Hull Storey Gibson Companies is a full service retail real estate firm, and they’ve set their sites on improving the Eisenhower Parkway between I-75 west and I-475 as an area that needs attention in Georgia. Part of the motivation for this push is that they see this stretch of Eisenhower Parkway as the “Educational Corridor of Macon” since Middle Georgia State, Central Georgia Technical College, and Virginia College are located along the Corridor which leads to Mercer University’s campus. “All four of these schools are supporting this project and the concept as the Educational Corridor,” says Mark Stevens, Regional Development Officer of Macon Mall, which is owned by Hull Storey Gibson.

The good news for businesses that decide to support this Educational Corridor is that Eisenhower Parkway still remains the most concentrated area of retail sales in Macon with $450 million in annual retail sales. Stevens says, “In recent years, much of the corridor has become fragmented with retail businesses relocating to Houston County or other parts of Bibb County. So, Hull Storey Gibson is taking the lead to create the first ever Business Improvement District in Bibb County.” 

The Hull Storey Gibson team “believes Eisenhower can continue to be a major draw to consumers if properly maintained and will create a beautiful gateway into Macon,” Stevens says. 

They’ve been working with Macon’s local government most of 2014 to create a Business Improvement District or BID, which requires approval from the County Commission. A resolution is expected to be introduced in early 2015 with hopes for the district to be created by July 1, 2015 and approval from the property owners also secured by that date. 

The creation of a BID does require consent from 51% of all property owners or 51% of the total assessed value of the property located in the district. A board consisting of property owners in the district  will be elected to determine how the funds will be spent on the Corridor. Based on the current assessed value and with an increase in taxes of 5 mills of all property in the district, the BID is expected to raise $400K annually for improvements. “For those former city residents, because of the tax rollback in an effort to equalize taxes under the old government structure, those property owners will be paying less taxes with more money going back to the Corridor. The BID does sunset in six years unless approved for an additional 6 years by the property owners and Commission,” Stevens explains. 

The team behind Hull Storey Gibson believes this rebranding of the area as the Educational Corridor of Macon “is important to the citizens of Macon-Bibb because of the sales taxes the Corridor produces to fund the annual county budget along with property taxes.” They note that BID’s also reduce crime and blight, which is a top priority for the city’s current administration.