$100,000 Cool Cities money rejuvenating Uptown

Since receiving a $100,000 grant from the state’s Cool Cities Initiative, the Uptown district has made investments to improve the exterior façades of 13 different businesses, erected signs to help people find their way through the neighborhood, and hung banners to strengthen the identity of the area’s four distinct business districts. Now community leaders are installing the last of numerous security racks for local bicyclists.

Uptown – comprised of the East Fulton, Wealthy Street, East Hills, and Eastown neighborhoods – was one of the original Cool Cities designees. Taken together, the projects made possible by state funding have successfully helped to leverage new public and private investment in the area, strengthen business development, as well as spark renewed interest and activity in a formerly depressed area. The grant also is widely credited for spurring innovative “green” building projects as well as supporting an Uptown-Downtown marketing campaign for public transit.

Source: Rachel Lee, Bazzani Associates, www.bazzani.com