Siblings Breanna (left) and Nicholas Beaver paint their own creations during a paper plate painting event at Goodman-LeGrand House & Museum on Saturday in Tyler.

Tyler’s downtown has been named a finalist in four design and achievement categories of the 2021 Texas Downtown Association President’s Awards.

Winners will be announced Nov. 4 at the President’s Award Gala. Tyler is a finalist in the following categories: Best Commercial Interior, for Café 1948; Best Public Improvement, for Art Alley; Best Promotional Event (traditional), for Hit the Bricks; and Best Promotional Event (digital), for BusYness.

Tyler Main Street Director Amber Varona said that she is proud to see the work done to improve the downtown community pay off. She added that Tyler was named a finalist in all the areas submitted, validating that they are on the right path.

“When you think about all the great cities and downtowns in the state of Texas it’s a huge honor to be a finalist for these awards,” Varona said. “It really shows that we have something happening here in Tyler and there’s more to come.”

Being a finalist for the Texas Downtown Awards shows people how vibrant and active the Tyler Downtown is, she said, adding that with these awards being statewide, it holds extra weight to be named a finalist in any category.

“We hope the amount of dedication and thought that went into each of these projects make Tyler shine, stand out and maintain its uniqueness,” Varona said. “We have a very talented community and wonderful things are in the works and we are finding ways to make these public/private partnerships flourish into something great for Tyler.”

Hit the Bricks is an event to bring people together in Tyler’s downtown. This happens monthly and includes different events, vendors, and local businesses.

BusYness is a marketing campaign created to show how active downtown is and provide marketing to those within the area.

Art Alley shows Tyler’s support and encouragement of local art. The Art Alley in downtown was once a rundown space, but now it has been made into a 280 foot showcase of the talent in Tyler. This alley adds beautification to downtown and brings the community together.

Café 1948 is a local business that provides visitors with a unique, energetic space with an urban market and specialized food.

To learn more about the Downtown Texas Association President’s awards and see all of the other finalist you can visit https://www.texasdowntown.org/