The Macon-Bibb County Commission approved naming a block of downtown Macon after the late Mercer alum and NewTown Macon President and CEO Josh Rogers on Nov. 18, 2025 as part of their Macon Action Plan, and unveiled the block on Jan. 22, 2026.
Josh Rogers Way is located along a stretch of Third Street between Poplar Street and Cherry Street, a stretch of road that boasts Macon Bagels, Piedmont Brewery and Wear.
President and CEO of NewTown Macon James Fritze told WGXA that Josh Rogers Way now has bars, venues, restaurants, a rock climbing gym and Shuster’s Ice Cream. Under Rogers, NewTown Macon was responsible for millions of dollars in investments and loans across downtown, sparking many of the businesses that exist now.
“Having a downtown that brings people joy, more than just being a place for commerce, was always core to what Josh and I wanted for Macon,” Director of Planning and Public Spaces for Macon-Bibb County and Mercer alum Alex Morrison ‘07 told Macon-Bibb County.
Coming out of Waycross, Ga. Rogers told The Den that Mercer was “an easy, obvious choice for him,” as he wanted to go to a small liberal arts college.
He started his undergraduate studies in 2001, and graduated in 2005 with a degree in history with a concentration in southern studies. Rogers was also president of Mercer’s Student Government Association.
Then, through his connection with former Mercer President Kirby Godsey, Rogers volunteered at Godsey’s NewTown Macon organization at night and waited tables by day until an internship was made for him.
After coming back to Macon, Rogers became staff full-time at NewTown Macon, where he worked with the College Hill Corridor neighborhood revitalization project. Rogers also worked for five years as the executive director of the Historic Macon Foundation. According to Georgia Main Street, Rogers also served on the Georgia Trust’s Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2022, strengthening tax credit programs.
Storefront occupancy in Macon increased to 89%, Black-owned businesses increased from 18% to 29% and 830 lofts were created for over 1,000 residents of Macon under Rogers’ tenure at NewTown Macon.
“He didn’t just transform Macon’s downtown; he transformed the very framework for how Main Street programs across the country think about inclusive revitalization,” President and CEO at Main Street America Erin Barnes told Georgia Mainstreet.
Today, Rogers’ impact can be seen just minutes from campus in multiple directions. Among the visible assets he worked is a mixed-income neighborhood just steps from Legacy Hall. According to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Rogers, Mercer University and others revitalized the Beall’s Hill neighborhood, earning Macon a Main Street Award from Main Street America in 2024.
