Cooper Carry's Urban Design + Planning Brochure-2026 by Cooper Carry

URBAN DESIGN + PLANNING

COOPER CARRY

Since 1960, Cooper Carry has been dedicated to designing spaces that connect people to place. Inspired by our founder, Jerry Cooper, we approach every project with curiosity—asking the right questions to uncover the best solutions for our clients and the communities they serve. Our leadership team consists of both advocates and experts, empowered by decades of experience to shape environments that prioritize placemaking, civic space, and the well-being of communities, tenants, residents, and visitors.

Cooper Carry’s Mixed-Use Ecosystem

Ecosystems bring many diverse contributors together to create something far beyond the capacity of one. They create and capture new and greater value. At Cooper Carry, we approach our work as a collaborative ecosystem. We have multiple studios and services that mix and match daily to provide each project the depth of expertise it needs to meet business objectives. Our breadth of experience goes far beyond broad building types. We offer a deeper level of expertise, engaging in more possibilities and offering more creative solutions. The mixed-use ecosystem allows us to help our clients create the platform on which tenants and target audiences can flourish.

The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Urban Design + Planning

We design places that bring people together.

Cooper Carry’s Urban Design + Planning Studio leads transformative planning efforts that shape how people connect, to place, to purpose, and to one another.

As public realm advocates, we focus on the spaces between buildings as much as the buildings themselves, crafting walkable, vibrant, and resilient communities.

Our studio combines the expertise of planners, urban designers, architects, experiential graphic designers, and brand strategists to establish the foundation for successful places. We aim to balance a visionary design approach with practical economic and civic considerations.

We collaborate with cities, developers, and nonprofit organizations to develop master plans that are innovative, achievable, and deeply rooted in community values. From historic towns to rapidly growing areas, we design frameworks that unlock opportunities, reflect local identities, and support long-term growth.

From Vision to Implementation

We help communities and development partners move from vision to action. Our work focuses on translating ideas into clear frameworks, design guidelines, and phased strategies that can be adopted, funded, and built.

We prioritize clarity at key decision points— aligning vision, policy, market realities, and community priorities to support realistic next steps. Design guidelines and urban design manuals are central to this approach, providing shared direction that bridges planning and implementation. Community engagement informs this work by shaping decisions and strengthening outcomes. Engagement is intentionally scoped to support guidelines, frameworks, and implementation— not to exist as an end in itself. Our goal is to help clients move forward with confidence.

Engagement that Leads to Action

Community engagement is central to how we work — not as an end in itself, but as a means to create clarity, trust, and implementable outcomes.

We design engagement processes to:

• Surface local knowledge and priorities

• Test ideas early and responsibly

• Build shared understanding among stakeholders

• Support adoption, funding, and long-term implementation

Our approach emphasizes focus over volume. Engagement is carefully scoped and aligned with decision points, ensuring that what we hear directly informs design guidelines, implementation frameworks, and next steps— translating community input into tools that could be adopted and used over time.

As we look ahead, we are applying this same approach to new projects, using engagement to strengthen outcomes, reduce risk, and support action.

From Neighborhoods to Cities

Our approach is consistent across scales. Whether working at the level of a neighborhood, district, or city, we apply the same disciplined thinking—adapting tools to context while maintaining a focus on clarity and implementation.

Neighborhood: Where daily life happens.

Our neighborhood plans focus on walkability, vibrant public spaces, and authentic character—whether revitalizing a historic block or shaping a new mixed-use hub.

District: Connecting assets into a cohesive whole.

District planning transforms fragmented areas into unified, people-centered environments. We align stakeholders around a shared vision, weaving together housing, retail, transit, and civic spaces to create destinations that thrive.

Citywide: Shaping the future at scale.

Citywide plans chart long-term strategies for growth, equity, and resilience. We guide policy, infrastructure, and investment with a unifying framework that reflects community values and prepares for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Context-sensitive guidance that supports incremental reinvestment and placebased improvement. Tools: design guidelines, site strategies, targeted implementation actions.

Structured frameworks to coordinate growth, infrastructure, and redevelopment across complex areas. Tools: district frameworks, design guidelines, phasing strategies.

Citywide frameworks that align vision, policy, and longterm implementation. Tools: comprehensive strategies, citywide design guidance, implementation plans.

Case Study

Eastern Wharf Master Plan

Eastern Wharf transforms a historic industrial waterfront into a new mixed-use district defined by character, connectivity, and a strong sense of place. Our work shaped the overall vision and architectural pattern book that translates intent into buildable direction, supporting phased implementation across a complex redevelopment site.

By pairing aspirational urban design with clear standards and frameworks, the project provides both flexibility and predictability—allowing the district to evolve while preserving a coherent identity as development progresses.

Private Waterfront Redevelopment

Eastern Wharf Master Plan

SAVANNAH, GA

Scale

56 Acres

Role

Master Planning

Architecture Pattern Book

Urban Design Framework

Architecture

Status

Multiphase Redevelopment with Completed Built Work

Framework Guiding Ongoing

Private Investment

Client Partners

Regent Partners

Mariner Group

Design Guidelines

To ensure Eastern Wharf feels authentically Savannah, Cooper Carry developed an Architecture Pattern Book grounded in the city’s historic character. The guidelines draw from Savannah’s urban fabric—its squares, human-scale streets, and material palette—to shape massing, scale, and public realm relationships.

This framework guides new development to reflect Savannah’s legacy while supporting a vibrant, modern riverfront district.

Use your phone’s camera to view the full document.

SAVANNAH RIVER LANDING PATTERN BOOK

�orth �le�a�on of Broughton Street Between Montgomery Street and Jeﬀerson Street

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Implementation

Eastern Wharf demonstrates how clear vision and disciplined design guidance can support long-term redevelopment without sacrificing flexibility.

Capitol View Master Plan

Once an underutilized industrial brownfield in Nashville’s North Gulch, Capitol View is now a thriving 32-acre mixeduse district that connects people to work, leisure, and community life within walking distance of downtown.

Our work established a comprehensive urban vision supported by a master plan and design guidelines that integrate office, residential, retail, hotel, and open space into a cohesive, walkable framework. A connected street grid—anchored by a lively main street and festival corridor— creates a clear structure for development while linking directly to the Nashville Greenways and the city’s expanding trail system.

The master plan and guidelines provided a shared framework that enabled phased private investment to proceed with confidence, supporting multiple development partners while maintaining a consistent district identity over time.

Private Mixed-Use Redevelopment

Capitol View Master Plan

NASHVILLE, TN

Scale

32 Acres

Role

Master Planning + Design Guidelines

Urban Design Framework

Architecture + Interior Design

Experiential Graphic Design

Status

Multi-Phase Mixed-Use District with Completed and Ongoing Built Work

Recognition

ICSC Global Design & Development Awards, New Developments Mixed-Use Projects, Gold

ULI Nashville Excellence in Development Award

Best of Nashville, 500 11th Ave N.,

Best New Office Building

Client Partners

Boyle Investment Company + Northwood Ravin

NELSON MERRY STREET

Design Guidelines

Nelson Merry Street Guidelines - ‘Fes val’ Street

To guide long-term development in Capitol View, Cooper Carry created Design Guidelines that translate a shared district vision into clear, buildable direction. Grounded in Nashville’s character, the framework establishes standards for walkability, public space, architecture, and mobility—supporting phased development while maintaining a cohesive district identity over time.

Nelson Merry Street is the ‘Fes val Street’ of the Capitol View. Buildings shall address the street with ac ve uses at ground level; par cularly 1/2 block east and west from the 11th Avenue intersec on. Servicing of buildings is discouraged in this zone. Specialty paving and a cohesive paving pa ern is encouraged along this street and within adjacent public plaza to help unify the ground plane. An 8’ clear zone for pedestrians must be maintained along the en re corridor. Parallel parking is required where possible but should not be allowed during special events. Fes val ligh ng across the street adds ambiance to the street and must be high enough to allow emergency vehicles to move through. The far east and west ends of the street will be designed with a more typical street and sidewalk treatment.

11TH AVENUE

Use your phone’s camera to view the full document.

NELSON MERRY STREET - ‘FESTIVAL’ STREET

NELSON MERRY STREET

Delivered a phased mixed-use district integrating office, retail, residential, and hospitality within a structured public realm and coordinated street network. Implementation

Springline at District 60

Springline at District 60 is Chesterfield County’s newest mixed-use destination, envisioned as a walkable urban village where people can live, work, and gather. Our work established a clear urban framework that balances everyday calm with moments of activity—creating a place people drive to, not through.

Wide, tree-lined streets, connected trails, structured parking, and Celebration Park form the backbone of the plan, supporting a mix of residential, office, retail, hospitality, and civic uses. Anchored by dining, entertainment, and an ice complex, the district blends active public spaces with a cohesive, human-scaled environment. The framework aligns placemaking, branding, and development structure— supporting phased implementation while maintaining a strong, recognizable identity as the district evolves.

Private Mixed-Use Redevelopment

Springline at District 60

CHESTERFIELD, VA

Scale

21-Acre Mixed-Use District

Role

Master Planning

Urban Design Framework

Architecture

Branding Status

Multi-Phase Mixed-Use Redevelopment with Ongoing and Planned Built Work

Client Partners

Timmons Group

Chesterfield County

Shamin Hotels

Framework Design Vision

The Springline vision establishes a structured yet flexible framework that organizes growth around distinct districts—a mixed-use core, residential neighborhoods, a commercial node, and health/hospitality focused destinations—each connected through a public realm.

Guiding principles prioritize density, multi-generational housing, and active ground-floor engagement, while leveraging existing greenways and future bridge connections to strengthen regional access. The result is a phased, adaptable plan that reinforces identity, enhances connectivity, and positions Springline as a recognizable gateway for Chesterfield County.

Use your phone’s camera to view the full document.

Implementation Springline Branding

Cooper Carry’s Branding Studio created the identity for Springline at District 60, celebrating Chesterfield County’s historic springs. The modern logotype and minimalist mark symbolize flowing water, while a vibrant color palette reflects the community’s energy and optimism.

Anchoring Celebration Park, the 11-story Hilton includes 274 guestrooms and 34,000 SF of meeting space. Ground-floor dining and rooftop amenities—pool, fitness, and sky lounge—offer vibrant, indoor-outdoor experiences with views of downtown Richmond. Implementation

Springline Hilton Hotel

Deerfield Implementation Plan

Cooper Carry partnered with the City of Milton

to advance the Deerfield Master Plan through a corridor-focused Implementation Plan that defines clear, actionable next steps. As Milton’s commercial core, Deerfield is planned to evolve with a mix of uses, walkable connections, and a strong sense of place that reflects the city’s rural character.

The plan establishes a clear framework for public investment and private redevelopment, prioritizing vibrant streets, high-quality public spaces, and multimodal connections. Targeted community engagement informed key decisions, resulting in an adopted Urban Design Manual and Form-Based Code that provide lasting guidance for coordinated redevelopment and implementation.

Public-Sector Implementation Planning

Deerfield Implementation Plan

MILTON, GA

Scale

500-Acre Corridor-Focused District

Role

Urban Design Framework

Urban Design Manual + Form-Based Code

Implementation Strategy

Targeted Community Engagement

Status

Implementation Plan and Urban Design Manual

Formally Adopted to Guide Future Redevelopment

Adopted Tools Guiding Corridor-Scale

Redevelopment and Connectivity

Client

City of Milton, Georgia

Urban Design Manual DESTINATION

The Deerfield Urban Design Manual translates community priorities into clear, adopted standards that support implementation and coordinated corridor redevelopment.

URBAN DESIGN MANUAL 05/19/2025

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Case Study Atlanta’s Westside Story

The Westside Story reflects a long-term, place-based approach to reinvestment in Atlanta’s historic Westside neighborhoods. Invest Atlanta engaged Cooper Carry, in partnership with APD Urban Planning + Management, to lead the Westside TAD Strategic Implementation Plan, establishing a clear framework to guide coordinated public and private investment.

The plan prioritized housing, land use, and human capital development while supporting legacy residents and strengthening community capacity. Its impact continues through multiple implemented projects that put people and place at the center of investment—demonstrating how clear direction and sustained stewardship can support meaningful, equitable outcomes over time.

Westside TAD Strategic Implementation Plan

ATLANTA, GA

The Westside TAD Strategic Implementation Plan created a roadmap for equitable redevelopment that links physical improvements to social outcomes.

Friendship Baptist Church

The Quest Westside Impact Center

Families First Headquarters

Scope

600+ Acres Across Multiple

Neighborhoods

Role

Urban Design Framework

Strategic Planning

Implementation Strategy

Targeted Community Engagement

Status

Multiple Implemented Projects across Public and Private Development Efforts

Selected Implemented Projects

Friendship Baptist Church Master Plan

Families First Headquarters Relocation

The Quest Westside Impact Center

Client Partners

Invest Atlanta Quest

Stadium Place Ventures

Families First

Implementation

Friendship Baptist Church Master Plan

A mixed-use village near Mercedes-Benz Stadium bringing together affordable, senior, and student housing with medical office, retail, and wellness uses. The design prioritizes walkability, open space, and community gathering, reinforcing connections between faith, neighborhood, and daily life.

Implementation

Families First

Cooper Carry guided the relocation of this 130-year-old family service agency from Midtown to Atlanta’s Westside, creating an intergenerational model for care.

Implementation

The Quest Westside Impact Center

In the heart of Vine City, the Quest Westside Impact Center transforms a once-vacant structure into a beacon of hope and opportunity. Designed for Quest Communities, the center brings together education, entrepreneurship, and essential services under one roof, empowering residents to thrive where they live.

RECOGNITION

2019 NOMATLANTA NSPIRE AWARD – UNBUILT CATEGORY, 1ST PLACE

2019 NOMATLANTA NSPIRE AWARD – VILLAGE VOICE AWARD

Case Study

Central Perimeter Master Plan

Cooper Carry created a long-term strategic plan to guide the transformation of Central Perimeter from a car-centric suburban office market into a more connected, mixed-use district. Commissioned by the Perimeter Community Improvement District in 2002, the plan identified key sites for densification, improved connectivity between parcels, and expanded access to transit via two MARTA stations.

It also introduced new housing strategies and a cohesive streetscape vision to enhance safety, walkability, and the district’s overall identity.

Private Mixed-Use Redevelopment

Central Perimeter Master Plan

DUNWOODY, GA

Scale

65 Acres

Role

Master Planning

Architecture

Status

Multiphase Redevelopment with Completed Built Work

Client

KDC Real Estate Development

State Farm

State Farm Campus

Park Center

Dunwoody MARTA Station

Framework Park Center Master Plan

Cooper Carry master planned State Farm’s 17-acre campus to create a walkable, transit-connected workplace integrated into the Dunwoody community.

Implementation

Guided rezoning and transit integration, with Park Center Phases I–III delivering 1.7 million SF of office, retail, public space, and park development as proof of the district’s phased redevelopment strategy.

Additional Experience

Strategic master planning and urban design across a range of scales and markets.

Public-Sector Implementation Planning

Covington Central Riverfront Strategic Plan

COVINGTON, KY

A strategic master plan repositioning a 21-acre former IRS processing facility into a mixed-use riverfront district reconnecting downtown Covington to the Ohio River. Delivered to the City and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the framework established land use, zoning, and phased implementation strategies to support conveyance and public-private redevelopment.

Scale 21 Acres

Role

Master Planning

Strategic Implementation

Client City of Covington, Kentucky

Use your phone’s camera to view the full document.

Public-Sector Implementation Planning

Legacy Park Master Plan

DECATUR, GA

A 77-acre master plan transforming a former institutional campus into a civic park anchored by recreation, affordable housing, and nonprofit uses. The framework established phased implementation strategies guiding infrastructure improvements, recreation investment, and long-term redevelopment.

Scale

77 Acres

Role

Urban Design + Planning

Landscape Architecture

Community Engagement

Implementation Strategy

Client

City of Decatur, Georgia

Inclusive Playgrounds

Orchard

Community Garden

North Hosing Village

Creative Village

Arboretum Seating

Arboretum/Meadow

Competition Track

South Housing Village

Public/Private Redevelopment

RiverPlace Master Plan

GREENVILLE, SC

RiverPlace transformed 10 acres of underused riverfront into a vibrant mixed-use district at the southern edge of downtown Greenville, reconnecting the city to the Reedy River and catalyzing long-term growth.

Scale 10 Acres

Role Architecture

Landscape Architecture

Urban Design + Planning

Client Hughes Development Corporation

Office + Retail

Implementation

Retail + Hotel

Office + Multifamily

Retail + Multifamily

Office + Multifamily

Office + Retail

As Greenville’s largest downtown development, RiverPlace delivers 720,000 SF across nine buildings, integrating residential, retail, office, hotel, and public space within a cohesive urban framework. Anchored by Fountain Square and a new River Walk, the project reestablished the river as the city’s civic and social heart.

Bethesda Row Master Plan

BETHESDA, MD

Cooper Carry transformed a former industrial district into a vibrant, walkable downtown destination through the Bethesda Row Master Plan. Spanning six city blocks at the southern edge of Bethesda’s central business district, the plan created a framework for retail, office, residential, and civic uses integrated within a pedestrian-oriented public realm.

Scale

6-Block Master Plan

Role

Master Planning, Architecture, Experiential Graphic Design

Client Federal Realty Investment Trust

Implementation: Bethesda Row

Following the master plan, Cooper Carry designed and constructed five buildings across six urban blocks over four phases. The program included entertainment, dining, boutique retail, offices, and housing, all linked by a bustling main street atmosphere. The project’s welcoming sidewalks, outdoor cafés, and civic plazas turned once-quiet streets into the social heart of downtown Bethesda.

Implementation: Bethesda Row Revitalization

Nearly thirty years later, Cooper Carry returned to refresh and modernize Bethesda Row’s public realm. The revitalization included new paving, lighting, landscaping, signage, and façade updates, along with custom furniture, sculpture, and a new fountain that celebrate the district’s enduring character.

The Eldred Preserve Master Plan

ELDRED, NY

A master plan repositioning a historic Catskills resort property into a phased hospitality and residential destination. The framework organized a hospitality anchor and phased singlefamily development around shared amenities and preserved landscapes, establishing a structured path for long-term reinvestment.

Scale 850 Acres

Role

Master Planning, Architecture, Experiential

Graphic Design, Restaurant Interior Design

Client Amytra Development + Case Real Estate Capital