Things are coming together on Broad Street. Photo by Joe White.

The newly formed Downtown Augusta Alliance has given itself what may be the city’s most creative name — d(a)².

The motto, however, is, well, more in keeping with what it has always been: “Making downtown a wonderful place to work, play and live.”

But after meeting without a title for months, members of the alliance are gung-ho to begin their mission.

At the Metro Coffeehouse on Thursday, Lara Plocha, who said she was speaking as owner of BlueMagnolia and not as executive director of the Imperial Theatre, advised a small gathering, “Participation is the key.”

The alliance’s goal, she indicated, is to come together to make downtown pulse vibrantly as the heart of Augusta. “There is power in numbers. Downtown is ripe for us to really do this. We need to band together for prosperity.”

Other downtown merchants and residents are being invited to help accomplish the group’s mission of promoting “health, vitality and progress.”

Of course, the other organization dedicated to downtown’s prosperity is the Downtown Development Authority. The DDA is presently focusing on marketing downtown as a place to bring your business.

DDA Executive Director Margaret Woodard is assembling 400 recruitment packages inviting businesses to discover downtown.

Plocha has some concerns about the recruitment. “We would all hate to see a big-box company come in and muscle us out. And it is up to us avoid that. We want to maintain our charm above it all. Though I think all of us would be proud to see an Urban Outfitters.”

Plocha said d(a) would be working with the DDA to promote downtown. “This is a non-political group. We answer to no landlords or politicians. I own Blue Magnolia. I alone am responsible for getting people into my business.”

Members have promotional ideas. “In May we could all have a sidewalk sale. And we could steal Atlanta’s ‘Downtown Connects’ idea,” Plocha said.

“They have cards all over — in the visitors office and welcome center — encouraging people to come downtown with promotions. It can be a free glass of iced tea or a free key chain, but there’s a whole card for the person to use and save while they come to those shops.”The group talked about a couple of in-the-news items that may help boost all the foot traffic they seek. “Baseball may come to the river, bringing with them an estimated 400,000 yearly attendees,” Plocha noted. “The ‘In Full Swing’ branding works right in with that. All of us would benefit.”

And the train depot area’s proposed condominiums, retail shops and hotel were discussed as another potentially large promoter of the downtown area. “That would be huge growth for all of us,” Plocha said of the ongoing negotiations.

Jeremy Carr of The Well, who has taken on the job of block captain for the 700 area of Broad Street, said, “I have spoken to so many others in other small cities. They are jealous that we have this opportunity. We are being proactive and downtown Augusta is in a very good place to still be really formed by those who live and work here.”