Revitalization of historic Montgomery is well underway through the addition of fine-dining restaurants, nationally recognized museum and memorials, modern housing developments, and so much more. As the capital city, Montgomery is truly the heart of “the soul of the south.”
Here are three reasons why people are making the move to Montgomery and why you should consider making Montgomery home too.
Affordable Modern Living
Within a quick Zillow search you’ll find over 700 listings of historic homes, garden homes, and even new builds. One stand-out new development adding an unexpected twist to Montgomery’s real estate market is Hampstead, a New Urbanist TND (Traditional Neighborhood Design). In an exclusive interview with SoulGrown, Hampstead developer Anna Lowder shared that her and her business partner, Harvi Sahota “knew there are better ways of planning and building that could improve people’s lives” than the suburbia that had become so normal in America.
She continued, “Hampstead attracts a wide variety of residents looking for a community where they can connect with people and with nature. Many of our homeowners are moving to Montgomery from throughout the United States, and Hampstead offers a community that reminds them of other places based on traditional planning. Here people can enjoy all phases of life within the same community, as we focus on diversity of price points, a combination of residential, retail, work, and civic uses, and a community that fosters aging in place as well as growing in community.”
Hampstead’s design team was led by the world’s most experienced town planners, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ), who are also responsible for the renown and beautiful Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach and over 300 more communities world-wide.
Bringing this level of design and quality of living to Montgomery while the city is still in its early season of growth, affords new and current residents and incredible opportunity to invest in the city’s economic development and cultural enrichment.
Community of Impactful Creativity
Montgomery is known for its history and continuous impact to the progression and betterment of our state. While the city continues to honor its Civil Rights History, there is also a current focus from creators, artists, makers, influencers, and business owners to cultivate meaningful impact through highlighting various causes.
One of those people is Davida Roach. Davida uses her voice to empower women in a variety of ways through both her “DavidasDiary” social platform and as CEO & President of Dear Deanndra, Inc. Dear Deanndra is a nonprofit organization created to spread awareness on dating violence and teens through social media campaigns and mentorship. As a “Curvy Lifestyle Influencer” Davida shares love for fashion, self-care, and beauty, in order to “inspire curvy women to take charge of their confidence by looking fabulous!”
Additionally, Montgomery is a comfortable home for fine art. The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery is another one of the city’s efforts to highlight and enrich arts & culture in a meaningful way. ““The Kelly” is committed to supporting the recognition, documentation, and publication of excellent art from the River Region of Alabama and beyond.” The Kelly strives to elevate local artists and their work through their website, social media, print media, and it’s brick & mortar gallery in downtown Wetumpka.
And last but certainly not least, the iconic MMFA. The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a mecca for central Alabama art lovers. The Museum is home to over 4,000 works of art and the John and Joyce Caddell Sculpture Garden. On view at the Museum through November 6, is A Site of Struggle: American Art against Anti-Black Violence examines the intersection of race, violence and art by examining how American artists have grappled with anti-Black violence from the anti-lynching campaigns of the 1890s to the founding of Black Lives Matter in 2013.
A Thriving Food Scene
One final, but strong contender for why you should make Montgomery your home is the food scene. Montgomery has it all if you want to indulge in your go-to chain restaurant or try a local favorite. The tradition of good southern cooking combines perfectly with up-and-coming elevated cuisine in the state’s capital. You can get everyone’s favorite southern comfort food from Brenda’s Bar-Be-Que Pit – a local go-to dating back to the Modern Civil Rights Movement, Barbara Gail Neighborhood Grill, the Davis Café, and Chappy’s Deli, just to name a few. Some may even opt for a vegan take on southern soul food at Plant Bae! Thanks to Montgomery’s proximity to the gulf, seafood is not hard to find. Restaurants like The Wharf, Destin Connection and Capitol Oyster Bar serve-up fresh seafood all season long; not to mention, Chuck’s Fish has set up shop in the eclectic Cloverdale neighborhood. Looking for a new date night spot? The options are endless. Ravello, Central Restaurant, and Vintage Year offer an upscale and delicious dining experience sure to wow anyone.
Central Restaurant’s Executive Chef, Jason McGarry shared with SoulGrown his inspiration behind the food at Central. Having previously apprenticed at Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia and worked at Cloister of Sea Island and Montage Palmetto Bluff McGarry wanted to hone his experience with luxury resort dining into an intimate environment where the food was his full focus. Montgomery offered the perfect opportunity for him to do so.
“One of the reasons I moved to Montgomery is because it had so much opportunity for chefs and restaurateurs. Montgomery’s food scene has come a long way even since 2017, but I still believe Montgomery has the potential to have a great food scene like Auburn, Birmingham or even Charleston SC.”
You can find a little bit of everything in the Montgomery food scene, which perfectly reflects the people and culture that make this city worth living in.
For more information on everything happening in Montgomery, visit exploremgm.com today!
