CONYERS — Downtown Conyers is among Georgia’s leading communities in economic development, according to officials, and becoming a model for other cities in the state.

Conyers earned its Main Street city designation from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs in May 2007 and the city is evaluated each year in 10 standards to maintain the integrity of the designation, explained Monica Coffin, manager of the local Main Street city program.

The committee-based program was designed to equally assist communities and historic areas in preservation and economic development, said Coffin.

In terms of economic development, Olde Town has attracted at least 15 new businesses this year and had at least three business expansions, according to Coffin.
“So that’s pretty substantial, especially during these tough economic times,” Coffin said Wednesday. “I really attribute a lot of that to, of course, our leadership and my board, but the community, overall, their support and commitment to preserve our past while continuing to grow.”

That economic growth is one of the top reasons for developing downtown areas, according to Martha Reimann, DCA regional representative, mentioning “spin-off dollars.”

“If you buy something from a local business, that money continues to be spent and re-spent in your own local economies,” Reimann said.

Of the estimated 500 cities in Georgia, only 101 communities have the Main Street city designation, said Reimann. DCA has 14 communities that are currently working on earning the designation.

“With the designation, we’re able to apply for some grants and other funding that we normally would not have been able to apply for without the designation,” Coffin said.
In addition to biannual fundraising, the Main Street city program stays afloat with city dollars, in-kind support from the county, volunteer committees and publicly-supported events.

“So having that partnership with the leadership and the support of the public and private sector is very important,” Coffin said.

Reimann described the designation as a pretty stringent process that takes roughly a year.

Conyers is a standout among other Main Street cities, said Reimann, noting the help local officials offer with grant applications and hands-on assistance with building owners and small businesses.

Also touting the city’s distinctive, historic architecture, Reimann added one of Conyers’ challenges is being noticed from the interstate, being “surrounded by a lot of generic streets.”

Conyers is “really blessed,” according to Coffin, with a friendly, supportive community and it has become a selling point for attracting new business.

“People are passionate about our community and see it as charming, growing, but still able to maintain that small, hometown feel,” Coffin said. “They’re very proud of that and want to protect that.”

“I think it’s understanding the demographics of your community and choosing businesses that match your community’s preferences,” Reimann said of successful cities with the Main Street city designation.

“I think that’s when cities really excel, when they have a shared goal and good communication process,” Reimann added.