TALLADEGA — Between 30 and 40 business and property owners, as well as other interested parties, attended a meeting at the courthouse Tuesday night to discuss several aspects of downtown revitalization.City Councilman Jimmy Davis explained that, shortly after being sworn in, council President Horace Patterson had asked him to take on revitalization issues, particularly in the area around the square. Davis set up a task force headed by Pat Greene, who ran the meeting Tuesday night.
Greene said the task force was not meant to function as a permanent committee. It was intended, rather, to establish a set of long- and short-term goals, make recommendations on how to achieve those goals, then pass the recommendations on to other agencies to be implemented.
Greene introduced three guest speakers, starting with Mary Schell of the state Historic Preservation Commission.
Schell said the city had already done numerous things correctly over years. For instance, Talladega was a “trail blazer” in having the square area designated on the National Register as early as 1972, and expanded that historic district in 1988. Swain Hall on the campus of Talladega College has been a national landmark since 1974, and the Silk Stocking District was added to the National Register in 1979. Boxwood and First Presbyterian Church were added to the list in 1994.
Perhaps even more importantly, however, the city had created a local preservation commission in 1990, and had been designated a Certified Local Government two years later, she said.
The CLG designation makes the city eligible for grants and other assistance, and puts some teeth in historic preservation efforts. Being included on the national register is an honor, but the city cannot enforce preservation without CLG status, Schell said.
The city also has a strategic plan, including building modification specifications for the Silk Stocking District.
Schell provided the group with a list of resources available for stakeholders to educate themselves and others. She also discussed various grants and other funding opportunities pursued by other cities.
Betsey Bean of the Anniston Main Streets program spoke next. She also said Talladega had done many things right, including saving the Ritz Theater and maintaining historic residential areas, both problems that Anniston ran into early on.
According to Bean, façade renovation grants worth up to $400,000 are currently available and, according to Rep. Mike Rogers, the tax stimulus provides even greater possibilities.
“Rogers said if you buy a historic building this year, you can take accelerated depreciation on it up to 50 percent, plus up to $250,000 for renovations this year,” Bean said.
The third guest, Bill Curtis of the East Alabama Regional Planning Commission, did not address the group.
Greene then introduced several of the task force members to address specific areas of concern, beginning with Martha Jordan, who addressed problems with the parking ordinance.
First, she said, the city needs to enforce the ordinance currently on the books, and she would be discussing this with the Police Department. The next step would be to identify the existing municipal lots (behind the Chamber of Commerce building, next to the post office and behind First National Bank), which contain about 300 parking spaces between them. She said the city was also acquiring an additional lot.
She also said the subcommittee was considering asking the county to reduce the number of reserved spaces around the courthouse. And she raised the possibility of reclaiming Battle Street as a city street after the 275 Bypass is completed and redesigning the parking situation. Attorney Buddy Campbell said he supported going back to having parking in the middle of the street, as had been the case many years ago.
Jordan said the group had also considered educating the public on the ordinance and raising fines.
Chad Jones of First National Bank then addressed funding issues.
“We’re the oldest bank in the state, so we’re more than happy to provide funding for these buildings, especially given the investment we have made half a block off the square. We will be a partner, and we will be increasing our visibility on this issue. If the leadership is there, we will be there, too. After all, we got to be the oldest bank in the state by putting our arms around our customers and this community.”
Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Heidi Edwards then discussed improved ways of marketing the city.
“We need to make Talladega a destination. We have a major entertainment venue with the Ritz, but I think the first step is we need to get the message out to shop Talladega first. We have to keep local business first.”
Edwards said she was looking at recruiting hospitality businesses and restaurants, but added she was open to any suggestions.
According to a general discussion that followed, there are currently 10 vacant businesses on the square proper, two of which are owned by out-of-town land owners. Jordan, who owns at least one vacant building on the south side of the square, said she was having trouble finding tenants due to a lack of parking spaces.
