The money is in the bank to continue the transformation of downtown Fayetteville using a turn-of-the-century motif.

City Councilman Al Hovey-King announced Monday that the city has closed its purchase of $1.2 million in bonds to fund projects designed to kick the five-year-old revitalization program into a higher gear.

First on the agenda is purchase of the historic Holliday-Dorsey-Fife House, and Hovey-King, who also is chairman of the city's Main Street Committee, said officials are already at work setting up a closing day. A sale agreement calls for closing by Nov. 16.

The bond issue includes $425,000 to buy and finish restoring the Holliday House. The rest will be used to finish restoring the historic Hollingsworth House, another Main Street project, and to continue improvements to Fayetteville's Courthouse Square.

It's all part of Vision 2020, Main Street's plan to revitalize the city's historic downtown area and attract people to the downtown area.

The program's success has begun to attract attention from all over, city manager Mike Bryant told City Council during its meeting Monday. Atlanta Business Chronicle plans to publish an article on the program, and representatives of cities throughout Georgia have phoned with questions, Bryant said. "They're interested in what we are doing," he said.

"We're trying to create a downtown that's a place where you can eat and shop and bring your family and enjoy all of those things, or just take a stroll in the park," Hovey-King said recently.

The Holliday House is considered the "crown jewel" of Main Street's efforts. Main Street plans to continue the home's transformation into a museum to attract visitors and add to the city's self-guided walking tour. The house is connected to the family of famous gunman Doc Holliday.

First Baptist Church recently donated the Hollingsworth House, a turn-of-the-century home that will be restored as a community meeting place and to house art shows and classes.

Other projects include replacing the concrete sidewalks around Courthouse Square with brick, putting in period street lights and furniture, and special architectural design standards and signage for the downtown area.

Correction

In a previous article, it was erroneously reported that Victoria Wilcox is the current owner of the Holliday House. Wilcox has never owned the historic house, but has been the head of the Holliday House Association, a volunteer group dedicated to its restoration as a historic landmark.

The group will continue to operate after the property is purchased by Main Street Fayetteville, working closely with city officials on the home's restoration and use as a tourist attraction.