Auburn, Ga: Small town has big future plans

News

PHOTOS: The small city is in the midst of expanding its downtown area with a new municipal complex and hundreds of homes to keep up with growth.

Auburn, split by railroad tracks running parallel to U.S. 29/Ga. 8, sits on the edge of Barrow and Gwinnett counties. Its historic downtown area to the north pays homage to its railroad history with a bright, red caboose. Fewer than 8,000 residents currently call Auburn home, but that number will double in less than five years based on the new number of homes being built, according to Mayor Linda Blechinger. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

This is the site plan for Auburn’s new municipal complex, which will be surrounded by Harmony, a mix of hundreds of single-family homes and townhomes. (Courtesy City of Auburn, GA)

The Whistlestop Shops in Auburn opened about five years ago. Small businesses can rent one of the tiny cottages from the city and set up shop while paying low rents. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

Hawa Davis, owner of M5:16, stands outside her store at the Whistlestop Shops on 4th Avenue in Auburn. She says she welcomes newcomers to the town and believes growth will benefit local businesses. “People always say I live in the country; well, I tell them it’s peaceful,” Davis says. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

R.H. Burel Park, located on 4th Avenue in front of City Hall and much of Auburn's historic downtown, includes a gazebo overlooking the railroad tracks. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

Auburn is "like an updated Norman Rockwell village,” said Mayor Linda Blechinger, who took office in 2005. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

The current Auburn City Hall will also see big changes. The city expects to open its new $8.5 million municipal complex by the end of next year. The 33,000-square-foot building off U.S. 29/Ga. 8 near Auburn Elementary School will house both city staff and the police department. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

On-site work has begun on downtown Auburn’s new Municipal Complex and infrastructure. (Courtesy City of Auburn, GA)

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Auburn, split by railroad tracks running parallel to U.S. 29/Ga. 8, sits on the edge of Barrow and Gwinnett counties. Its historic downtown area to the north pays homage to its railroad history with a bright, red caboose. Fewer than 8,000 residents currently call Auburn home, but that number will double in less than five years based on the new number of homes being built, according to Mayor Linda Blechinger. (Tyler Wilkins / tyler.wilkins@ajc.com)

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