MACON, Ga. — A Macon man who made it big has come back to Georgia to give back to the community where he grew up.
Investor and entrepreneur Marques Braddy calls Oklahoma home now, but flies to Macon often to oversee a special project that transforms blighted areas into affordable student housing.
“I really just hate to see how it is now and I really feel like I can do, can bring something good to the neighborhood. And I want to do it,” Braddy says.
Braddy is a Macon native and founder of the God Bless Us Foundation. He also started Bear Necessities, a community initiative that he says is anything but bare.
He says the aim of the project is to take blighted, distressed and abandoned buildings like those on Duncan Ave., and renovate them into affordable student housing with full amenities.
“There’s a lot of distressed areas in the Macon and Middle Georgia area, and we feel like we should kind of take initiative to bring those back to life and provide housing for students,” says Braddy.
Along with a full security system, parking spaces, electronics, and washing machines and dryers, the renovated spaces have a vision board — a special touch of motivation that Braddy says was pivotal for his success.
“I have one major rule about the vision board. Anytime something goes on the vision board, it has to happen. You have to figure out a way to make that happen, regardless of how long it takes. It doesn’t matter. It has to happen,” he says.
Robert Simmons, who lives on Duncan Ave., says he would like to see his neighborhood look like it did when he was young and believes this project is just the start of that vision.
“I think they are doing a real good job and somebody else is going to follow behind them,” Simmons says.
He says he watched Braddy grow up, tells me he is proud of the man he’s become.
“I’m very proud of these young guys, coming back and doing what he’s got to do to clean up around here. Making it look better,” says Simmons.
Braddy’s partner and Macon native David Brown says it’s only the right thing to do if you have the means to create change.
“The community needs a change and in order for change to happen, you have to be the change,” Brown says.
Applications for the renovated spaces that are complete are now being accepted at GBUHoldingsGroup.com.
Braddy says he has nine more sites being prepared for renovations on top of the four he is currently working on. He also has plans to acquire buildings to create community centers in Macon that inspire children in areas the Bear Necessities initiative is taking place.
