According to Dothan’s Downtown Development Group Director Cathy Cole, 18 new businesses have moved into the downtown area in the last eight months.

Surprisingly, the growth comes during tough economic times. The economy hasn't stopped people from investing in downtown. Now an antique store, art gallery, and Italian restaurant seem to be next on the menu for downtown.

Back in May, Nick Nitkowski showed us around The Penny Building downtown and his vision for a fine dining Italian restaurant.

Today D' Monico's Italian Gardens is about a week away from opening.

"It’s going to be very, very unique. Something nobody else in Dothan has, and of course the cuisine is going to be outstanding,” Nitkowski says.

D'Monico's will be downtown's largest eatery, with three separate levels, including a wine cellar.

An antique shop and art gallery are expected to be open along Foster Street in November continuing an array of new businesses opening up shop in the Historic District.

"Projects are going forward. A lot of buildings are under construction and the construction is continuing and people are planning opening dates for their businesses. Whether those being eateries or stores, so I think we have just been very fortunate downtown,” says Cole.

Some have called the old bank building an anchor for downtown development. Right now it stands vacant, with one shade pulled, as if keeping an eye on progress around it.

Cathy Cole says the building has an interested buyer right now, and all that could do is good for the area.

"The more you get down here the more foot traffic you get and the better everyone does,” she adds.

Even with tough economic times, more and more business owners like Nitkowski see the promise of bringing people back toward the center of the city.

"We are trying to bring tradition back to Dothan. Dothan is rich with history from Cowarts Cowpen to poplar head spring, to when it was incorporated as Dothan. And we would like to bring some of the tradition back,” says Nitkowski.

Cathy Cole says there are success stories like Bistro on North Foster Street. They have had to add to their open hours to accommodate people coming in.

Nitkowski says plans for residential lofts and a special events theater are next in store for redevelopment of The Penny Building.

Once started, he says it could take about a year to complete.