Dothan's City Center: A Vision Comes to Life
Dothan’s City Center is being re-born! After years of planning, collaboration, and community input, the renaissance of downtown Dothan is officially underway. Working with RDG Planning and Design Group (rdgusa.com), a national leader in reimagining urban spaces, city leaders have created a bold and forward-thinking vision for the heart of our community.
Phase I of the City Center Project is complete and includes enhancements to the historic Dothan Opera House and the creation of Porter Park and Events Plaza, two cornerstone projects that have brought new life and energy to downtown.
Phase II of Dothan’s City Center, the Wiregrass Innovation Center, is set to be completed in spring 2026. This 45,000 sq. ft. facility will serve as a hub for hands-on learning, agtech innovation, and entrepreneurship — a place where ideas grow and visionaries thrive.
Anchored by HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, a collaboration between the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and the City of Dothan, the center will drive innovation, expand STEM education, and boost regional economic growth.
Governor Kay Ivey said it best: “The Wiregrass Innovation Center will be a destination for innovators, a place for experiential learning, and the nerve center for economic development… one of the top agtech centers in the nation.”
Phase III includes the new City Hall and Annex building located on the corner of West Main Street and North Oates Street in the heart of downtown Dothan. The City broke ground on this project in June 2025, and is expected to be complete by early 2027.
Mayor Mark Saliba summed up the spirit of this effort, “If a vision doesn’t make you strain to see if it’s possible, if it doesn’t make you feel like we’re reaching and even question how we can do this, then it’s not much of a vision at all. This vision needs to be transformational. It needs to benefit not only us now, but our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.”
With support from community partners, including the Wiregrass Foundation, and the expertise of Brasfield & Gorrie as general contractor, Dothan’s City Center Project represents more than construction; it’s a generational investment in our city’s future.
The revitalization of Dothan’s core will serve as the foundation for growth and opportunity throughout the community. The time, the place, and the people have all come together. Now…it’s time to continue the transformation of this dream into a reality.