Enthusiasm Infects Linden

LINDEN, AL - - “Her enthusiasm about the ‘Linden Vision’ is absolutely infectious and those of us who were fortunate enough to be a part of the first phase of the visioning process last Thursday night at the courthouse have definitely been infected,” said Mitiz Gates, Mayor of Linden.

Mayor Gates spoke of Cheryl Morgan, director of the Auburn Urban Studio, who is working with the community of Linden in developing the downtown business community.  Morgan shared her plans with Mayor Gates and several community members at Linden’s first charrette on Thursday, April 2 at the Marengo County Courthouse.

The project is fully funded by the West Alabama – East Mississippi (WAEM) Regional Initiative with support from the Auburn Urban Studio’s Small Town Design Initiative.   WAEM has partnered with the Urban Studio to conduct several charrettes in the WAEM Region.

“We would never have been able to afford or even acquire [the funding] were it not for the Auburn Urban Studio’s partnership with WAEM and Alabama Southern Community College,” stated Mayor Gates.

Mayor Mitiz Gates and Linden community members share smiles as they listen to the proposed ideas from Cheryl Morgan about the future of the downtown area.

The charrette process begins with a town hall meeting, like the one on Thursday, where community members provide their input on how to improve their community.  From there, Morgan’s team will assess and survey the downtown area through hands-on walking tours.  Once the assessments are completed, the team will return to a second meeting with visual drawings of the proposed ideas.  The entire process takes about three months to complete.

“Through on the ground research, town hall meetings, and study of successful alternatives, the studio proposes an illustrative plan designed to be a roadmap of concepts for the community,” said Glen Haab, WAEM Community Development Coordinator at Alabama Southern Community College.  “The results are published in a large full-color poster that can be exhibited throughout the community – city hall, the schools, churches, shops, post office – and can, unlike reports that are filed away, become a reminder of the town’s goals and aspirations.”

The second phase of the charrette will commence in approximately six weeks.