Tallassee Redevelopment Authority
Press Release on Riverfront Development Project

By Dale Segrest, Executive Director, Tallassee Redevelopment Authority

Hopes and plans for the revitalization of the Central Business District of Tallassee have been underway for well over two years.  The Tallassee Chamber of Commerce fired the opening volley with the announcement of the Tallassee Now! campaign.  The Tallassee Now! campaign advocated for activities in the downtown area that would attract traffic and attention.  A central image from the beginning was a picture of the old bridge and the possibilities of it being converted to a walking bridge connecting walking trails.

Then, Tom Bolton, President of Cooper Brothers Construction Company from Selma met the owners of KMAC who had purchased the mill on the east side of the River.  Although KMAC is a deconstruction company, its owners envisioned the possibility of redevelopment of the mill property commercially.  Tom Bolton brought that vision to Tallassee with proposals for the development of Heritage Riverfront Park on the west side. 

The Mayor and Council, interested in the revitalization of the downtown area, appointed a Steering Committee to study the feasibility of the Riverfront project.  That committee met regularly for months.  Funding for preliminary studies that were necessary to determine the physical feasibility of the project was difficult to raise.  Dr. Billy Hilyer, Mayor McCain, Tom Bolton, and Dr. Hilyer’s friend Senator Wendell Mitchell visited with the Alabama Department of Tourism.  The Alabama Department of Tourism saw the possibilities for development and provided a $50,000 grant. 

In the meantime, the City realized that a Redevelopment Authority for Tallassee could assist in these matters.  A redevelopment authority is a municipal corporation that can be created by cities based Alabama statutes.  The City Council created a Redevelopment Authority. 

The $50,000 grant from the Department of Tourism was channeled to the Redevelopment Authority.  Tallassee’s Industrial Development Board chipped in another $30,000.  The Blount Foundation also made a contribution.  Based on the preliminary surveys and geotechnical work, architects created a Master Plan for the project.  The Master Plan demonstrated the physical feasibility of the project.  The entire project will include restoration of the old bridge to connect walking trails; development of the 1844 mill into a museum; development of an amphitheater, hotel, and conference center; and a welcoming building atop the hill overlooking the entire project.

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, the Tallassee Redevelopment Authority moved another step forward in examining the feasibility of the project.  After several months of work with contractors and sub-contractors, Tom Bolton presented cost estimates.  The cost estimates were broken into 30 component parts.  By putting the cost estimates into component parts, the Redevelopment Authority has the option of deciding which parts or phases should come first.  The Redevelopment Authority can decide which parts are feasible and can gradually move into the project.  The development of even small parts of the project could materially benefit the City and the downtown district.  The Redevelopment Authority is now armed with preliminary figures and can begin to study the financial feasibility of the project, which is the next phase.  It should be carefully noted that the cost estimates are not a contract proposal.  Actual contracts will require competitive bidding.

And in the meantime, the Tallassee Community Development Corporation was organized about a year ago.  The Community Development Corporation promotes a network of the active organizations in town.  It can help in strategic and long-range planning, identifying and applying for grants, and other efforts that will promote the welfare of the community.  Its Board of Directors, which consists of 35 elected members plus ex-officio members, meets quarterly.  Through its July 28, 2011 meeting, the Poarch Creek Indians obtained information about some of Tallassee’s plans and dreams, and discussions ensued. 

The meeting on Tuesday was attended by three representatives of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, including Mal McGhee, who heads Muskogee Technology; Tim Martin, who is head of the Creek Indians Enterprises Development Authority; and Eddie Tullis, who served as Chief of the Tribe for some 27 years and currently serves on the Council.  The Poarch Creek Indians trace their ancestry to the tri-county area that includes Elmore, Tallapoosa, and Macon Counties and have expressed an interest in becoming involved with economic development.  The Riverfront Project includes a museum in the 1844 Mill.  The museum would include Native American history as one aspect of its purpose.  The interest of the Poarch Creek Indians does not involve any proposal for a gaming establishment in Tallassee.

The Redevelopment Authority will now take the cost estimates supplied by Mr. Bolton and study them in some detail.  The Redevelopment Authority will be working with the Tallassee Historical Preservation Society, the owner of the five acres that includes the mill sites on the west side of the River.  It will be carefully considering options for the museum.  The Redevelopment Authority will be working with the Chamber of Commerce which owns the old bridge structure itself, and the Redevelopment Authority will be in discussions with Alabama Power Company, which owns other significant properties that would need to be included in the project, as well as other land owners whose property would need to be involved.  It will also be working with the owners of the mill on the Tallapoosa County side of the River to make sure that plans for the redevelopment of that property are parallel the development of the west side. 

Prospects for progress are very promising.

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