Historic Heart, Modern Momentum:
How This Municipality Is Elevating Downtown, Infrastructure, and Inclusive Growth
Two centuries of small-town charm meet modern, intentional investment in Covington, Louisiana, where a walkable, tree-canopied downtown now hums with live music, destination dining, and all-ages events. For Mayor Mark Johnson, the strategy has been simple—and disciplined: help the businesses you already have thrive, and the rest will follow.
“The city government’s role is to facilitate the success of the businesses that are here,” Mayor Johnson says. “When existing businesses are successful, you don’t have to chase new ones—they seek you out.”
That guiding principle is visible block by block: safer streets and sidewalks, refreshed facades under thoughtful historic oversight, creative reuse of legacy structures, and a steady calendar of events that draws locals and visitors downtown week after week.
Downtown First: Safety, Sidewalks, and Storefronts
Covington’s historic core—a little over 200 years old—has been the focus of practical improvements that keep people coming back. Public safety was an early priority (“the foundational element of economic growth,” as the mayor puts it): full police staffing, visible presence, and a downtown where residents “park, stroll, and never look over their shoulder.”
Next came the basics beneath your feet.
The city doubled and then doubled again its annual sidewalk budget—moving from $50,000 to $200,000 per year—ultimately investing about $1 million over five years to eliminate trip hazards and improve accessibility across the district. Cleanliness and presentation matter, too: businesses were asked to sanitize and screen dumpsters, and code enforcement keeps alleys and service areas tidy and discreet.
A favorite civic reuse story: the city purchased an abandoned 1960s service station on Main Street solely for public parking. Instead of leveling it, Covington is restoring the building in classic Route 66 style and converting its bays into city storage—while opening the site as free parking for downtown visitors.
An Architectural Historic Commission stewards the look and feel of the district, ensuring signage, new buildings, and renovations respect the character that makes Covington distinctive.
A Culinary Scene Without Chains
From the Southern Hotel (1910) restoration—a project many view as the downtown’s tipping point—to today’s bustling culinary map, Covington’s core now boasts 24 restaurants within a five-block radius, none of them national chains.
Local standouts include Bear’s Po’ Boys (“the best roast beef po’ boy in South Louisiana—maybe the world,” Mayor Mark smiles), Dakota (elegant dining with a famed crab-and-brie soup), Buster’s for oysters on the half shell and chargrilled favorites, and Vasquez, annually celebrated for the best Cuban sandwich on the Northshore. Sushi, fine dining, and casual favorites round out a lineup that has become a regional magnet—especially on Thursday through Saturday nights.
Festivals, Music, and Trails: Experience is the Anchor
Covington leans into culture as an economic engine. The calendar is packed: block parties, art walks, holiday parades (Christmas, St. Patrick’s, and three Mardi Gras krewes), White Linen for Public Art, and History Nights where costumed interpreters bring 19th-century storefronts to life. Signature draws include the Three Rivers Art Festival (November), the spring New Orleans British Car Club show, and the Bluesberry Festival in a 13-acre riverfront park along the Bogue Falaya River.
Music is constant: over 100 free live acts annually—from Trailhead Thursday concerts (every Thursday in April and October) to Sunset at the Landing every third Friday, plus a Saturday farmers market with live performances.
Connectivity ties it together. Covington is a hub on the Tammany Trace, a 26-mile rails-to-trails path linking Covington to Abita Springs, Mandeville Fontaninebleau State Park, and Slidell. A recent beautification behind the former depot—trees, lighting, benches, irrigation—now connects the parish courthouse parking (unused nights/weekends) directly to downtown at the Trailhead, Beer Garden, and beloved eateries. The district is proudly pedestrian- and golf-cart-friendly.
Before repaving, Covington has tackled the difficult, invisible work below the surface—especially sewer collection. Many legacy lines were terracotta, prone to cracks and infiltration. Using smoke testing, cameras, point repairs, and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining, the city has cut rainy-day inflow at the treatment plant from ~12 million gallons toward ~9 million, with continued reductions expected. The payoff: fewer collapses, fewer potholes, more resilient streets—and a quality-of-life boost that residents feel every day.
A Regional Medical Corridor—and a Talent Pipeline
Beyond downtown, LA-21/South Tyler has evolved into a robust medical corridor. St. Tammany Health System, Ochsner, and Mary Bird Perkins–Ochsner Cancer Center anchor a two-mile stretch offering comprehensive care. The hospital is adding a parking garage with a helipad—a city-approved upgrade that balances neighborhood feedback with system-wide safety and access.
Crucially, Covington’s providers are investing in workforce development. Northshore Technical Community College and Southeastern Louisiana University partner with St. Tammany Health System on nurse training and a general-practice physician residency—a strategic answer to national GP shortages. The corridor’s draw is so strong that mid-term rentals (30–90 days) now serve out-of-state patients and families receiving extended treatment, adding another layer to Covington’s visitor economy.
“If we facilitate the success of our medical community, the rest follows,” Mayor Mark says. “That same philosophy that revived downtown applies here.”
Inclusive Growth: Reinvesting in the West 30s
Covington’s long-term vision insists that prosperity be shared. In the historic West 30s neighborhood, the city has paired public safety, public works, code enforcement, and infrastructure repairs (including those terracotta sewer fixes) with a strong faith-based and nonprofit housing push.
The West 30s Redemption Company, working alongside FHLB Dallas, state and federal programs, parish support, and private philanthropists, has delivered 75+ new affordable homes in recent years—transitioning families from substandard, high-rent situations into responsible homeownership with monthly costs often lower than previous rents.
“We’re helping families break the cycle of poverty through ownership,” Mayor Mark notes. “It’s private enterprise and nonprofits leading—with government supporting, not running, the effort.”
It is clear that the priorities ahead include key aspects stemming from the city’s overall masterplan for growth and development. It includes the continued support of existing businesses first.
The business success in turn helps to attract new investment, city staff point out.The vision also includes a focus on housing and neighborhood investment, building education and healthcare partnerships encouraging local talent and a keen eye on investment moving forward.
AT A GLANCE
Who: Covington, Louisiana
What: A quaint, yet bustling municipality with development growth in healthcare, housing and education moving forward
Where: Louisiana, USA
Website: www.covla.com
PREFERRED VENDORS/PARTNERS
St. Tammany Health: www.sttammany.health
The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. The health system is home to 281-bed St. Tammany Parish Hospital, three diagnostic centers and more than two dozen medical clinics and specialty centers. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is AA- rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding.
