The small nuances and distinctions between the different local government bodies in Troup County are interesting to note. The makeup of one city council compared to another, how the different personalities of those individuals mesh and clash and the general pace and cadence of the meetings vary between the three Troup County cities of West Point, LaGrange and Hogansville.

Many of these distinctions take time to notice, however, and might not be quickly spotted when attending just a handful of meetings between the three. But, one point of distinction that is immediately noticeable between the three governing bodies is the physical makeup of the different city halls. Both the city council of West Point and LaGrange meet in a space designed for government activity, while the Hogansville governing body has long met inside the city’s old, repurposed Royal Theater building, occupying a space that does not fit the city’s governmental needs. That is soon to change, however, as the city puts the finishing touches on a new roof of the Royal Theater this week, before turning attention to the soon-to-be city hall, located on High Street in what used to be a PNC Bank location.

The city completed purchase of the building in May of 2018 and has been working since then to prepare the location for governmental use. At the same time, the city has been working to get the Royal Theater back into shape to stand once again as a theater, which will hopefully act as the centerpiece of downtown revitalization in the city. While the roof work is just one step in what will be a long, expensive journey to get the Royal Theater completely revitalized, it serves as an important first step.

The revitalization project for the downtown Hogansville area is an important one for the city’s future. For this to be possible, the city council has recognized the need to move city hall to a more appropriate building, thus the move to the old PNC Bank building and the restoration of the Royal Theater are two projects that are working hand-in-hand for the city’s benefit.

Once the roof work has been completed on the Royal Theater, attention will turn to the new city hall building and work will start to transform this into an appropriate city hall venue. Not only will this bring Hogansville’s city hall up to par with others in the county but will serve as a stepping stone toward the city’s overall development and revitalization. We hope this work gets completed swiftly and efficiently.