Get to know the ADDA
ADDA serves as a liaison between the downtown business community and Athens Clarke County Government to create and sustain a vital Central Business District. We are a part of the Georgia Main Street Program and Main Street America, harnessing the energy of downtown stakeholders to revitalize downtown and foster a sense of place that sets Athens apart from every other community.
ADDA’s Vision:
Downtown Athens will be an economically sustainable, vibrant, and viable central business district, creating an environment that attracts people and investments.
Our Mission:
The mission of the Athens Downtown Development Authority (ADDA) is to promote, to maintain, and to enhance a safe and economically viable central business district by focusing both public and private resources on the fulfillment of downtown’s potential to benefit the entire community.
To achieve this mission, ADDA focuses on several objectives. These include:
- To acquire, construct, improve, alter, repair, and maintain properties within the Downtown Athens Area as set forth in the enabling legislation and to promote for the public good and general welfare, trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities.
- To undertake and oversee the revitalization and redevelopment of the urban, central city areas located within the Downtown Athens Area and to use those powers as prescribed by law and as requested by the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia.
The ADDA is also part of the Georgia Main Street Program which is based on a comprehensive strategy of work, tailored to local needs and opportunities, in four broad areas, called the Main Street Four-Point Approach:
- Design: Enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating
historic buildings, encouraging supportive new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, and long-term planning. - Organization: Building consensus and cooperation among the many groups and individuals who have a role in the revitalization process.
- Promotion: Marketing the traditional commercial district’s assets to customers, potential investors, new businesses, local citizens, and visitors.
- Economic Restructuring: Strengthening the district’s existing economic base while finding ways to expand it to meet new opportunities — and challenges from outlying development.