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Mayor Reed outlines downtown growth push, cites housing, retail and weekend street closures to boost activity
Summary
Mayor Steven L. Reed told the Mayor's Take podcast that Montgomery is pursuing lofts, retail and events downtown to draw visitors and residents, and said the city is negotiating with larger retailers while advancing plans for a convention center and arena.
Mayor Steven L. Reed said Montgomery is actively pursuing more housing and retail downtown and will use pedestrian-friendly street closures and events to draw residents and visitors.
Reed, speaking on the Mayor's Take podcast hosted by Daryl Hall, said, “We're going to see more lofts, more apartments, downtown, more retail establishments, downtown, to bring people there on the weekends.” The mayor framed those changes as part of a multi-year effort tied to convention center and arena planning that city officials say could shape the downtown experience in 2027–2028.
Why it matters: Reed said more housing and retail would support visiting conventions, concerts and other events and help Montgomery compete regionally for tourism and jobs. He described a strategy that pairs physical improvements—new parking decks and streetscape changes—with programming such as food trucks, outdoor tables and weekend activations to keep people downtown.
Reed listed several existing and incoming local businesses and venues as examples of the downtown mix, including Eugene's Hot Chicken, Cece's Daiquiris, Ravello, Central, coffee shops such as Prevail and the lobby and rooftop space at Trilogy. He also pointed to cultural sites—the Legacy Museum and EJI's sculpture park—as assets that create a walkable visitor route to the Riverwalk.
On attracting larger retailers, Reed said the city has “hooks in the water for some real, real big retailers” and that the recruitment conversations include questions about what downtown Montgomery should look and feel like in 2027 and 2028. He said the administration is talking with developers about loft conversions, apartments and ground-floor retail and that the city expects to close streets more frequently in spring and summer to create pedestrian spaces.
Host Daryl Hall asked where residents might go for dates or social outings; Reed pointed to museums, outdoor music on Dexter Avenue and the growing food scene as drawcards that the city wants to amplify. Reed urged residents to support events and businesses, saying turnout and spending are needed to sustain new offerings.
Reed did not provide a timetable for specific retailer announcements, and he framed arena and convention center projects as multi-year efforts that will require ongoing planning and developer agreements.
Looking ahead, Reed said the administration will continue to recruit housing and retail investment downtown, expand weekend programming and pursue the longer-term convention center and arena plans that city officials say are meant to transform downtown’s weekend and visitor economy.
