News

A generous donation from BP Pushed us over our 2.5 million goal for funding.  We are now at almost 2.7 million.  We send many thanks to all of our partners who have supported our efforts.  We will continue to pursue funding partnerships so that we can expand and advance the development goals we have set.

The streetscape construction has begun in the first block of 2nd Ave. between Gordon and Grant.  With the construction, we have renamed 2nd Ave. Digtown.  All merchants are open for business and we encourage you to shop with them during the construction.  We are runing several promotions during the construction, one of which is a weekly drawing for $100.00.  If you shop with a merchant in the block that is currently under construction, you may enter to win.  The drawings will be held, once a week and the winners contacted.

Each month we will be electing a new Digtown Mayor.  In October we started with Mayor Stanford.  In Novermber, Jeanne Payne was elected and in December, Tim Champlin was elected.  Please visit our Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority facebook page and vote for the January mayor.

The 2nd Ave. Pocket Park Construction is well underway.  It is located between G. Jones and the Enrichment Center.  This park has been named Casa Grande Park, in honor of the old Casa Grande Hotel, located across the street.  In addition to our existing partners, we have two new partners on this projet.  Nucor Steel and Independence Tube have partnered with a donation of steel that will be used in the arbor constrution for the park.

Lee St. Park is located at the intersection of Lee St. and Canal.  It currently has grass and a permanent Christmas tree.  It will also contain three oak trees started from seeds from Walden Pond.  Plans are being completed and it will be a restful, meadering park with a water feature.

We hope you have been downtown on 2nd Ave. and seen the construcdtion of the new School of Fine Arts, a partnership between Athens State University and Calhoun Community College.  It is really taking shape and you can get a good idea of what it will look like. This is phaase one of a college that will confer a four year degree in fine arts.  We are excited!!!  Planning for phase towo has already begun.  Special thanks to Bob Glenn, President of Athens State, Marilyn Beck, President on Calhoun and Senator Arthur Orr, for leading the charge on this incredible addition to our downtown landscape.

The Partnership for Progress Campaign continues to garner support. The campaign has now reached $2,453,460.00 of its $2.5 million goal. Campaign Funds will be used for revitalization projects in the downtown area.

The first phase is underway now for a pocket park on the corner of Lee and Canal. The plan is to grade, seed and irrigate the main park area. At the same time, the area between the sidewalk and curb will get sod and several maple trees will be planted. This will dress the area up in the interim until full plans are developed for the final phase of the park.

Located near the intersection of 2nd Ave. and Lee St.,The School of Fine Arts, born of a partnership between Athens State University and Calhoun Community College is underway. Fite Building Company has been selected as the General Contractor and began construction on phase one in January of this year. The first classes will begin in the spring of 2012.

Plans and specs for the 2nd Ave. streetscape have been completed and presently are under final review by the Alabama Department of Transportation. After final approval it will be let out for bids with the possibility of starting this project sometime this summer.

Survey work has been completed on the Hwy.20/Wilson St. Pedestrian Overpass. It is anticipated to be located between Canal and Ferry Streets and crossing over to the Rhodes Park side of Highway 20. Scott Schoel has done the artists renderings and the preliminary design is underway.