Starkville Main Street Association honored seven local organizations for design, redevelopment and business practices at its annual meeting and awards program on Thursday.
Greater Starkville Development Partnership Director of Tourism Jennifer Prather said Starkville’s business community has blossomed in recent years and is an integral part of the city’s growth and changing reputation as a culinary destination and “fun place to be.” She said some of that is evidenced by people requesting pictures and videos from this year’s Bulldog Bash, which was the largest in the event’s history.
“If you’ve been in Starkville for years you know that, in and of itself, is a testament to where we are at right now,” she said. “Starkville is a cool place to be. It’s where students want to be, where families want to raise their families and where people want to open businesses.”
Prather also said Starkville has seen a surge in private developments, such as the Gin on Russell Street and The Balcony on Montgomery Street — both of which are mixed-use residential and commercial projects under construction. She said she expects that trend to continue in coming years.
During Thursday’s event, the Main Street Association named the Mississippi Department of Transportation as 2017 Partner of the Year for its work in revitalizing Russell Street. The city of Starkville has worked with MDOT in recent years on improvements to Russell Street, which the city has focused on as a primary corridor between downtown and Mississippi State University. Recent work has included upgrades at the Russell Street-Highway 12 intersection, with new traffic signals and improved access for pedestrian traffic across the intersection.
Design award winners included:
■ Jamison Fry Interiors, Best Adaptive Re-Use Project;
■ Starkville Police Department, Best Historic Rehabilitation Project; and
■ Cotton Crossing Shopping Center, Best Façade Rehabilitation.
Merchant award winners included:
■ Doodlebugs, Best New Business;
■ The Flower Company, Merchant of the Year; and
■ Aspen Bay, Best Creative Window Display.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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