Webinars
This webinar series aims to help small and rural communities harness their unique assets, foster economic growth, and enhance quality of life through asset-based design. Featuring experts on economic development, sustainable design, historic preservation, and more, each session provides practical strategies and insights. The series is a collaboration between Your Town Alabama and the Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery. Watch now for engaging conversations highlighting successful initiatives and offering guidance on similar projects in your community.
Place Matters
Place Matters April 2022 Why what we build, where we build and how we build shows what we value. Cheryl Morgan, one of Your Town Alabama’s founders and longtime supporters, leads a wonderful conversation about Place. She engages our understanding of the places we...
Recreation Trails
Recreation Trails March 2022 Recreational trails bring numerous benefits to communities, including economic development. Brian Rushing from The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development shares his expertise on recreational trails and how they can spur...
Design Alabama
Design Alabama March 2022 Design Alabama advocates for the collaboration of the design arts and their importance in creating and enhancing places in Alabama. Executive Director Gina Clifford discusses the opportunities and programs provided by Design Alabama and how...
Main Street Alabama
Main Street Alabama December 2021 Downtowns are the beating heart of communities. Main Street Alabama is part of a national program supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, providing a structured process for towns to revitalize their downtowns. Mary...
Certified Local Government Program & the Alabama Rehabilitation Tax Credit
Certified Local Government Program & the Alabama Rehabilitation Tax Credit October 2021 The Alabama Historical Commission, one of YTA’s founding organizations, discusses two key programs that support Alabama’s small towns: the Certified Local Government Program...
Sustainable Design
Sustainable Design August 2021 Investing in sustainable design conserves a community’s natural resources and enhances quality of life. Landscape architect and long-time YTA board member Lee Anne McNally shares insights on sustainable design. Lee Anne offers tips and...
Municipal Planning in Alabama
Municipal Planning in Alabama August 2021 Successful businesses plan ahead, and so should cities and towns. Jason Fondren, Principal Planner with KPS Group, leads us through the municipal planning process. He demonstrates how to navigate zoning commissions and city...
RCD: Funding Opportunities for your Community
RC&D: Funding Opportunities for Your Community October 2021 Alabama’s nine Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&D) support all 67 counties. Each council offers funding opportunities to local municipalities and organizations to help them chase big...
Community & Economic Development
Community & Economic Development August 2021 Jim Byard, Principal of Byard Associates, LLC, explores the intricacies of Community and Economic Development. As a former Director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and former Mayor of the...
Objective/Solution
Renovate Montevallo’s downtown area to create a more accessible and appealing streetscape that will draw in new businesses as well as investment in existing small businesses.
Community:
Montevallo, AL
Project:
Downtown Montevallo Streetscape
Timeline:
2017–2018
Biggest Takeaway
“I loved the experience of group discussion and decision-making with a group of people with conflicting agendas in a low-stakes environment. It’s a safe way to practice the tools and methods we need to utilize at our ‘real jobs’ with much higher stakes. I learned a lot from meeting with planners and other people in different fields related to mine. Plus, it’s a lot of fun. I highly recommend YTA!”
– Courtney Bennet, 2018 Attendee
Funding
The project was funded by a federal TAP grant, along with 20% in matching funds from the Montevallo Development Cooperative District.
Several private property improvements and public art have followed the streetscape.
Funding
The project was funded by a federal TAP grant, along with 20% in matching funds from the Montevallo Development Cooperative District.
Several private property improvements and public art have followed the streetscape.
Improve green spaces and public areas
Consider impact on the local community
Bring in new business and jobs
Improve green spaces and public areas
Consider impact on the local community
Bring in new business and jobs
This comprehensive streetscape renovation transformed Montevallo’s downtown by adding widened, ADA compliant sidewalks, moving utility lines underground, installing new historic-looking light poles with banner arms, and updating our 4 main intersections with new traffic arms and lights, walk signals, and cobblestone sidewalks that tie into the aesthetics of the University of Montevallo. In addition, we built two pocket parks downtown—Owl’s Cove Park, which replaced a parking lot with a beautiful park that is home to several live music events every year, and Bicentennial Park, home to our “Big Red” clock and bicentennial time capsule on a site which was previously a vacant lot. A number of private property improvements and public art have followed the streetscape.
This $5 million project was primarily funded through a federal TAP grant, with the 20% in matching funds coming from the Montevallo Development Cooperative District. Founded in 2012, the MDCD is comprised of 3 partners—the City of Montevallo, the University of Montevallo, and Shelby County—who jointly do projects that improve our community. The city’s financial contribution to the MDCD is 90% of a 1% sales tax increase.
Construction began in January 2017 and was completed in spring of 2018. We know that, since Montevallo became a Designated Main Street community in June 2016, we have had over $5.6 million in public investment downtown, which has inspired over $6.2 million in private investment by downtown business and property owners over this period of time. We have also had 23 net new or relocating businesses open downtown, with a net of 39 new jobs created.
Past attendees include:
– Mayor Sharon Anderson ‘99
– Herman Lehman ’04; City Clerk
– Amy Feger ‘06
– Mayor Ben McCrory ‘09
– Mayor Hollie Cost ‘15
– Courtney Bennett ’18; Main Street Montevallo Director