The next phase for Downtown Montgomery is starting to come about. City leaders are moving forward on several related projects focused on easing traffic, improving walkability and making room for future growth and development.
Updates on ordinances from the city are among the efforts, along with McCown Street improvements and implementations planned for a new city complex in the former Jim’s Hardware building.
Following city leaders review of earlier draft language in February of this year, Mayor Sara Countryman said the ordinance revisions are expected to be reviewed again by the Montgomery City Council in final draft form in the coming months. While keeping the downtown’s character in tact, she said the goal is to modernize rules that have not been completely updated in decades.
Countryman said, “We are running the city, looking forward, not looking back. She said, “Changing those ordinances to current-day modern ordinances . . . still keep the uniformity, keeps the charm and the feel that we want.”
Traffic flow and pedestrian layout for the McCown Street project, according to City Administrator Brent Walker, is in final design and will progress into competitive bidding once that work is complete.
Countryman said with the concentration on traffic circulation, pedestrian access and parking, the McCown Street improvement is intended to redo how people move through a key area of downtown. She said the project improvements are meant to create “a much better experience in our historic district.”
The McCown Street efforts, according to Walker, are a projected $2.3 million project funded by the Montgomery Economic Development Corporation. He said underway for the municipal complex are the architectural and engineering services. He also pointed out that set to close at the end of March, the city’s request for qualifications for a construction manager at risk is underway. He said the intention to create a safer, more functional setup during busy events is the goal of the planning around the Montgomery Community Center grounds.
