like street topping, and sidewalks, and landscaping,” Taylor describes. “We can’t expect the private sector to invest in our downtown, if the public sector is not going to. So, we created a master plan, and about six years ago, we started the process of trying to deliver on the concept. We hired an engineering firm, put design documents together, and had several public meetings on what downtown should look and feel like.And we were ready to go to bid and then COVID hit in 2020.” “We put things on hold for almost a year, and got to the point where we said, ‘let’s put this project back on the front burner,’” Smith continues.“We bid out the project and it was completed at the end of last year. So, today, we’ve got new streets, new sidewalks, and a block of Depot Street from Main to Irish Streets with a decorative street top, landscaping, historic light poles, and a table top in the middle of the street. We designed this block for more than just flowing traffic and pedestrians. We designed it as a special event space.” Since that time, several downtown ventures have sprung up.“A property owner bought a building and subdivided it into a pottery studio; there’s a winetasting gathering place in one of the facilities,” Smith adds.“We’ve been working with a couple who started an outdoor beer garden on Depot St. We’ve got a local developer who’s currently constructing a nineunit condominium with street level retail. It’s the first new construction on Depot St. in over a hundred years. So, we’ve got new buildings going up amidst our historic buildings, and that private investment is coming as we hoped for.” “Since that street has been completed, I’ve spent an exorbitant amount of time sending comps and showing buildings,” Taylor shares.“We invested $11 million downtown since 2021 and we’ve already had almost $9 million of private investment. And that’s just in three years. And that doesn’t include the new building going up. We had a historic gas station turned into a hardware store. And another investor purchased it and turned it into a tap room. It’s a gathering place for a mix of generations. It 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10 GREENEVILLE, TN
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