NewTown CEO wants to keep Josh Rogers’ legacy alive, continue downtown growth

NewTown Macon’s Chief Financial Officer James Fritze was promoted to CEO after NewTown president Josh Rogers’ untimely death in November.

Rogers led NewTown, a nonprofit focused on the economic revitalization of downtown Macon,  for a decade and was often credited for its growth and success.

“During the last four or five years, we’ve accomplished just an unprecedented amount of stuff,” Fritze told The Melody. “And it’s because Josh made us all believe that if we work together for common good and common cause stuff would happen.”

Facilitating trust between local government, private and not-for-profit sectors is a part of the legacy Rogers left behind, Fritze said, who noted it’s not something you always see in other communities.

“NewTown’s trying to keep all these relationships and all these people trusting each other so that we can keep moving forward,” he said.

Progress and growth

Fritze, who received his undergraduate degree in accounting and his MBA from the University of Georgia, has been with NewTown for nearly seven years.

In his role as CFO, he helped double NewTown’s assets over the last five years.

From NewTown’s participation in the Main Street program to the raising of funds for the Ocmulgee trail and the loan program for new local businesses, the organization encourages economic development at all levels.

One of the most significant signs of growth Fritze has seen since joining NewTown in 2018 is the development of First Fridays. NewTown facilitated most of the events for First Friday when it began, but it has taken “a life of its own,” he said. 

A core focus for Fritze and the folks at NewTown is increased diversity in local businesses, something the organization is very “intentional” about fostering. 

NewTown aims to have 30% of downtown businesses be Black-owned by 2027, a not-too-distant goal given the current 28.11% of Black-owned businesses.

Another goal for NewTown is to attract more residents, which they hope will bring more economic activity to downtown. Developments such as the DT Walton lofts behind City Hall will bring 135 new lofts to the area. 

NewTown’s Neel’s Lofts project on Cherry and Third Streets will introduce 94 new lofts, bringing in roughly 150 more downtown residents. Such an increase could support another 10 new businesses downtown, according to Fritze. 

The loft project will also offer more office space and serve as a “restaurant incubator” or food court in which first-time restaurateurs can rent kitchens.

Existing downtown kitchen spaces have reached max capacity, Fritze said. The project will allow for more restaurateurs to establish roots downtown.

Keeping momentum and honoring a legacy

NewTown has a unique locational advantage being in the heart of downtown,  which acts as the epicenter of Macon’s revitalization process.

Having moved to Macon as a young child, Fritze witnessed the development of downtown in real time and recalled how desolate the area was just 10 years ago, in contrast to the upswing folks see today.

“We have a very nice canvas from which to paint from,” Fritze said about historic downtown. 

There’s a balance between breathing life into existing historic buildings that give downtown its unique personality, while also integrating new infrastructure.

Someday in the future, NewTown’s revitalization efforts will expand beyond downtown, he noted.

For now, Fritze and his colleagues at NewTown will honor Rogers’ legacy and lasting impact on the community by continuing to usher in a new era for downtown Macon.

Rogers created a passionate workplace environment or esprit de corp, Fritze said, and it’s this spirit of unwavering dedication and teamwork that he hopes to carry forward.