Downtown Valdosta enhancements underway

Downtown Valdosta is even more beautiful this week. Main Street Director, Ellen Hill, and the City of Valdosta is implementing upgrades and new designs to ensure downtown sparkles. The city has been working to clean sidewalks to make them look brand new. If you walk downtown you may notice new banners hung on the light poles, which is another beautification effort done by the Valdosta Main Street office.

"We're just looking at making sure that downtown is beautiful and that it's a nice place to get out and walk around and hang out. When people come to downtown and want to invest their time, money and resources to either open a business or just come down to shop, we want to make sure that they have a beautifully built environment as well," says Ellen Hill, Main Street Director.

Small Business Saturday is another effort to make downtown beautiful. The all-day celebration is held November 24th. "The business owners will do their own promotions to generate some interest. We want everyone to come out and shop locally and keep the money in Valdosta," says Rachel Thrasher, Main Street Program Coordinator.

Downtown Valdosta operates on a four-point approach which is a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to meet local needs and opportunities. It encompasses work in four distinct areas – Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotions, and Organization – which are combined to address all of the commercial district's needs.

Valdosta Main Street is looking to purchase new sidewalk benches. Soon, there will be self-watering planters hanging on the light poles. Also, before the end of the year, Georgia Power and the Main Street Office are planning to paint the light poles.