Urban Renewal: Southern Style

By John P. Brackin

Downtown Festivals Promote Urban Living and Playing

In recent years, downtown living has become an increasingly popular choice for not only the young professional, but also the established family. Intensive renovation and active preservation efforts have revitalized formerly-dilapidated downtowns, turning them into thriving residential districts. And for those who are fortunate enough to afford them (and their often lofty price-tags), they represent a fun and dynamic option in an otherwise staid housing market.
     Two southern cities have begun promoting this trend—their downtown districts, and their downtown housing options—using a new twist on an old idea: the perennial summer festival. But instead of the typical aging classic-rocker, these events feature apartments. And the stars of the show are none other than some of the most creative and innovative lofts in the southeastern part of the country.
     The Downtown Tour of Lofts and Lifestyles in Atlanta, Ga., is now in its eighth year, having experienced increasing levels of success in each of its years in existence. The event is a highly organized affair, utilizing shuttle busses and wristbands, and features some of the more interesting neighborhoods in downtown Atlanta: the Fairlie-Poplar District, Castleberry Hill, Marietta Street, and Sweet Auburn. And for those interested in a more traditional festival atmosphere, the event also includes music and food at the Neighborhood Downtown Festival, held simultaneously on Broad Street behind the Healey Building.
     The Historic Footnotes Walking Tour of Birmingham, Ala., features an array of historical buildings that have been renovated into living spaces and workspaces, and in some cases, a combination of the two: the Rhodes-Carroll Building, the W. S. Brown Building, the Fix-Play Building, as well as the Morris Place apartments on Morris Ave. The Birmingham event is a somewhat smaller affair, but it’s a representative cross-section of the city’s downtown opportunities. Birmingham offers fewer spaces than neighboring Atlanta, but the relative cost differential makes for some rather intriguing buys: according to festival literature, the average selling price for a typical downtown loft in Birmingham is under $100,000.
     For anyone considering downtown living in the South, or if you’re just interested in checking them out, the upcoming loft tour in Atlanta is May 17-18, 2003; the Birmingham tour is held each year in June. For more information, go to: www.lofttour.com or www.onb.org.

© 2003 John P. Brackin

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