Downtown Athens (Georgia)

Downtown Athens in Athens, Georgia is generally considered to be the area bounded on the north by Dougherty Street , on the south by Broad Street and the University of Georgia campus, on the west by Pulaski Street, and on the east by Foundry Street.

A Downtown Athens Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The commercial and governmental heart of the city has traditionally been toward the eastern end of Downtown Athens, between Lumpkin and Thomas Streets. Recent developments, particularly between Lumpkin and Pulaski Streets, have expanded the boundaries of the "central" part of the neighborhood. The term "Downtown Athens" can also mean this smaller, more commercial area, particularly when used in the context of the city's nightlife and restaurants. There are a total of 97 bars in Athens, making it the town with the most bars per square mile.^{[citation needed]}

Some definitions of "Downtown" include the area west of Pulaski Street, which is a much more residential area characterized by historic homes, new infill construction, and some public housing. This part of Downtown Athens has the highest concentration of hotels,^{[citation needed]} particulartly along Broad Street, and the Prince Avenue commercial corridor is an important center of business, particularly for those living in the Boulevard and Normaltown neighborhoods.

A map of Athens with Downtown and UGA shaded. Note that the common definition of Downtown does not include the area west of Pulaski Street.

Defining "Downtown Athens"

The exact delineation of what is "Downtown" differs for varying purposes. Some of the more common ones are:

South	North	East	West	Function/context, etc.
Broad St	Hancock St	Foundry St	Pulaski St	This is the boundary of the "no-cruising zone" established by Athens-Clarke County ordinance. ("No cruising" means no motor vehicle may pass the same point within the zone more than three times in an hour, during the hours of midnight to 4 a.m.) [1]
Broad St	Dougherty St	Foundry St	Pulaski St	This is the common definition of Downtown, clearly distinguished from the rest of Athens by such things as building density, metered on-street parking, etc. Athens-Clarke County uses a distinctive street sign design (using the ACC logo on signs) within this boundary.
Broad St	Dougherty St/ Prince Ave	Foundry St	Milledge Ave	This is a more generous area of Downtown, including the above in addition to the Broad Street and Prince Avenue corridors immediately to the west of the core of Downtown.

Cultural significance

The Downtown area is the cultural center of the city. Several dozen night clubs host performances of local, regional and national bands and artists. The 40 Watt Club at the corner of Washington and Pulaski and Georgia Theater on Lumpkin Street between Clayton and Washington are among the most well-known night spots where many bands have made the jump to a larger regional stage (See Music of Athens, Georgia). The Classic Center, located on Thomas Street on the eastern edge of the neighborhood, is a multi-purpose facility containing a performing arts center, convention space, and banquet halls. It was a filming site for Blue Collar TV.

In addition, Downtown Athens is home to restaurants (including The Last Resort, East West Bistro and De Palmas), bars (including General Beauregard's, Little Kings and Trapeze), and shops (including Encore, Heery's and Frontier), catering to the city's diverse populations. Many of these outlets reflect Athens's status as a university town and a small liberal city. In particular, independent music stores and alternative shops are found along Clayton Street. In recent years, nightlife for this demographic has been concentrated in the neighborhood's rapidly changing "West End," the area between Lumpkin and Pulaski Streets. Nightlife catering to a more mainstream college-age demographic remains in the eastern part of the neighborhood, especially along Broad and Clayton Streets. Downtown Athens also features a variety of eating options, including higher-priced luxury dining, chain restaurants, ethnic food restaurants, and inexpensive bar food. The streets, particularly on Thursday through Saturday, are filled with people and cars late into the night.

The area has several hotels and apartment buildings, and more high-rise condos are either under construction or planned for the area. Some of these high-rises as well as the construction of the new Multi-Modal Transportation Center have the potential to redefine the area encompassing downtown Athens to stretch east to the banks of the Oconee River.

Government

The Athens-Clarke County unified government is located in the Downtown district. Several local and federal government buildings are located along Washington Street, and the county adult health center is located just within the western boundary of Downtown.