During their Committee Meeting this month, Commissioners went on a tour of the Macon Mall led by Director of Planning & Public Spaces Alex Morrison. Reporters and staff also joined as they saw updates of the new outdoor amphitheater being built at the Macon Mall. Words that seemed to ring true as people nodded heads while standing in front of the VIP suites, looking at the stage, and saying things like:
“This is a real nice view with a clear view.”
“This feels much smaller than I imagined from the pictures.”
“It’s obvious a lot of people will be able to get in here.”
“People are really going to enjoy a show here.”
The group was taking a tour of several new or renovated facilities on Tuesday, May 9. The amphitheater, of course, was the most awe inspiring. They came into the construction site as if they were coming to a real show, so walking out through the vomitory and then going up the “lawn” to the top to get the full scope.
“We wanted to give you – besides an inside look of the construction – a sense of our new amphitheater’s scope and size, to give you the feeling of what it will be like to see a show here,” said Mayor Miller. “This is going to help change everything out there and will be the leader in even more revitalization and private investment along the Eisenhower Corridor.”
“It was surreal and unbelievable what has happened the last few years out here,” says District 9 Commissioner Al Tillman. “This Mayor and Commission have a creative vision that will be a catalyst for this entire area.”
While there, the group toured the new office space being created in the Macon Mall, from the the Board of Elections, Superior Court courtrooms, Planning & Zoning, Safebuilt, library space, and more.
“We expect the Board of Elections offices to become a national leader because when the line gets long during early voting, people will be waiting inside. There won’t be images of the people we serve having to brave the elements to vote,” said Mayor Miller.
A tour of new office space was given at the departments and agencies now located in the old IBM building at 688 Walnut Street. That includes the Tax Assessors’ Office, Economic & Community Development, Civil Court Sheriff, Small Business Affairs, Land Bank Authority, and Home First.
“We are so excited to be in the new offices,” says Tax Assessor Andrea Crutchfield. “We’re now centrally located downtown and have more parking for people who need to do business or meet with us. The offices themselves are better for our employees with more space, lighting, and areas to work together.”