind City Hall to make room for housing and a parking deck.
This is the second project moving forward that will include parking decks, to make more parking available in downtown Macon.
The other one is the $89 million Central City Commons project still in the works for Poplar Street that will also include parking, shopping and housing in an effort to grow downtown Macon.
As previously reported, developers will use about $18 million in bonds to build the Central City Commons garage, but they'll also enter a PILOT agreement with the county.
PILOT stands for 'Payment In Lieu Of Taxes,' meaning there are no loans involved.
Local businesses located on Poplar and First Street are hopeful the new additions will resolve challenges with parking for customers.
Julie Wilkerson with Macon Arts Alliance says she loves the location of their gallery off of First Street, but it can come with its challenges.
"We're really sort of the edge of retail and restaurants downtown, so maybe that puts the street at a disadvantage," Wilkerson said. "I think that this little section of First Street and Cotton Avenue has a lot of creativity to offer."
She and other business owners also hope these updates boost foot traffic for their storefronts.
"It's exciting to me that the county is now discussing that hotel, again," Wilkerson said. "Anything that brings foot traffic up this way to the businesses on this street, I think is good."
Urban Development Authority Executive Director Alex Morrison says big projects like these take time, but he hopes it will help connect the medical district with the downtown area.
"This will actually eliminate one of the walkability factors, a giant vacant parking lot in the 'in-between,' but it will also add new residents, " Morrison said. "So, you're going to have over 100 new residents moving into these as well as adding a significant boost in publicly available parking."