City of Dublin gets $3.3 million downtown revitalization grant

Changes are coming to downtown Dublin, but Mayor Joshua Kight says the city plans to continue to embrace "the benefits of being a great small town."

July 7, 2022

Ariel Schiller,

Dublin recently received a $3.3. million Rural Downtown Redevelopment grant from the Department Of Community Affairs. The money will help pay for infrastructure improvements on Madison Street.

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight says city leaders are hoping to change the appearance of downtown Dublin.

The city recently received a $3.3 million Rural Downtown Redevelopment grant from the Department Of Community Affairs.

With that money, leaders plan to bury power lines, add more trees and lighting and widen the sidewalks in a four-block area of Madison Street.

“This is going to encourage pedestrians to get out of their cars and walk,” Mayor Kight said. “We think it’s going to encourage additional businesses along the street and the redevelopment of some of our historic properties downtown.”

City planner Tara Bradshaw says the grant money will help implement the 2015 Riverwalk Master Plan.

“So this is really the first step in creating that corridor connection down to the Oconee River,” Bradshaw explained. “And opening up paths for reinvestment and recreation for the City of Dublin.”

Mayor Kight says in a time when rural downtowns are dying out, Dublin’s downtown is thriving. He’s hoping to continue the growth the city has seen over the last ten years.

“Dublin is really an up and coming small town,” Kight said. “But we don’t want just any kind of growth, we’re looking for quality growth. We’re not trying to sprawl, we’re not trying to become a big town. We’re embracing all the benefits of being a great small town.”

Bradshaw is hoping the city will completely transform Madison Street over the next decade.

“Properties that have been neglected or not invested in over the last 30, 40 years, we want to see those properties transformed and home to active businesses and to residents who will make downtown their home,” she said.

Kight says the current project will take about two years, but leaders are hoping to start work as soon as possible. They aare finalizing designs for the project and getting community input before starting construction.