Tear down to build up

The marathon has begun.

Three months after unveiling an ambitious series of concepts to redevelop North Augusta and downtown Augusta -- at a cost of $1.5 billion over 20 years -- the organization behind the master plan continues its work.

In February, a Boston consulting firm released its $2.75 million Westobou Shared Vision Augusta/North Augusta 2009 Master Plan and its nine "market creation projects," encompassing canal-side housing, new parks, an expanded medical district and a Broad Street market. It took a year and interviews with hundreds of residents to come up with the plan.

Next week, Augusta Tomorrow will hold a half-day retreat in Augusta, "where we will have an opportunity to fine-tune our support of the implementation," said Dennis Skelley, the CEO of Walton Rehabilitation Hospital and the chairman of Augusta Tomorrow.

Committees will be formed based around each concept, Mr. Skelley said.

"They would be champions. The next step would be to find community champions to serve on the implementation committees," he said.

At the suggestion of ICON Architecture Inc., the master plan's writer, the Augusta and North Augusta governments adopted the plan.

"There is still a great deal of excitement since sharing the plan," Mr. Skelley said.

Some of the projects already are taking shape, he said, including the expansion of the downtown medical district through the construction of St. Sebastian Way and the upcoming demolition of Underwood Homes in east Augusta.

The master plan includes turning the Sand Bar Ferry surroundings into an expanded boating area and fairgrounds near a mixed-use residential and commercial center.

The demolition on Underwood Homes should begin this fall, and the first phase of mixed-use housing is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2010.

Implementation ideas, and funding ideas, will come from the May 12 retreat.

Augusta is taking steps to get an expanded plan devised for the rest of the city.

"It was rewarding that both communities supported the plan," Mr. Skelley said. "It is outstanding that the city-county commission agreed to support west and south Augusta as a continuance of this plan. That's a great outcome from this first plan."

Reach Tim Rausch at (706) 823-3352 or timothy.rausch@augustachronicle.com.