WHOLE LIVING

Downtown Alabama

HOMEGROWN WITH HEART

Illustrations by Birmingham artist Laura Levie. Find more of her work at lauralevie.com.

IS MY WATER SAFE?

Municipal water companies do a pretty good job of filtering the water, and their quality of filtration is highly regulated. They do add chemicals, such as chlorine, to treat your water, but these can be filtered out easily and quickly just before you drink it.

If you look at a map of almost any city in Alabama, you’ll notice at its “heart” lies downtown.

As we all know, if the heart is healthy, the rest of the body typically is too. Today, people are recognizing a vibrant downtown offers authenticity, sustainability and a healthier quality of life for its community.

While each downtown community is constantly shifting and shaping, one major commonality is its potential to harness business creativity and innovation, inviting visitors and residents of all backgrounds and ages. Most importantly, though, is the fact that revitalized downtowns are proving to be a catalyst for healthy communities. By offering increased walkability, recreation and art and culture options as well as environmental and economic sustainability, the resurgence of downtown America (particularly Alabama!) is one of the most promising health trends on the horizon.

History

MAIN STREET ALABAMA

An organization dedicated to bringing vibrancy (and people) back to downtowns around Alabama is Main Street Alabama, part of the National Main Street Center network. It utilizes the “Four Point Approach™,” which incorporates design, promotion, organization and economic vitality to help revitalize our state’s historic districts. Today, there are 23 “designated” Main Street communities in the state.

DOWNTOWNpride YOUR HEART SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU.

Over the last five or six decades, downtowns have struggled to keep it together. Shifting socioeconomic landscapes, neglect and “suburban sprawl” have all led to its deterioration. But a little love goes a long way, and communities that capitalize on their history by taking “what was” and making it relevant to today’s audience are much more likely to succeed.

While Montgomery’s heritage involves its share of struggle and challenging growth, this history has made its community authentic and distinct. There’s no better place to witness and appreciate that than in its downtown. And if you take a stroll down Dexter Avenue today, you’ll notice new locally sourced businesses have taken root, and the momentum is growing.

In order to sufficiently bring a downtown back to life, people sometimes have to get creative. Thankfully, there are innovative, energetic individuals doing that in downtown Montgomery. A few of the entities making some headway in the revitalization of downtown Montgomery are Lightning Line (the creators of delicious events like Burger Bash and Taco Libre), Montgomery’s DBA (a downtown business association with a focus to “inform, connect, advance and advocate” for downtown), E.A.T. South (an urban teaching farm) and Foshee (a family of companies dedicated to cultivating the life, design and commerce of downtown—think Alabama Sweet Tea Co.).

Montgomery has raised a camp of loyal, Hank-lovin' fans to continue his legacy in the city.

Sustainability

YOU LOVE WITH YOUR HEART, RIGHT?

Think of your favorite downtown. Now, think how much it would cost to recreate all of its time-tested buildings, architecture and infrastructure. In other words, you should work with what you’ve got. Thankfully, today’s downtowns represent a wonderful public and private investment. This is because downtowns are sustainable. Traditional The 2018 move of historic business districts are an ideal Prevail Union in space for independent business, which Montgomery into the creates jobs, keeps profits local, supports historic Kress Building local services as well as families, city has brought on a host of projects and other direct ties to the com- community partnerships, munity. Even though the way our society local support and a chic, works, eats, lives and shops has changed new space for locals and over the decades, the realization that visitors alike to find a downtowns can be a fantastic hotbed friend over awardfor community activity, commerce and winning brew. cultivation is again being brought to the forefront of how we live. You can’t recreate a downtown. And why would you want to when they can go a long way in sustaining themselves and the community around them?

Landmarks old and new add a dose of character to streetscapes and urban neighborhoods.

Even dishes like the 101-year-old famous franks at the Chris' Hot Dogs can make their mark on downtown areas. WALK ON BY

Parks, farmers markets, sidewalks: All of these contribute to a higher quality of life for a community. And they also happen to be associated with downtowns.

Health A STRONG, BEATING HEART KEEPS YOU MOVING.

The connection between physical activity, sustainability and walkability is real and can have a major positive effect on health and wellbeing. In fact, several studies have linked non-walkable communities to the obesity epidemic.

The website bettercities.net points out that walking can potentially help cut diabetes, Alzheimer’s and colon cancer by 40 percent. And a study by the University of New Hampshire indicated that a person’s mental health would even be greatly improved by living in a walkable community.

The beneficial effects of walking extend to all aspects of a community. And because downtowns are places built for pedestrians, it’s a no-brainer. More people walking also makes it more likely for new businesses to pop up, making necessities and amenities more accessible to people living in or around downtowns. STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Joy to Life’s Annual Walk of Life is a gathering in downtown Montgomery that takes place in April where folks “walk” to do a whole lot of good!