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Georgia Downtown Award Winners Recognized at 2008 Statewide Downtown Conference

October 21, 2008

The Georgia Downtown Association and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs announced the winners of the annual outstanding revitalization awards.  Presentations took place during the annual Georgia Downtown Conference October 1-3, 2008 in Douglasville, GA.

As the premier conference on downtown revitalization in the state, this event promotes downtown and economic development through public awareness, governmental relations and education. The conference provides an opportunity for downtown and community development professionals and state and local leaders to grow their knowledge regarding programs, activities and tools to aid in revitalization efforts.

The event brought nearly 200 of Georgia’s downtown professionals together to develop strategies for bettering their downtown business district. This year marks the 28th anniversary of the nationally acclaimed Main Street Program as developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center. The Georgia Main Street program is one of the original 6 states selected for the pilot program in 1980.

According to Billy Parrish Director of DCA’s Office of Downtown Development, “Since the inception of the Georgia Main Street program in 1980 and the Better Hometown Program in 1997, over $1.98 billion dollars has been invested in more than 100 designated Georgia Main Street and Better Hometowns with nearly 42,000 net new jobs added and nearly 9,000 net new businesses opened in designated Main Street and Better Hometowns.”
 
The Georgia Downtown Awards were established to recognize individuals, downtown programs and/or businesses that have demonstrated unique efforts in making a difference in their downtowns.  The award categories are based on the 4-Point Approach™ of downtown revitalization as developed by the National Trust’s Main Street Center and focus on Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs also presents an Outstanding Leadership Award and the Georgia Downtown Association selects one city to be honored for Overall Excellence in Downtown Development each year.

The conference theme this year was “Homecoming 2008 – Come Home to Downtown” and the sessions focused on getting back to the basics in downtown revitalization.    

The following awards were presented by Monica H. Callahan, President of the Georgia Downtown Association and Mr. Billy Parrish, Director of the Office of Downtown Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  These two organizations co-sponsor the annual downtown conference and the award.

Congratulations to the following cities: