COVID Can’t Keep Us Down

gateway85.com

COVID CAN'T KEEP US DOWN

While the impact of COVID-19 is being felt by many businesses, employees and residents of Gwinnett County, Gateway85 CID has continued to forge ahead with its projects, plans and studies to ensure we are in the best possible shape once business and life can hopefully return to normal. Several projects were completed since our last update in April, so read below to see the latest.

PROJECT UPDATES

Lighting the Way

Gateway85 CID completed Phase I of the Lighting District along Jimmy Carter Boulevard, including 34 pedestrian lights and 26 streetlights stretching from Brook Hollow Parkway to Live Oak Parkway. Phase II installation of the lighting district will continue in 2020 from Live Oak Parkway to Rockbridge Road, including 26 pedestrian lights and five streetlights.

Jimmy Carter Boulevard On- and Off-Ramp Plans

The CID is in the process of developing a plan to address the turning radius issues at the I-85/Jimmy Carter Boulevard on- and off-ramps. The plan and project is scheduled to be complete by early fall.

Increasing Pedestrian Access

Gateway85 CID is constructing a 1.1-mile-long sidewalk along Dawson Blvd. from Graves Road to McDonough Drive with an expected completion date this fall. Stay tuned!

The CID is in the process of addressing the need for a sidewalk along Live Oak Parkway due to the multiple County bus stops and improving pedestrian and commuter safety. The CID is fully funding this initiative, which has been planned and should be constructed soon. The project will add 2,500 feet of sidewalk connecting the existing sidewalk near Thompson Parkway to Oakbrook Parkway.

Finally, the half-mile sidewalk construction along Britt Rd. is complete. On July 16, Gateway85 participated in a dedication of that sidewalk now called the Davida Baker Sidewalk. See the next story for more details!

Sidewalk Dedication to Davida Baker,
Longtime Pedestrian Advocate

Gateway85 CID recently completed a sidewalk on Britt Road from Old Norcross Tucker Road to the DeKalb County line, with curbs and gutters for added safety. The sidewalk will improve corridor connectivity and provide safer passage for pedestrians.

On Thursday, July 16, the CID joined Commissioner Ben Ku and Gwinnett County Department of Transportation in a dedication ceremony for Davida Baker. From the beginning, Ms. Baker has been an avid supporter of the project when she noticed pedestrians were spilling into the streets due to lack of sufficient sidewalks. She continues to be a stalwart leader in the district as a member of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) Citizens Project Selection Committee (CPSC) to make sure it provides added mobility and safety.

In addition to her continued dedication to public safety, Baker is the founder of Project Kids Eat, an organization created to ensure that children receive breakfast and lunch throughout the summer break when they are not able to receive free or reduced meals from their public school, and her team of volunteers deliver meals to motels throughout Gwinnett County.

In 2012, the United Way Women’s Leadership Council in Gwinnett awarded Baker its Women's Legacy Award in the category of Time. The award recognized her efforts in helping those in the community in need while balancing family, volunteering and career.

The CID and Gwinnett County have benefited greatly from Baker’s unrelenting service. Thank you for all the good work you continue to do for the district!

LAUNCHING DURING A PANDEMIC?
THE HANSON GROUP CREATES A NEW BUSINESS

Who starts a business in the middle of a pandemic? The answer is a company that had the resources to manufacture and distribute a product in high demand – Guardian Hand Sanitizer. Guardian Hand Sanitizer is a woman-owned and operated business in Gwinnett County and the brainchild of Erin Hanson, owner of Guardian Sports and co-president of The Hanson Group, LLC.

What started off as a temporary product line for Guardian Sports during the COVID-19 pandemic has now become a full-fledged business. COVID-19 created a shortage of cleaning supplies including isopropyl alcohol, the primary ingredient in hand sanitizer. Guardian Sports turned to its parent company The Hanson Group - and its research and development lab, to create a solution - literally.

The Hanson Group specializes in high-performance coating systems, while Guardian Sports manufactures sporting equipment. COVID-19 put both businesses in a holding pattern and the Hanson’s turned their resources and attention to hand sanitizer manufacturing, keeping their 75-80 employees in both their Norcross and Colorado locations employed. In order to keep up with demand, the lab installed additional manufacturing equipment, which allowed them to expand the product line to disinfectant sprays and gels. Erin realized that this venture was more than just a temporary product line but was a viable business. Guardian Sports Hand Sanitizer is FDA-certified and surpasses the minimum isopropyl and hydrogen peroxide requirements for cleansers.

They have shipped bulk orders across the U.S. to companies like Pepsico, which purchased more than 200 gallons for its Georgia bottling and distribution centers, and the New York City Police Department. They also offer frontline and essential workers in hospitals, schools and the government with a discount. Their products are available for purchase in wholesale quantities or retail for individuals.

The Hanson Group’s expertise and innovation has created two companies. Guardian Sports benefitted from the development of chemical coatings for sports helmets to help prevent concussions in contact sports and the military, and now through Lee and Erin Hanson’s commitment to the health and safety of others, we have Guardian Sports Hand Sanitizer, and are fortunate to have them in our CID.

TRANSIT IN GWINNETT

While traffic may seem lighter as work from home policies have shifted, and the beginning of school is planning to be virtual (keeping parents at home and cars off the roads), Gwinnett County has been revisiting its plans to offer citizens the opportunity to consider a transit referendum designed to provide commuters with a variety of options. In fact, we learned from Karen Winger, division director of Transit with Gwinnett County, that the current buses and stations are being rigorously cleaned and that the County’s bus system has maintained an 80% ridership level during COVID-19.

We will continue to keep you informed regarding the November referendum so that you can be educated when you mail your absentee ballot or step into the polling booth.

BRT Needs Your Input

Want to provide input into the Satellite Boulevard to Jimmy Carter Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study? Take the survey now to help the team prioritize the study’s guiding principles, which will shape the study’s framework and recommendations, as well as to provide input on visual preferences along the corridor.

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY

WEBINAR: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
AND THE CORONAVIRUS

Community Improvement Districts have taken on new roles and worked harder than ever to keep communities unified during the uncertainty of the Coronavirus pandemic. Join our Executive Director Emory Morsberger for a Bisnow webinar on July 30th to find out exactly how the CIDs have been affected. He'll be joined by Lexicon Strategies Partner Malaika Rivers to discuss how the role of CIDs has permanently changed. Find out more and register here.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

MID-YEAR ECONOMIC UPDATE FROM GWINNETT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Gwinnett Chamber recently hosted Dr. Alfie Meek, director of the Center for Economic Development Services at the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI²), for a mid-year economic update including a discussion on the impact of COVID-19. Dr. Meek noted that while the virus is still growing, deaths have dramatically decreased for those testing positive under the age of 55.

How will things change? He predicted new tactics will be needed to re-engage consumers back to brick and mortar stores, more employees will telework, commercial real estate value will likely decrease and added regulatory changes will take place, like temperature testing. To view the entire presentation, please click here.

WATCH THE PRESENTAITON

BUSINESS SAFETY LEGISLATION

Gateway85 CID also supported the Georgia COVID-19 Business Safety Act to protect businesses from being held liable for a specific set of COVID-19 related claims from patients contracting the virus at a place of business. The Georgia General Assembly approved the Act at the end of its 2020 legislative session and the bill should be signed into law by August. Learn more about the legislation here.