Weather and age can take their toll on many area buildings, so the importance of the buildings’ upkeep is vital to ensure they are safe to occupy, and the frequent repairs made to them can make Selma’s downtown area look more up-to-date.

On Monday, the construction workers repainted the exterior of Pilcher-McBryde Drug Co., located on Broad Street, for what business owner Jim Creech said he believed was the first time in 10-15 years.

“It helps with the aesthetics and helps downtown to look attractive and viable, and it also attracts people as far as business is concerned,” Creech said. “But it’s also important for the upkeep of the building itself to maintain the exterior and hopefully keep it from deteriorating.”

Creech said that although the building doesn’t require a large amount of maintenance and repairs, it is important to ensure everything about the building is functioning and safe.

“We do renovations every so often, just basic upkeep, to keep it looking nice,” he said.

Sheryl Smedley, the executive director of the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, said there was no timetable for repairs, but said it is important for business and building owners to do repairs to their buildings every so often.

“When the repairs are done, it shows the time and effort business owners invest in our community, and consequently, it boosts our economy and continues to show the work in progress throughout Selma,” Smedley said.

In his January 2012 State of the City speech, Selma Mayor George Evans said he, too, was proud of the progress the city was making with regards to construction and renovations.

In that speech, Evans said $10.6 million in construction or renovations were accounted for through city building permits.

Of the renovations that made up the $10.6 million total, Smedley said she was pleased to see so much work being done in the Selma community.

“[The renovations] all started at Butler Truax [Jewelers], I believe,” Smedley said. “Since then, it has trickled down to Carter Drugs and has continued throughout the City of Selma. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue because it will help our downtown area thrive in the long term.”