Canton presents Hickory Flat Highway gateway concept and North Street redevelopment details

City staff presented concept plans on Aug. 7 for two gateway areas that frame Downtown Canton: the Hickory Flat Highway corridor (the primary northern approach) and a North Street redevelopment at the city’s eastern gateway.

Hickory Flat Highway gateway: Miss Watson described a multi‑year concept developed with mobility partners and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). The plan centers on transportation improvements (a roundabout at Hickory Flat Highway and Marietta Road, a replacement bridge over Canton Creek, and additional roundabouts and realignments to control access), new multiuse trails and pedestrian connections, and redevelopment areas with mixed‑use retail, public spaces and trail connections along the river. Staff said the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget awarded the city a $2.2 million grant to help fund pedestrian improvements along Marietta Road. The DDA has purchased the Canton Village Shopping Center as part of an anticipated redevelopment strategy.

North Street gateway and County court annex concept: Mister Ingram presented a revised proposal from Goodwin Mills Caywood (GMC) for professional architectural and engineering services tied to a large redevelopment at North Street. The concept overviews a county court annex (approximate 130,000 square feet across four levels), a mixed‑use building with retail, office and residential components, and an approximately 800‑space parking deck intended to serve both the public and downtown businesses. Ingram said the design is intended to keep the parking structure behind and wrapped by retail and residential uses so the deck is not the primary visual element from the gateway. GMC proposed a fee structure capped against an estimated $70 million project cost; Ingram emphasized the $70 million figure is the total project cost, not the city’s share, and suggested the city/DDA portion would be a smaller amount in negotiations with the county and development partners.

Next steps and timing: Staff said many elements remain conceptual; roundabout locations, right‑of‑way and property impacts will be refined during engineering. Right‑of‑way acquisition, environmental and GDOT processes are lengthy; for projects on state routes, staff said federal and state approval schedules drive timelines and can make construction start dates several years out. Where federal grants are involved, staff noted the city’s 20% local match obligation and that impact fees and other local funds have been identified for some projects. The DDA has approved the Hickory Flat concept; staff will return to council with formal actions as engineering and funding steps advance.