Downtown Montgomery gets Main Street Alabama designation

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – In a big win for the city, downtown Montgomery is the newest Main Street Alabama community.

The designation means that the city will have access to a new network of resources and expertise to promote job growth and create vibrant public spaces.

The process to apply to be a Main Street community was 18 months long, and Montgomery was the only city in the state to be awarded the title this year.

Public and private sectors had to come together to form a plan that would stand out to be selected.

“We do our downtown action plan. You have to prove that you have a collective,” said Darryl Washington, Montgomery’s director of economic development. “Our application stood out because it’s the city, the Chamber, Landmarks Foundation and the Downtown Business Association.”

The news comes just a day after Mayor Steven Reed’s State of the City address. In that speech, he spoke on the economy and promoting business. Becoming a Main Street community seems to be a key step in that plan.

“I think when you have this and you’ve seen what’s happening in other cities, it shows just how much we can do here in our city as well, in particular downtown,” said Reed.

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