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Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

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Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

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Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

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Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

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May 22, 2019 | Community Spotlight | Cambridge Main Street Unveils 'Green Parking Lot' | 
Waugh_Church_Green_PL__13_.jpg
Photo credit: Cambridge Main Street


Last month, Downtown Cambridge in Maryland hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate their second green infrastructure initiative in the past year. The community welcomed a brand new, environmentally friendly green parking lot that was once home to a blighted, vacant lot. 

The property was once an empty lot and the former site of a car wash, with the building pad and broken concrete left behind. The grounds, dangerous and unsightly, were frequently occupied by the church, Community Garden, thrift store, and the neighboring Women's Club. 

The project was a community partner collaboration between several groups: Cambridge Community Garden, Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church, Shore Rivers, and Cambridge Main Street, who served as the project administrator. 

Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church, with the assistance of Cambridge Main Street and Shore Rivers obtained grant funding to renovate the lot, make it safer, and remove the elements of blight. Support for the project was received from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT).

cambridge_ma.jpgThe project was completed with mats that help absorb water that would have normally run off into the Choptank River, one of the largest tributaries the Chesapeake Bay.

“This project was a win-win for Waugh Chapel, the 400 block of High Street, and downtown Cambridge,” shared Katie Clendaniel, Executive Director for Cambridge Main Street.

Cambridge Main Street has identified blight as a critical issue in many areas of the downtown. Ms. Clendaniel shared that this work will be an important asset to not only the Church, but to nearby businesses and organizations like the Women’s Club, the Community Garden, and the Robin Hood Shop. “We were excited to partner on this project and hope to use this type of public, private collaborative model more in an effort to improve streetscape and engage property owners in the core.”

This is the second community partnership project on Waugh. The Church approved the Cambridge Community Garden in 2015, which starts its fifth season in 2019. The garden provides space for the community to gather, grow, eat and share the harvest.

Submitted by Downtown Cambridge