By: Rut Labrada, Arts & Entertainment Editor  

 The mayor of Valdosta shared plans to allocate $24 million to increase foot traffic downtown among other topics at a press conference with journalism students on Oct. 8. 

According to Mayor Scott James Matheson, he has big projects in store for the city of Valdosta in the coming years. 

The improvements to downtown include the reopening of The Bleu Pub, a beloved meal spot that closed in 2020, and the renovation of what was previously Steel Magnolias into a bookstore with an event space on the second floor. 

“We’ve got a lot going on in this town, and we’re having to be the stewards of a whole lot of road money,” said Matheson. “Really, it’s because we want you downtown.” 

Alongside the $24 million to improve downtown, Matheson also noted that he also has $120 million that is going towards various road construction projects around the city, several of which are already in process. 

Some of the plans include building a pedestrian corridor on Jerry Jones Dr, widening Gornto road into a 3-lane road to make space for emergency vehicles, and building an overpass at St. Augustine and Hill Avenue, to prevent long waiting lines because of train tracks. 

There are also many new apartments being built and opened to tackle the issue of affordable housing, said Matheson. 

Harvest Station, an affordable housing apartment complex which celebrated its grand opening in 2025, is one of these apartment plans. 

Creating the complex was a process that involved several different parties. 

The Valdosta Housing Authority collaborated with real estate development company IDP Properties to bring the project to life. The City of Valdosta contributed over $4.4 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, said Matheson, toward the project. 

“Phase one is already being lived in, about 80 apartment homes,” he said. “The other phase comes online by the end of the year—80 more.” 

Other topics discussed at the press conference include the opening of fire station no. 9, a new water treatment plant in the south side of Valdosta, and VSU’s Performing Arts Theatre, which is expected to happen on Jan. 1, 2026. 

Dr. Ted Geltner, VSU journalism professor, planned the press conference with the mayor to give his Newswriting students an opportunity to gain experience within the field. 

“City government is something that new journalists should become familiar with,” he said. “It’s one of the beats that they will probably encounter when they enter the profession.” 

Every year, Dr. Geltner coordinates with the City of Valdosta to host a press conference, and students this year were gifted with City of Valdosta merchandise. 

Communications and Mass Media major Mallory Poole greatly enjoyed her experience meeting the mayor. 

“The mayor was very welcoming, and he knew what he was talking about,” she said. “I thought that he cared a lot about the City of Valdosta and what he puts into it, and I think he’s very excited about what’s coming in the future and what he will bring to Valdosta moving forward.