Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard will host a community-wide forum focused on downtown redevelopment and revitalization on Tuesday, September 23.

The “Downtowns on the Rise” forum will bring together a panel of representatives from throughout the state to share best practices for downtown redevelopment as well as to discuss current initiatives in Albany. Panel guests are Sharlene Cannon, interim downtown manager for the city of Albany; Heather Holder, executive director of the College Hill Alliance in Macon; Richard Bishop, president of Uptown Columbus and the Columbus Business Improvement District; and Billy Peppers, director of the Office of Downtown Development of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Panel members will share the challenges and the successes that are part of the long road to downtown revitalization.

“Our forums are an ongoing conversation with our citizens about economic development, because one of the biggest misconceptions is that citizens don’t play a role, when in fact, they play the biggest role of all,” said Hubbard. “As we talk about downtown development, it’s important that we share the initiatives that are in place in Albany, but also hear from other communities about what they have done to revitalize their downtowns. We can learn from each other.

“And, we want to hear from our citizens about what’s important to them when it comes to downtown development,” she said.

This is the third forum organized by the Mayor’s Coalition for Economic Development, a volunteer alliance whose focus is educating the public about economic development.

The September 23 forum is from 3 p.m.- 5 p.m. in room 100 of the Government Center, 222 Pine Ave. in downtown Albany. The forum is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

For more information, please call (229) 434-0044.