Writer: Tamara Wolk
Published January 20, 2023
The Catoosa County News
Fort Oglethorpe could be on the verge of a major makeover. It won’t happen overnight, City Manager Molly Huhn says, but the first steps have been taken and regular progress is being made.
With the help of the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the Lyndhurst Foundation and others, the city has developed a 134-page concept plan for its historic district.
The RSVP, or Renaissance Strategic Vision and Plan, tackles the historic district practically street by street with some pretty sleek and classy ideas.
But before going there, let’s start with the city’s new logo, which stands as an inspiration for everything to come. It’s simple, modern, historic and adaptable.
Designed largely by the Carl Vinson Institute, the logo features a giant O at its center. “Fort,” in a just-enough fancy font, sits above and a little inside the O and “Est. 1949” balances the top to the right. Underneath is the full name of the city and state.
That’s the official city logo. To adapt it for the historic district, a horse is jumping through the O, in commemoration of the military fort days when polo was a popular sport on Barnhardt Circle.
The logo has also been adapted in vertical and horizontal designs and for the various city departments. It looks cool on signs, trucks, mugs, T-shirts, hats, and fits nicely just about anywhere else, and will be showing up in different colors.
Many of the changes proposed for the historic district are simple but remarkable in their effect: paint, trees, facade-type changes.
The old library on Barnhardt Circle goes from looking stark and utilitarian to blended and modern with just a paint job.
The city plans to turn it into a Recreation and Leisure Services headquarters.
RSVP includes two ideas regarding the Performance Learning Center on Barnhardt Circle, one simple and one dramatic.
It could be painted to match the old library, giving it a sleeker look.
Or, should the Department of Education be interested in finding a new location for the school, it could be torn down and a stately new city hall built there, instead.
Ideas are included in RSVP for refurbishing ugly old warehouses with huge glass windows and turning them into restaurants with outdoor dining. The idea of a brewery is shown. There are ideas for improving and expanding the Stable 41 Farmers Market that already exists.
Most dramatic of all is a picture of Lafayette Road lined with tress and sporting three-story buildings that could house both businesses and apartments.
Some of RSVP includes things the city envisions bringing to life, but much of it will take private vision and investment, with the city possibly providing incentives. And taxpayers will surely have a say, too.
To see all 134 pages of pictures and plans in RSVP, visit https://fortogov.com/rsvp-4 or drop by City Hall and pick up a print copy.
