Downtown is looking a lot brighter now following the completionof two projects that are helping to illuminate the area.

New lights along South Railroad Avenue and South WhitworthAvenue were turned on for the first time Wednesday. The decorativelights, which along with a new signage project were funded througha grant, further improve the attractiveness of downtown and theirperiod-specific design meshes well with the historic feel ofbuildings in the area.

And last Saturday night, hundreds turned out for the turning onof neon lighting on the restored Haven sign and marquee atop thehistoric theater on West Cherokee Street. While also celebratingthe completion of a three-month restoration of the building’sfaçade, the evening was a wonderful experience that for manyrecalled fond memories of times enjoyed when the Haven was a movietheater.

Plans by Brookhaven Little Theatre, the community organizationthat owns the building and is continuing to pursue the restorationproject, are for the sign and marquee to be lighted a few weeks inadvance of its scheduled productions during play season. BLTofficials said the sign will also be lit for various specialoccasions throughout the year.