21 Jun Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta volunteers travel to Columbus to participate in UrbanPlan
KB Advisory Group President Geoff Koski joins volunteers from ULI Atlanta to educate participants on the conversation and compromise that drives development.
Earlier this month, KB Advisory Group President Geoff Koski joined other leaders from Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta and the 2023 Georgia Forward Young Gamechangers to facilitate UrbanPlan in Columbus, Georgia. KB Advisory Group has a long and successful track record in economic development planning for the Columbus Consolidated Government. When it was determined that Tax Allocation Districts (TADs) could be a strategy to help attract new development to redeveloping areas in Columbus, the City chose KB Advisory Group (then Bleakly Advisory Group) to help guide the creation of a TAD program. KB assisted in writing the Redevelopment Plans for all of Columbus’ eight TADs, and continues to remain involved in Columbus, assisting clients in determining the most optimal path for economic development and growth within the city.
KB Advisory Group President Geoff Koski was excited to return to Columbus to participate in the ULI program UrbanPlan, which brings together members of the public and private sectors to help participants understand the complex processes that drive development and shape our built environment.
UrbanPlan simulated the development proposal process, with the Young Gamechangers taking on the role of development teams tasked with responding to a city’s request for proposals. They crafted vision statements for their development projects and considered the impact their projects would have on the community. Equipped with clear visions, the teams dove headfirst into bringing their ideas to life, only to encounter very real dilemmas while attempting to balance fiscal and community needs.
Ultimately, the teams presented their development proposals and discussed the difficulties they faced throughout the exercise. ULI volunteers answered many questions about these obstacles, often echoing the same answer—communication. ULI Atlanta leaders agreed that effective communication among city officials, community groups, and private developers is crucial to creating solutions that benefit communities.