The Locust Grove council has approved hiring an outside consultant to prepare the “Heart of Locust Grove” downtown master plan. This plan will guide the redevelopment of now-city owned property within its downtown area.
Heart of Locust Grove Plan
The “Heart of Locust Grove” downtown plan will cover about eight acres expandable up to 15 acres. The area consists of city-owned property and / or property the city has committed to purchase. A few smaller adjacent tracts are included as well. The land is located to the west of Highway 42, near Peeksville Road. It extends over to Frances Ward Drive.
The new Peeksville Road extension will bisect the area in question. The new road will connect Highway 42 and Frances Ward. The city is waiting on the closing for the last parcel for right of way. When that is complete, then they can bid the project out for construction. Locust Grove received a state grant in summer 2024 to partially pay for the project.
The city accepted proposals for the downtown plan in February. Five land use planning & consulting firms, all located in the Atlanta area, submitted proposals. TSW Design had the highest scoring proposal following the city’s evaluation. They provided a cost to the city of $249,500. The council approved the consultant at the May 5 meeting.
TSW has extensive experience having completed several downtown master plans, and county and city comprehensive plans. Locally, they completed the county’s comprehensive plan update in 2023. They are also working with the county now on a zoning code update.
What is the Plan?
The “Heart of Locust Grove” plan will include a master plan for the area, concept design and schematic design. Here is the city’s official summary:
The City of Locust Grove is seeking a qualified consultant to lead the redevelopment of a key downtown area. This project encompasses over 8 acres, with potential expansion to nearly 15 acres, and aims to transform the area into a dynamic mixed-use development. The selected consultant will work closely with city officials, stakeholders, and the community to develop a comprehensive master plan that includes new retail, restaurant, office, and residential spaces, as well as public spaces that encourage community gathering. Such recent examples in our region include “The Grove at Towne Center” in Snellville, GA; Powder Springs Downtown; Suwanee Town Center; Cumming City Center; New Downtown Fayetteville, GA; and Downtown Duluth, GA just to name a few.
The culmination of this will be a detailed set of drawings and a memorializing document to make necessary changes to the city’s codes to facilitate implementation of the plan and provide a framework for surrounding properties not under municipal control that can develop in a manner complementary to the overall vision for the area.
City of Locust Grove RFP, accessed May 9, 2025.
The plan is expected to take about nine months to complete. If work kicks off this summer, then the plan could be complete by spring 2026. Public meetings and engagement opportunities will be part of the process.
Featured image shows a freight train and Highway 42 in Locust Grove. Henry County photo.
