UGA students redesign downtown Jeffersonville

College students at the University of Georgia are redesigning parts of downtown Jeffersonville for free, as part of the university’s Archway program.

According to the official UGA website, the Archway Partnership “connects UGA faculty with communities across Georgia to turn ideas into impact.”

Students enrolled in the College of Environment & Design partner with local communities like the City of Jeffersonville and Twiggs County to identify areas with “revitalization potential” and design project plans to improve those areas.

Students then present the plans to the community, and from there, the city or county can choose whether or not to move forward with their design.

They do all of this free of charge. Though they don’t receive any official payment for their efforts, students receive school credit, and they can put any of their finished projects on their resume. 

The City of Jeffersonville and Twiggs County is enrolled in the Archway program, and according to joint development authority Executive Director Judy Shirling, this partnership could save the county upwards of $50,000 in project plans.

Because students at UGA complete the plans for free, the city and county don’t have to pay for them by hiring official contractors.

On October 15, Archway representative Heidi Grogger presented Mayor Charles Williams and Councilmembers Joseph Albert and Annie Williams with a Silver Designation plaque for the completion of their first partnership, the redesign of an earthy space in downtown near the post office.

The design included potential redesigns of one Jeffersonville field into a community garden or park, fit with a splashpad, courtyard and a “natural earth walkway.”

The design is just the first of a three-part Twiggs County Downtown & Public Space Design Project that UGA students will design. The other two parts include a stormwater runoff system and medical health and wellness area.

“This project exposed opportunities to strengthen the visual character, functionality, and connectivity of public spaces throughout the community,” said one of the project design posters.