warner robins (Atlanta, Columbus, Macon: house prices, movie theater, construction)

[gptaz]

I need information (good and bad) on Warner Robins, GA

[Prichard]

It's the biggest speed trap in Georgia. In my youth, I was always just one ticket away from losing my license because of all of the tickets I got in Warner Robins. I'm sure taxes are higher there now, because they really raked in the big bucks when President Jimmy made the speed limit 55. Now, they really have to work hard to catch enough speeders to pay their sallaries.

[haidozo]

Originally Posted by gptaz

I need information (good and bad) on Warner Robins, GA

I live in Warner Robins (well...the Kathleen area, which is basically Warner Robins). I've lived here for over 16 years.

Overall, it's a pretty good town. With Robins AFB here, there is a good mix of backgrounds (i.e., northerner, westerner, etc.), yet it still possesses quite a few characteristics of a southern town...friendly, helpful people, etc.

The nearest larger city is Macon, which is about 30 minutes away. Atlanta is about 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours away, depending on which part of Atlanta you are visiting.

Warner Robins has 2 Wal-Marts, 2 Lowe's, a Home Depot, Target, Pier 1, Kirkland's, Ross, Old Navy, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Staples, Pet Smart, TJ Maxx, Office Depot, Books A Million. I'm just randomly trying to think of all the major stand-alone stores in town...I may be forgetting some.

There is a mall in Centerville (which is also basically Warner Robins), but it's not a huge mall. The anchor stores are Sears, JC Penney, Goody's, and Belk. There is also a Victoria Secret, Bath and Body Works, Journey's, Radio Shack, Hallmark, Shoe Department, American Eagle, Pacific Sun. There are a few more stores in the mall...that's all I could name off the top of my head. It is a one-level mall, so the department stores are a little small and may not offer everything that a two-level store offers. All of the stores there seem to be scaled-down versions of stores in larger malls. We do a lot of our mall-shopping at the mall in Macon, which is much larger and has many, many more stores.

There are also many chain restaurants here...Outback, Cheddar's, O'Charley's, Steak & Shake, Ruby Tuesday's, Applebee's, Longhorn's, Cracker Barrel, Johnny Carrino's, Logan's...again I'm naming off the top of my head and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. There are of course several locally-owned restaurants, as well as many fast-food places.

I am very pleased with the schools. I have 2 children in the Houston County system--one in 8th grade and one in 4th grade. Houston County is constantly building new schools because of all the growth in this town. Not including the Atlanta area, we have the best schools in Georgia--and we still beat several schools in the Atlanta area. If you are relocating to ANYWHERE NEAR middle Georgia and you have school-aged children, you want to be in Houston County. People in surrounding counties move here just for the schools.

Housing is relatively cheap. I don't know what area you'd be coming from, but Georgia overall is still pretty cheap. Property taxes seem to be fair. There are tons of new housing developments going up all the time, which could be considered good or bad, I guess!

The housing in the south side of Warner Robins is generally more expensive, mostly because of the school districts. The schools on this end of town are better, for the most part. This includes most areas in Kathleen and Bonaire, which are small unincorporated towns just south of Warner Robins.

One thing that could be bad is the hospital. Now I had both of my children there and I had no problems...a pretty good experience both times. But not everyone has had good experiences there. I know they recently got rid of the Director, so maybe they're trying to improve. Fortunately, my family stays healthy, and we have not needed the services of a hospital, so I can't give any further first-hand knowledge in that area.

The other bad thing is road construction...at least for right now. They seem to delight in having several road projects going on at one time, and rarely do they finish any! Well...of course, they DO finish them eventually, but it does seem to take forever.

That's all I can think of right now. Post back if you have any specific questions.

[gptaz]

Very informative post. You answered many of my questions.

Thanks
gptaz

[macmacga]

I came across your request through a Google search on another topic. I have lived here for one year. We moved from Naples, FL after living there 8 years after retiring. We got tired of hurricanes, high prices, snowbird traffic and long distances to get out of southern FL. We ended up here in a new subdivision after checking out a 55 plus active community in Perry, just 8 miles south.

The other poster did a great job describing the area. This is my take on the area. We are very happy here although the cultural institutions are a little lacking. There is a sense of community and welcome here that I have not experienced in other areas. I talk "Northern" and I feel very accepted here. Although the list of national retailers are not extensive, the big box stores (Best Buy, Bed Bath Beyond, Sam's Club) and Colonial Mall in Macon is only 30 minutes away. I have always maintained if there is a library, movie theater and a Target available, I will be happy.

There are alot of community organizations to join if you are civic minded, the Warner Robins Little Theater does great plays, a Community Concert program runs in the winter season, and the many churches in the area offer lots of programs. One movie theater has 15 screens with the 6 screen theater running the former first run movies at 99 cents.

We have been impressed with the health care providers we selected. The physician and his assistant use computerized record keeping so I think we are getting better screening than we have ever had. They actually talk to you and spend some time. I am equally impressed with the dentist we selected and the eye doctor. The staff are professional and are friendly and courteous.

We are finding local businesses to use because the service is very good and they appreciate your business. The housing market is very affordable compared to Naples and to the Baltimore/DC area where we lived before.

Warner Robins is very managable to get around. Although people who have lived here a long time will say traffic is "bad," it is not. Granted there is traffic when the shift changes at the AF base so we avoid hitting the road then. I clocked a 7 mile trip at 8 am yesterday at 10 minutes. It would have taken me 20 or more in Naples.

The southern hospitality is no joke. Children are polite, are taught manners and I have yet to hear unruly children at a restaurant. Adults are addressed with Miss (first name) or Mr. (first name). It took me aback at first, but it does show respect for an older person.

Granted, there is a "good ole boy" type of politics in the area but there are also people looking to effect change.

[bnsrodden]

any type of art? museums or theatre? how bout the colleges? the two people posting seemed VERY informed and thought you might be able to help me out too ...

[johncobb]

Warner Robins is growing in size and number each year. This is good for home values, shopping, and things to do. It is also bad because traffic inside the city is also increasing, especially 12 and 5 oclock traffic is really bad. People are very friendly and helpful to people who are new to town or passing through.

[MayorOfMacon2019]

O there is the Macon Centreplex, Wilso Convention Center, Douglas Theatre, COX Capital Theatre, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame ( largest indoor sports Hall of Fame in the United States), Auditorium, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Tubman Musem, Macon Children's Museum, and Museum of Arts and Sciences. Schools Macon State College, Wesleyan College, and Mercer University, Medical Center of Central Georgia ( 2nd Largest Health Facility in Georgia, behing Grady Hospital in Atlanta, give it 5 years will be the largest. Serves a 24 County Radius ), O all of those are in Macon, 30 minutes away.

[trish74]

I live in Macon about to move to Columbus,GA but Houston County schools are superb!!! You can live in Centerville, Bonaire, Or even Perry and have a very nice house 200's and up and nice land or subdivision, and super schools. You will like the location (not too far to ocean or mountains) and yet close to Macon for even greater shopping (new outlets being built in north Macon with stores coming from all over) yet you don't have to live Macon with high taxes and higher house prices and less good schools to choose from. Good luck!

[Hyun-Soo]

Here are some new developements in Macon WHICH IS ONLY 15 MINUTES AWAY! Not 30!

All this in just the past week!
Ok here:

Food supplier to add 100 jobs
Company to expand with new $8 million facility in Macon
By Linda S. Morris -
A food-service company is building a new $8 million facility in Macon four times the size of its existing space. The company also plans to more than double the current work force. Rocky Mount, N.C.-based MBM Food Service Corp. is building a 91,000-square-foot distribution center in Ocmulgee East Industrial Park and expects to add 100 workers over three years to its 90-person work force, said Pat Topping, senior vice president of the Macon Economic Development Commission.

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Eatery to serve up new idea downtown
By Linda S. Morris -
A new downtown Macon restaurant with a market - a combination concept that's brand new to the city - is expected to open next month. The Market City Cafe is moving into the former Cherry Corner cafe at the corner of Cherry and Third streets, co-owner Don Bivings said. "When we hit Macon, it was absolutely perfect," Bivings said. "We just fell in love with the town." They moved to a Queen Anne Victorian house on Georgia Avenue. Bivings said he was amazed when some people said some negative things about Macon at a dinner party. "I said, 'you know what, you guys don't know what you have.' This is a downtown that is ready to take off. ... I can see where it has taken years to get where it is, but it's clean, it's safe, it's fun. It just needs a couple of little bumps here and there, and I hope we're one of them."

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Zoning approved for proposed downtown Macon nightclub
By Linda S. Morris
An "upscale, ultra-lounge" that will cater to Macon's elite is planned for downtown, according to the developer. A conditional-use permit for the nightclub at 513 Plum St. was approved Monday by the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission. "What we're proposing is a very high-end, lounge night club," said Gene Dunwody Jr. who co-owns the property with David Thompson and Tony Long.

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