Dignitaries gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning near a parking lot on Second Street at East Central Avenue that will soon be renovated. It’s the second of six projects intended to make Downtown Moultrie more attractive.

MOULTRIE, Ga. —  A ceremony Friday marked the beginning of the second project in a planned redevelopment of downtown Moultrie.

Dignitaries gathered near the parking lot on Second Street at East Central Avenue at 10 a.m. Friday for a symbolic groundbreaking.

“Until now the site contained unsightly old utilities, debris, trash, and blighted backs of buildings,” said a press release from the City of Moultrie’s Downtown Economic Development & Public Relations Director Amy Johnson. “The area was in need of renovations because of its high visibility to visitors and citizens entering in the downtown business district. County, city, and adjoining property owners worked together to plan a small park, better lighting, additional vegetation, streetscape, and enhancements to rear building facades including new gutters.”

Completion date is tentatively set for mid-April ahead of The Spring Fling Festival, Johnson said.

The renovation of the parking lot is one of six projects that came out of a strategic planning session of the Downtown Development Authority three years ago.

The DDA identified several needed enhancements and projects that would greatly improve and impact Moultrie’s downtown, Johnson said.  These enhancements had been loosely identified by the three organizations tasked with improving downtown: The Downtown Development Authority, The Downtown Moultrie Association, and Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow, Inc.

The Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow Enhancement Committee was established with the complex task of facilitating and coordinating major enhancements to downtown on an ongoing basis.  It works closely with The Main Street Program, local government, and private businesses.   

The first project was the transformation of a highly visible vacant corner lot at First Street Southeast and Second Avenue Southeast into Moultrie’s first “pocket park.”  The land for the pocket park was donated by Southwest Georgia Bank. Private donations were made to renovate the park, and a ribbon cutting was held for it in August.  

The parking lot project for which the groundbreaking was held Friday is the second project. It’s been dubbed Mule Barn Park for the former Holman Mule Barn that once occupied the property.

The third future enhancement is a walk-through park located at the site of the Sportsman’s Building, which will connect First Street with a newly renovated parking area.  

“The Sportsman was an iconic restaurant visited by locals daily,” Johnson said. “Sadly what is left of the restaurant is a front and back damaged facades. The roof is in a dilapidated state and there are no inside side walls.”

To preserve the heritage of the Sportsman, plans for the park include a front façade for the walk-through and overhead beams to secure the stability of adjoining buildings. Monies were secured from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for demolition and stabilization. Private money has been raised through Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow Inc. to acquire the building, to landscape, and finish the project. This project also includes much needed renovation of the adjoining parking lot, which has many points of blight that will be enhanced. Private land owners adjoining the project plan to renovate their properties at the same time.

The fourth enhancement project is the acquisition and renovation of a new Downtown Promotion and Welcome Center that will include centralized public restrooms, meeting space, and offices.  Through private donated funds, Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow Inc.  is in development stages on this project.

The fifth enhancement is the addition of a security camera network in the downtown area to decrease crime and offer increased security.    

The sixth project includes the stabilization of the deteriorating former Treasure Chest building located on East Central Avenue. The building was recently donated to the Downtown Development Authority, which obtained funding through The Georgia Department of Community Affairs for the stabilization of the building.  Once the building is cleaned up and stabilized with a new roof, the DDA will work with a developer to renovate the property adding lofts and commercial space.

These initial maiden projects are expected to be completed within a four-year time frame that began at the end of 2016, Johnson said.