Mayor Steven Reed touts City of Montgomery’s economic accomplishments and future plans in State of the City address
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed gave his annual State of the City address Tuesday evening at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. There was a very festive atmosphere at ASF, as city leaders and employees from city agencies gathered to hear Mayor Reed discuss what was accomplished in 2024, as well as new plans that he believes will move the city forward in 2025.
The evening began in a patriotic manner as the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Forest Avenue Academic Magnet first grader Evelyn Muhlendorf, and students from Saint James School sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “This Little Light of Mine.”
“I stand here tonight proud to report that the City of Montgomery is on solid ground,” announced Mayor Steven Reed. More than a dozen slides played showing off milestones and accomplishments made by the City of Montgomery in 2024, but much of Mayor Reed’s State of the City speech focused on new programs planned for 2025 and beyond.
“Montgomery is partnering with Purpose Built Communities in 2025, focusing on revitalizing underserved neighborhoods through mixed-income housing, high-quality education, and wellness initiatives. This year, Montgomery is taking decisive action against the growing opioid crisis, committing $1 million to launch a comprehensive initiative focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery,” said Reed.
Reed believes 2025 will be a turning point for the city.
“This year, Montgomery Forward will reach new milestones. Renovations at Sheridan Heights, Chisholm, and Crump Community centers and an all new community center on Calmar Drive will soon provide safe, modern spaces for youth engagement and community activities,” said Reed.
Reed talked about plans to expand Montgomery’s convention center space with a new mixed use arena and launch a new initiative called the Montgomery Regional Tech and Innovation Ecosystem Initiative.
“We have to make sure our small businesses and our entrepreneurs are equipped for this global economy. We have to make sure we are doing the things necessary to support them to grow their businesses to be the next Caddell Construction, to be the next Blount Construction, to be the next medical place. We have to make sure that we’re growing home-grown entrepreneurs right here in our city,” said Reed.
Another interesting tidbit in tonight’s speech – improving the Montgomery Planetarium not by renovating it but by building a new one. We will be asking for more details about that, and other programs discussed, in the coming days and weeks.
The mayor also talked about more than 5,000 new housing units that are under construction or planned in the southeastern part of Montgomery. According to the mayor, a total of 5,157 housing units are in the works, and there’s still room for another 3,194 units just east of Vaughn and Taylor.
