POWERGRAMS

A bird's-eye view of Talladega's historic downtown district shows the Appalachian Mountain foothills in the background. 25 To most of the world, Talladega is the big racetrack that opened half a century ago. The 2.66-mile NASCAR tri-oval 14 miles from downtown Talladega is familiar even to people who care nothing about vehicles racing 200 mph as 175,000 fans scream while nursing their favorite beverages in the bleachers and infield. Talladega Superspeedway is quickly becoming the "world's most sophisticated fan experience" as its $50 million redevelopment will be partially complete by the running of the Geico 500 April 28 and fully finished by the big races in October. Billed as the "Transformation," the rebirth of the famous facility has nothing on its namesake town founded 135 years earlier. Talladega the city is super in ways millions of followers of Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon and the "Alabama Gang" might never imagine if they haven't traveled south along Highway 77. The town of about 15,000 residents easily qualifies for the Transformation label, perhaps outdoing the track efforts through reviving the old Courthouse Square, restoring stately mansions and attracting impressive new industries and unique businesses. Talladega's blend of building new and improving old may be unsurpassed among small towns in Alabama. The manifold instances are too many to mention but the downtown is a good starting point. The oldest courthouse in continuous use in the state is surrounded by buildings either restored to their glory of the 1800s or under renovations moving in that direction. Even businesses that have failed have fresh facades awaiting new investment. On one corner is Boswell's Wings, named after a local doctor who patented airplane components and some claim flew a plane off a barn in 1902, prompting the legend Boswell beat the Wright Brothers in flight by a year. The restaurant was opened last year by local boy-done-good Kevin Smith, who is founder and owner of several companies and lives in Fort Myers, Florida, but frequently visits Talladega. His Artisan's Alley awaits occupants on another corner downtown. The Purifoy Hotel just behind Courthouse Square is being prepped for a new life. It seems like every direction is undergoing major reconstruction, renovations or set to open doors on new businesses. Across the street from Boswell's is the opulent former Talladega Post Office, built in 1913 for $63,395.34 and used for mail until the local Water & Sewer Board moved in 16 years ago. People paying their bill in person today enjoy entering through the six-columned front, walking across the marble floors cut from the Sylacauga quarry, beneath the original brass lighting fixtures Superspeedway not the only place on fast track Transforming 'DEGA llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Talladega's Courthouse is the oldest continuously operating in Alabama.

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