Foley Main Street moving forward on multiple projects
By Jessica Vaughn Gulf Coast News Today
FOLEY - Foley Main Street, which came to the community in 2018 after the city was designated an Alabama Main Street city, recently scored three wins for downtown Foley. Including new bike racks, a Façade Grant expansion, and the potential for murals and street art downtown, Foley Main Street is pushing ahead on multiple projects to revitalize the downtown area.
“Foley Main Street is moving forward,” Foley Main Street Executive Director Darrelyn Dunmore said following the July 6 council meeting. “Many of our projects we set as 2020 goals are coming to fruition. This was an exciting night having three accepted and approved. The city has been very receptive, and working as a team we have set the framework for more façade grants to be approved and for Foley Main Street to be able to move forward with the mural and street art projects we have envisioned.”
The Façade Grant Expansion has been a collaboration between Foley Main Street and the City of Foley. All parties have worked to review and improve guidelines in the application process.
“As part of our continued efforts to preserve and protect Foley’s Historic Downtown area, we are now including the Foley Main Street District for eligibility to receive façade grants,” said councilmember Charlie Ebert. “The purpose of the façade grant is to encourage and assist property owners in maintaining and revitalizing structures that will enhance the beauty and character of our downtown. By including the Main Street District, this allows us to reach a broader area for beautification and revitalization efforts that will strengthen the downtown area which is the heart of our community.”
Projects may include benches, flower pots, and outdoor seating (for restaurants). A new addition to the façade grant program is wall murals, which may now qualify as an improvement as long as the mural abides by the mural and public art guidelines, the mural and public artwork city ordinance, and the incentive grant guidelines.
The new mural & street art project guide, recently developed by Foley Main Street and the city and approved on July 6, works in tandem with the façade grant expansions to improve the aesthetics of downtown Foley.
As stated on the mural & street art application, “Foley Main Street and the City of Foley seek to promote public art throughout the Main Street district with murals, street art, and Instagramable opportunities throughout the Foley Main Street district. Mural and Street Art projects are an investment in the culture of our community. They improve aesthetics, increase business and tourism traffic, and can help enhance the façade of a building or a specific area in downtown.”
Foley Main Street, working with local businesses and the City of Foley, has pre-identified locations within the Main Street District for murals and original street art. These murals and artworks cannot contain advertisement for any business or individual or any licensed, copyrighted, or trademarked characters or likenesses without permission from the holder or owner of the license, copyright or trademark.
To see the full applications and guidelines on the façade grant and the murals and street art program, visit https://cityoffoley.org or www.foleymainstreet.com.
