Photo by Eric Taunton Starnes Media
Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes speaks at the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon at Vestavia Country Club on April 12, 2022. Photo by Eric Taunton
City manager Jeff Downes spoke about how to “make cities lovable, not just livable” at the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon at Vestavia Country Club on April 12.
Nine years ago, Downes moved from his hometown of Montgomery to Vestavia Hills and has developed a great love for the city since, he said. When he moved, it was his job as the city’s new city manager to raise the marketability and people’s love for Vestavia Hills.
His first step was to understand the city’s perception, he said. Through analyzing Facebook posts and talking to city officials, he learned that the city received a lot of traffic, which was mainly from people passing through and its main attraction was mattress stores, Downes said.
“I explained to them (city officials) we don’t control the private market,” Downes said. “We can bring some energy to it. We definitely try to find great opportunities, but definitely not mattress stores. And then I had my first meeting with the development community and I said ‘You need to come to Highway 31, you need to look at the numbers. We have lots of people living here, we have lots of traffic coming through here.’ They said, ‘Aren’t you cute?’”
After reading “For the Love of Cities” by Peter Kageyama, Downes learned to use the “human heart” to create a city that is “lovable, not just livable.”
A city has to have aesthetics that are intentionally pleasing, good school systems, quality jobs and places to “greet and gather,” he said.
Events and meeting opportunities like Battle of the Bands in the Rocky Ridge neighborhood, Heights Hangout and Wing Ding raises engagement among residents of the community, Downes said.
“One of the things that I’ve always invited people to do is, when you drive down Highway 31, don’t just look at the bumper of the person in front of you, look at the beautiful horizons,” Downes said. “Look at the beautiful, natural view lines in Vestavia Hills. Pay attention to the intentionality of these places. Experience the city emotionally, not just technically.”
He related creating love for a city with building a relationship with a spouse.
“Don’t things start with aesthetics? The beauty inside and out of your spouse, your significant other. Then it moves to spending time with that spouse or significant other, getting involved socially, doing things together and then being very open to the differences between the individuals. So then you succeed and it builds that love affair,” Downes said.
Downes said more businesses and ventures are coming to Vestavia Hills this year, including businesses like Biscuit Love, Waldo’s Chicken and Beer and a multi-tenant, retail development that is in the planning process currently.
He said successful new businesses attract investors and potential new business owners from outside of the Birmingham area to Vestavia Hills.
“I love all business; it doesn’t need to be special, unique, or new, but when you do have something new, it’s important to celebrate it,” Downes said.
