Groundbreaking: City of Mobile Street Project Complementing County's Civil Rights & Cultural Heritage District Effort

Posted on: Oct 29th, 2025 | Announcements

 

MOBILE, Ala. -- Commissioner Merceria Ludgood joined city leaders to break ground on the $11 million Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue Complete Streets Project on Oct. 29. This is a major city investment aiming to enhance safety, walkability, and curb appeal along “The Avenue.”

This pending transformation complements Ludgood’s efforts to create Mobile County's Civil Rights & Cultural Heritage District. Centered on Mobile’s historic Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, it is a project to preserve local heritage while attracting new tourism, investment, and opportunity.

Completed Civil Rights & Cultural Heritage District assets include renovation of Dr. James Franklin's House, and through the City/County working together, the Historic Avenue Cultural Center and Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park.

Additional County projects in progress:

• Dave Patton house renovation to become a featured site and event space
• Crawford Law Firm will highlight Vernon Z. Crawford’s extraordinary legal legacy and share the stories of pivotal civil rights cases that helped shape the city.
• A public-private partnership to renovate the Ace Theater to create exhibit and event spaces.
• A historical context study adhering to National Park Service guidelines and providing context for grants and other applications.

Learn more about The District and see its master plan at bit.ly/3UChwgN

Photos courtesy of the City of Mobile.