CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Leaders are coming together to reflect on the progress made in revitalizing downtown Clarksville after a tornado devastated the area 26 years ago. If you head downtown, you will see a lot of construction.
“A vibrant downtown is what's critical to a growing community,” said Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council President and CEO Buck Dellinger.
To understand why this growth means so much to the community, you have to turn back the clock more than two decades. On January 22, 1999, an F4 tornado tore through the heart of Clarksville. Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden was a college student at Austin Peay at the time and was living downtown.
“It was a scary night for everybody that evening, but we were absolutely blessed that there was nobody seriously hurt during that tornado,” said Golden. “There was a lot of devastation to our downtown buildings, Austin Peay, the courthouse, and many of our local businesses.”
People from all over came together to clean up the devastation. It may be hard to believe, but more than a quarter-century later, city and county officials say work to revitalize the area is still ongoing. However, they are beginning to see it come back to life, with new developments like the courthouse, the downtown commons space, the F&M Bank Arena, and a downtown parking garage.
“Our downtown still has that downtown vibe that people really like,” explained Golden. “But we’re also seeing more amenities and more things for our families and kids to do here in the community.”
They say they need this growth to attract businesses and boost the economy.
“Our economy is catching up with the broader Nashville community, and we're now a competitive space for developers to come downtown and start developing,” added Dellinger.
They say they are just getting started with plans to create 1,000 multifamily and single-family units downtown. They want to ensure this momentum continues.
“To bring more people into our downtown and make it an attractive, vibrant place for more people to live,” explained Dellinger.
Although it’s taken 26 years to get downtown back on its feet, Golden says the community never lost hope.
“You always keep working towards having a better community,” said Golden.
On Wednesday, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts announced the launch of a Restoring Clarksville Initiative. This program will help bring deteriorating properties back to life.
“We have chosen ‘Growing Forward Together’ as our city’s theme for the year, and this initiative has great promise and potential to help our existing neighborhoods address chronic concerns,” Mayor Pitts said.
Pitts has appointed Councilwoman Deanna McLaughlin to lead the task force that will oversee selecting the properties and neighborhoods.
“This effort is a collaborative one, and the support that I have experienced from our city departments, along with the diverse expertise of our task force members, is key to achieving our objectives,” said McLaughlin. “Together, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, and I am fully committed to ensuring this process leads to meaningful and visible improvements for Clarksville.”
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com.
Fundraising efforts are underway in Brownsville and Nutbush, TN to build a statue for a major superstar who was raised there, Anna Mae Bullock. You probably know her by her stage name, Tina Turner. I was a huge fan of Tina and glad to see efforts are underway to showcase more of her ties to West Tennessee.
-Lelan Statom
