FOLEY — Once a quiet corridor, downtown Foley has undergone a steady transformation over the past few years, becoming a thriving hub for local businesses and community activity.

City leaders say the progress is the result of long-term planning, investment and a strong partnership between the city and Foley Main Street, the organization leading downtown revitalization.

"This really started quite a few years ago," Mayor Ralph Hellmich said. "There have been several efforts over the past few decades to really support downtown… your downtown is the heart and soul of your city, and if you lose the heart and soul of your city, then you're in trouble."

Hellmich said Foley began focusing on downtown improvements in the mid-2000s after a comprehensive plan emphasized the importance of preserving the city's historic charm. Over the years, the city completed 11 phases of streetscape projects, investing several million dollars in beautification and infrastructure.

The momentum grew after Foley joined the Main Street Alabama program in 2018.

"When you have a Main Street program, you have a full-time executive director that partners with all the businesses and the city and works day in and day out in that particular area," Hellmich said. "That created a lot of focus and cooperation between the city and the businesses."

That director is Darrelyn Dunmore, executive director of Foley Main Street. She said the city began tracking downtown growth in 2019, but the real boom started two years later.

"We started recording it in 2019, but 2021 is when we actually started really seeing the growth," Dunmore said. "Downtown Foley has just expanded and multiplied. We're drawing attention to it, and it's been a catalyst — like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. It's just been fun to watch."

Foley's downtown resurgence is part of a larger pattern of population growth across Baldwin County. Foley is one of the three municipalities that make up the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which ranked as the sixth-fastest growing metro in the United States based on 2023-2024 U.S. Census data.

According to the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA), since 2010 Foley has led the county in total population growth, adding 10,821 residents — more than Fairhope (9,381) and Daphne (9,366). In terms of percentage growth since 2010, Foley also ranks highly at 70.1%, behind Silverhill (221.5%), Loxley (173.2%) and Summerdale (79.2%).

The steady rise in residents has brought new energy and new pressures. In response to rapid residential expansion, Foley City Council recently enacted a moratorium on certain new subdivisions and housing projects to ensure infrastructure, public services and quality-of-life amenities can keep pace. City officials say the pause is temporary and intended to give departments time to evaluate needs such as traffic flow, drainage and utilities.

The growth has been so strong that finding available space has become a challenge.

"The mayor mentioned that my biggest problem now is that I don't have any empty buildings left to fill," Dunmore said. "We have maybe three that I know of right now that we're trying to fill. We also look for infill on empty lots around downtown and try to find people who want to add to the downtown experience."

Over the past few years, about 20 to 24 businesses have relocated downtown, according to city officials. The new mix includes restaurants, boutique shops, candy stores and other locally owned small businesses.

"People want unique businesses downtown," Hellmich said. "They want variety in eating places and they want places to live downtown. We're seeing some of the fringe neighborhoods being refurbished and bought by younger people and regenerated too."

To encourage continued revitalization, the city has created incentive programs such as facade grants and zoning that allows living spaces above commercial storefronts. Construction is already underway on new projects that combine residential and office space.

Even with the new development, officials say preserving Foley's historic charm remains a top priority.

"We don't want the big stores coming to downtown," Dunmore said. "We're focused on improving the mix, adding more public spaces and art and finding ways to bring locals back downtown."

As Baldwin County's total population climbs — projected to reach nearly 334,000 by 2037, according to BCEDA — Foley officials say the city's challenge will be to balance growth with preservation. Hellmich said managing that growth thoughtfully is crucial to maintaining what makes the community special.

"You can't stop growth — you can manage growth," he said. "Our goal is to maintain the historic nature of downtown and the vibe and feel of that. Foley was designed on the old village concept, and that's what people want again. It makes them feel good to live in a walkable, vibrant community."

The effort has earned state recognition. At the recent Main Street Alabama conference, Foley Main Street received three awards: Excellence in Placemaking and Wayfinding, Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation and the Alabama Main Street Reinvestment Award.

As for what comes next, Dunmore said Foley Main Street's strategic planning group is already looking ahead.

"There's always improvement," she said. "Every year brings a new challenge and a new opportunity. We're just getting started."

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.