Alyssa Davis, Executive Director, Sugarloaf CID
Located in Gwinnett County, the Sugarloaf CID is keen on providing safety and connectivity for its district while prioritizing information sharing throughout the community. In an interview with Focus:, Sugarloaf CID Executive Director Alyssa Davis highlights efforts to improve walkability, the CID’s role in improving connectivity among stakeholders, and plans for the future as the district continues to grow.
What have been the most significant changes for the Sugarloaf CID in the past year?
We have had a lot of interest as well as new development and growth happening in the area. Our focus has been on projects to improve walkability, placemaking, and transit. We have been making improvements to transit to make it easier for people to get here, while at the same time continuing to work on trails to make it easier for people to get around and also incorporating placemaking and public art to make our public infrastructure more attractive and safer.
Considering the CID’s unique mixture of commercial, residential and entertainment space evolved, what new dynamics or trends are currently emerging?
We have the benefit of having a diversity of land uses in our area. It includes office, retail, entertainment, and industrial properties. We have a good mix here. Our district is home to the Gas South District, which is a huge draw for conventions, concerts, and other events. Last year, a new Westin hotel was opened there. They completed a significant renovation and expansion of the convention center and are in the midst of renovating the arena. Seeing all this capital invested in that entertainment district benefits the businesses in the area. This activity has also led to an increase in hotel and apartment development. The ongoing investment in the area is drawing new investment from the private sector.
What factors are shaping the CID’s approach to connectivity, safety, and placemaking?
Last year, Gwinnett County held a referendum to do major transit expansions that did not pass. We have taken the approach of focusing on improving what we have first and improving walkability because it is important for those people that use transit and all the other pedestrians visiting the area. We completed a project where we relocated a bus stop for the Gas South District. We worked with Gwinnett County which put a new shelter for the bus stop. The CID and the Gas South District teamed up to find a local artist to design artistic crosswalks. We installed these artistic crosswalks to connect the bus stop to the Gas South entrance. This is great for people who use transit and the pedestrians walking the area.
What impacts have you seen from the CID’s role in supporting small businesses and connecting them to key resources?
One of the factors we found most successful in building those relationships with small businesses is through our outreach efforts related to security and public safety. We host quarterly meetings with businesses. Many of them are hospitality-focused businesses such as hotels, the Sugarloaf Mills mall, and property managers. This has helped in creating dialogue not only on the security issues in the area but also improved communication about other relevant topics. Additionally, Gwinnett County has invested funds in a real-time crime center, which created an opportunity to bring stakeholders together to connect their security cameras into the real-time crime center. This has been a great outcome of creating those connections.
What is the CID’s approach towards improving safety in the area?
Most of our security efforts focus on Flock safety cameras, which are cloud connected, solar power cameras that the police department has access to. We have 35 of those cameras around our district. The cameras can capture the license plates of people coming and going from the area. For example, if there is a stolen vehicle, every police officer will get an immediate alert. We have had instances where officers get an alert and the car is on the lane next to them. It is about providing the information to the police for them to do their jobs smarter. It is a great resource for the police to have.
What are the top priorities for the CID over the next three to five years?
We are committed to improving transit more incrementally. We are focused on partnerships. We are looking at partnering with Gwinnett County and the neighboring CID, the Gwinnett Place CID, to fund a microtransit zone for the district. This is an on-demand transit service similar to Uber that features a smaller bus which will allow users to go wherever they want to go within the zone. This would be a great benefit for our district.
Many of the trails we are working on are multi-year projects. We recently completed a 37-foot sculpture that serves as the welcome gateway to the district. We see this as the first phase of a wayfinding signage program. This is something we plan to implement more in the coming years to direct people around the district while also creating a sense of place.
