Will Avondale Estates Become a Better Hometown?

Avondale Estates is attempting to qualify for a state-run program that assists Georgia cities in developing their downtown areas.

During Monday night’s regular meeting of the Avondale Estates Downtown Development Authority, members learned that qualifying for the Georgia Main Street and Better Hometown program may lead to grants and other assistance in revitalizing the city’s commercial areas.

The program is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ office of downtown development. “The next step is to request the department to make an official visit to our city,” board member Carrie Stevens said.

To qualify for the program, cities must, among other items, follow the department’s guidelines for downtown revitalization; possess an operating budget along with a paid program manager; and have sufficient public and private sector support.

The department’s website said that since 1980, cities with less than 50,000 people that have qualified for the program have added more than 8,000 new businesses and more than 41,000 new jobs.

Also at the meeting:

• Board member Alan Kirwan unveiled a 30-year-old model of what Avondale Estates was expected to look like, back when it was developed in 1991. Kirwan, a former Avondale Estates mayor, requested city personnel to remove the table-sized model from storage. “This was the vision for Avondale Estates 30 years ago,” Kirwan said. “We need to start developing our own vision of what we want our city to be, in the future.”

• Robert James was elected the new chairman of the authority, and Megan Graham was elected secretary/treasurer. Board member George Kennedy had been serving as interim chair.