South Pittsburg Area Revitalization Quest (SPARQ) is excited to announce, June 30th marked the completion of our Tennessee Downtowns projects. Tennessee Downtowns is an affiliated program of Tennessee Main Street designed to help communities embark on a comprehensive revitalization effort for their downtown. This 24-month program coaches selected downtowns and their steering committees through the steps of launching an effective revitalization effort. Program space is limited and highly competitive. Activities in the program include training, site visits, regional workshops, webinars, technical assistance and an innovation project grant.
A dedicated community-based steering committee was formed to train on the programs grant process, review business applications for eligibility based on Tennessee Downtown Grant guidelines, and assist businesses throughout the program in filing all obligatory information. Seven South Pittsburg businesses plus the City itself, qualified for grant assistance to make improvements. The total amount of the grant was $15,000 divided equally among the 8 projects.
Through collaboration with the City of South Pittsburg, Tennessee Downtowns Project and South Pittsburg Area Revitalization Quest (SPARQ), we continue to strive to make long-lasting impactful improvements to our community. We are grateful for the privilege of being designated as a Tennessee Downtown Community through this program and the vital assistance they provided for our local businesses.
Take a stroll through town to see the improvements and remember to support local business, they are the heart of our downtown community. Enjoy the video of the before and after pictures of our local businesses.
To learn more about the Tennessee Downtowns program, visit tn.gov/ecd