At Tuesday's meeting, Bibb County commissioners approved of the NewTown Macon taking out $3.5 million in bonds issued to real estate developers.
Lee Clack, owner of Kudzu Seafood says he's taking an old pawn shop on Poplar Street and turning into into a restaurant with a rooftop bar.
"Poplar Street is the next explosion downtown," said Clack.
He says the explosion comes from NewTown Macon.
Josh Rogers, the president and CEO of NewTown Macon, says a few years ago they started their downtown bond program to issue loans to real estate developers like the one that renovated Clack's space.
"It's amazing how when the building is watertight, and has nice windows, and it's painted on the outside and it's structurally sound, when you bring a tenant there when you bring a business owner, they can see living there, they can see making money there," said Rogers.
Since the program began in 2012, he says property values went up 56 percent, they've created 200 more spaces of loft apartments, countless spaces for businesses, and generated $1.4 million in taxes.
"It's like the best investment program you could possibly have," said Rogers.
"My current location, we opened 4 years ago. 6 or 7 years ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of putting it downtown," said Clack.
Clack says before NewTown's program, downtown Macon seemed like the Wild West -- empty and scary. Now, the program has attracted neighboring businesses like Your Pie and Decadent Coffee.
He says it's the perfect location for his restaurant to move to and he's excited for the extra space.
Rogers adds that with the newly-issued bond funds, they will continue to work on the same type of development.
The loans are issued to NewTown Macon and do not cost the county anything. So far, all of the bonds they've issued have all been paid back.