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| In regard to economic development coupled with cultural diversity, Covington has targeted the arts as a source of economic vitality. Several art galleries have made their homes in downtown Covington exhibiting every medium. Film and video producers are working out of downtown Covington, and thanks to technology are able to serve the deliverables needs of their clients electronically. The film industry has seen tremendous growth in the state since the enactment of the Louisiana Motion Picture Incentive Act. The City also purchased a former church to be used as a workforce development and education center, and transformed the sanctuary into the Furhmann Auditorium as a center for the performing arts. This facility, now called the Greater Covington Center has also become a busy site for conferences and professional meetings. The auditorium became the official home of Symphony Northshore in 2004. Covington is also the center of the medical and legal professions in St. Tammany Parish. Professionals representing all industries from architecture to finance are present in Covington and serving the needs of local, national and international clients. The City has a proliferation of retail specialty shops and popular restaurants, one of which was named Best New Restaurant in the New Orleans Region by New Orleans Magazine in 2003.
The issues surrounding annexation in St. Tammany Parish have been resolved by the execution of the Growth Management and Revenue Sharing Agreement of 2003. This agreement identifies where the City may annex property without opposition from the Parish and two areas where sales tax revenues will be shared by the City and Parish. This agreement has made planning easier by defining the City’s future growth boundaries and eliminating the guesswork on where growth will occur. It has also allowed the City to share in the revenues generated by national retailers seeking location profiles that aren’t present within the municipal boundaries. Covington in the New Millennium should be recognizable by anyone who might have been here in the old. The view may have changed a little, but its unique sense of place remains. In 2003 Covington elected its first female mayor. The City has two female council members and the chief administrator, city planner, and city attorney are all women. We think John Wharton Collins would approve after benefiting from the perseverance and commitment of his own courageous mother. We invite you to visit Covington to learn more about its history, culture, business opportunities and quality of life. It’s all about progress and preservation. Covington, you cross a bridge when you come to it. |