Gwinnett County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S. At its center, the commercial properties at Gwinnett Place serve as a growing focal point for retail, office, shopping, dining and hospitality throughout the entire area. The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) has a lot to do with that success.

Since forming in 2005, the self-taxing Gwinnett Place CID has accelerated redevelopment with initiatives geared toward better infrastructure, security enhancements and economic development. The CID had a busy 2016, completing major projects and promoting expansion of local businesses. Expecting more redevelopment in 2017, and with another expansion of the CID area underway, Gwinnett Place will continue to benefit from upcoming improvements.

The partnership between the CID and the Gwinnett County Department of Transportation yielded major intersection enhancements last year. In December, the CID completed the Pleasant Hill Road at Gwinnett Place Drive project, which will help increase connectivity and improve traffic flow. Intersections along Venture Drive, Club Drive and Pleasant Hill Road are up next. There is nothing worse than an out-of-sync streetlight, and the Gwinnett Place CID will also tackle that challenge in the coming year, launching a re-timing effort for 49 intersections.

While driving through the re-timed, safer Gwinnett streets, residents and visitors will also appreciate the cleanliness of the district. In 2016, the CID removed 36.99 tons of trash and 1,012 illegal signs from the 10 miles of roadway under its management. For pedestrians, new sidewalks installed along Steve Reynolds Boulevard will improve access to residential, business and shopping venues. Gwinnett Place also underwent several streetscaping projects, transforming concrete roadways into lush green spaces. Satellite Boulevard, which began its beautification last year, will enter Phase 2 of the program in 2017.

Improved infrastructure has led to significant economic growth. The Greater Gwinnett Place Opportunity Zone, Gwinnett Place Tax Allocation District and the new Venture Drive Overlay District help attract businesses and promote redevelopment, while major companies flocking to the area, like Hollis Cobb and Kaiser Permanente, will bolster continued expansion. ACTivate Gwinnett Place, a major plan to create future public green spaces and improve travel within the district, will bring further redevelopment and transform the look and feel of the entire district.

The CID now includes 230 commercial properties, each an essential partner in providing project support and funding. In Gwinnett, commercial property owners remain committed to improvement, as the CID pursues a 2017 district boundary expansion. It plans on growing beyond its recent 2016 expansion, which totaled $27M in appraised property value.

It has been a good year for the Gwinnett Place CID, with more improvements on the horizon.

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