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Current Projects

Waterfront Lanier Harbor Marina

This new mixed-use development on Lake Lanier in Buford, GA will include 114 townhomes, a small retail node and a marina clubhouse with lakeside dining, pools and fitness center. Located on one of Atlanta's main water sources and one of Georgia's most popular boating and fishing areas, water is an extremely important component of this project, from the standpoint of both conservation and recreation.

Designed as an EarthCraft Community, all site and building development will integrate environmentally sustainable practices. The marina building and fitness center will be a LEED Silver facility. Ecos will provide landscape design services including all hardscape, planting, and community identity features for the development, integrating water conservation practices into the landscape and community. The design will reflect the aesthetics of water as well as water’s importance to the community and the greater Atlanta area.

Through collaboration with the Southface Energy Institute and the EarthCraft Community program, as well as the inclusion of the USGBC LEED rating system, Waterfront Lanier Harbor Marina will serve as a guide to future development and redevelopment for other communities in and around Lake Lanier.

Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area

Recently the Planning Studio at Ecos conducted a two-day collaborative site visit and charrette with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) to develop a Management Evaluation Plan for Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Encompassing 16,386 acres of dramatic terrain in the northwest corner of Georgia, the WMA hosts many natural and cultural features of interest to a wide range of visitors. These rich resources coupled with increased visitation make integrating the expertise of two GDNR divisions—The Wildlife Resources Division and The State Parks and Historic Sites Division—critical in determining effective strategies for access management to limit the environmental impact of both recreational and educational users.

The resulting Management Evaluation Plan will outline six management zones, detailing how future visitation, recreation and management can occur seamlessly in the WMA. The Plan will provide additional guidance for future uses and management while retaining the site’s natural beauty and recreational value.

CHRIS Kids, Inc.

Ecos has been selected to be part of the design team creating a new campus environment for CHRIS Kids, Inc., a non-profit organization providing critical services to children, youth and families for 25 years. They offer free residence and summer programs to homeless children and youth and affordable mental health and substance abuse counseling to local families.

The 2.6 acre project in southeast Atlanta includes renovating existing buildings and constructing a new housing facility, as well as a substance-abuse and mental-health clinic. Ecos will develop a cohesive campus environment, incorporating green technologies and creative stormwater management. The project, currently in the early design stages, will seek LEED certification.