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Main Street Blog

Community Spotlight: Made on Main Street in Prosser, Washington

September 19, 2018 | Community Spotlight: Made on Main Street in Prosser, Washington | Team members from OneMain Financial, Historic Downtown Prosser, Washington Main Street, and the National Main Street Center greeted guests at the Made on Main Street event on September 9, 2018. (Photo credits: Norma Ramirez de Miess and Natalie Lucci Photography ) OneMain   Financial and   Historic Downtown Prosser   hosted a community event on September 9, in beautiful downtown Prosser, Wash. Over 300 attendees enjoyed a family-friendly block party that celebrated the community and showcased Prosser's upcoming streetscape improvement project. The Historic ...
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Main Streets Speak Up for National Parks

September 18, 2018 | Main Spotlight:   Main Streets Speak Up for National Parks   | By Renee Kuhlman,   Director of Policy Outreach at the National Trust for Historic Preservation  | Jann Mirkov and Yvonne Knowles (3 rd and 4 th from the left) and other park advocates with Terry Camp, staff to the House Natural Resources Committee. Photo credit: Pam Bowman, Director of Public Lands Policy at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2017, the National Park System received an  estimated 331 million  visits.  Visitors to our nation’s parks spent  an estimated $18. 2 billion  in communities located within 60 ...
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Emily Wallrath Schmidt to depart NMSC

September 13, 2018 | After three years of service, Emily Wallrath Schmidt will be leaving her position as Manager of Communications at the National Main Street Center to pursue a new opportunity with the Chicago Bungalow Association. Emily’s last day in the office will be Thursday, September 13.  Emily has brought so much to our team during a crucial time of growth for the new organization, expanding the Center’s social media presence, playing a key role in the launch of Main Street America and Urban Main, and deepening the impact of our work though stellar storytelling. We’ll especially miss Emily’s witty sense of humor and her uncanny ability to make ...
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Neighborhood News: Chicago UrbanMain Update

September 12, 2018 | Neighborhood News: Chicago UrbanMain Update | By Dionne Baux, Director of Urban Programs, National Main Street Center We recently toured Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood with South East Chicago Commission's Eric Reaves, Chandra Rouse of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and David Meni from Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau's Ward 1 office in Washington, D.C. Happy end-of-summer Neighborhood News readers! We hope you enjoyed a season filled with successes and new learnings. As fall approaches we would like to share a brief update on the National Main Street Center’s (NMSC) UrbanMain initiative and feed your curious community ...
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Study Trip Recap

September 11, 2018 | Study Trip Recap | By Amanda Elliott, Richmond Main Street This summer, the National Main Street Center hosted Amanda Elliot, Richmond Main Street Executive Director, for a four-day Study Trip as part of her two-year Fellowship program with LeaderSpring. The LeaderSpring Fellowship program works with executives of community-based organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop and sustain effective leaders for organizations and communities. LeaderSpring aims to enhance nonprofit capacity and improve services to low-income communities through collaboration and fostering partnerships. I had a fantastic Study Trip visiting ...
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The Great, Big, Beautiful Pacific Northwest

September 10, 2018 | By Breanne Durham, Washington Main Street Coordinator, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation THE GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL PACIFIC NORTHWEST Kayaking in the Puget Sound affords great views of the Seattle skyline. Visit Seattle, courtesy of Alki Kayak Tours Washington Main Street will co-host the 2019 Main Street Now Conference in Seattle, March 25-27. Get to know our host city, state and Main Street communities through this special blog series. Conference registration opens November 1. Shortly after I moved to Seattle three years ago, my now father-in-law asked with more than a little skepticism what I liked about my ...
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Community Spotlight: Cambridge, Maryland

September 5, 2018 | Downtown Cambridge Installs Electric Vehicle Chargers Photo credit: Downtown Cambridge Downtown Cambridge ’s electric vehicle charging stations officially launched August 7 with a ribbon cutting and demonstration event. Cambridge is the first Main Street community in Maryland to install public chargers, which include three Tesla destination units and one ClipperCreek universal unit. Downtown Cambridge hopes the chargers will encourage electric vehicle drivers to stop and refuel more than just their car. “It’s an opportunity to encourage new faces to travel downtown and have a look around, possibly visit our brewery, shops, ...
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Chicago UrbanMain Applications Due Oct 1

September 4, 2018 |  Chicago commercial district programs invited to apply for suite of UrbanMain technical services. The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce a second-round opportunity for Chicago neighborhoods through UrbanMain . This new program will support commercial district revitalization efforts in Chicago neighborhoods, thanks to the generous support of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation . Applications are due October 1. Download the Request for Proposals . UrbanMain, launched in September 2017, was designed to support the needs of urban commercial districts in distressed neighborhoods through a suite of tailored technical services ...
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New Market Tax Credit Bill, Rural Jobs Act Introduced in House

August 30, 2018 | New Market Tax Credit Bill, Rural Jobs Act Introduced in House, 400 Main Street Communities Eligible | Under the new legislation, $1 billion in additional NMTC allocation would be targeted exclusively to the Rural Jobs Zones highlighted on this map . Credit: New Markets Tax Credit Coalition The Rural Jobs Zone Act of 2018 (H.R. 6627) was introduced in late July by Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL), both members of the Ways and Means Committee. The proposed legislation would authorize an additional $500 million New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation in both 2018 and 2019. This new allocation ...
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Community Spotlight: Ames, Iowa

August 29, 2018 | Community Spotlight: Ames, Iowa | Ames Main Street Rocks RAGBRI Approximately 15,000 people came out for Ames Main Street’s RAGBRAI party (on a Tuesday night!), which featured 12 bands and 20 food trucks. This photo of the Spazmatics concert was taking from an upper floor apartment window by downtown resident Nitin Gadia. Last month, Downtown Ames hosted a festival for the 46 th annual RAGBRAI race (The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). Every year, the bike ride takes a different route through Iowa, stopping in a different city each night. The last time RAGBRAI came through town was in 2008, before Ames joined ...
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Update: Federal Historic Tax Credit Advocacy

August 28, 2018 | Update: Federal Historic Tax Credit Advocacy | By Shaw Sprague, Senior Director of Government Relations, National Trust for Historic Preservation   Historic tax credits were used to convert the Steele Mansion in Painesville, Ohio, into a bed and breakfast and event center. David Polakowski, Downtown Painesville Organization Executive Director, and Joyce Barrett, Heritage Ohio Executive Director, join with Representative David Joyce (R-OH) (in the center of the photo) and and city officials on the building's front porch. Photo credit: Heritage Ohio As we make our way through the Congressional summer recess, where (typically) elected ...
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Your 2019 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalists

August 22, 2018 | Your 2019 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalists Congratulations to the 2019 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) Semifinalists! Alberta Main Street (Portland, Oregon) Boyne City Main Street (Boyne City, Michigan) Main Street Chillicothe (Chillicothe, Missouri) Ellensburg Downtown Association (Ellensburg, Washington) Evanston URA/Main Street (Evanston, Wyoming) Hammond Downtown Development District (Hammond, Louisiana) Kendall Whittier Main Street (Tulsa, Oklahoma) San Marcos Main Street Program (San Marcos, Texas) Wausau River District (Wausau, Wisconsin) Wheeling Heritage (Wheeling, West ...
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2019 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist Announcements

August 20, 2018 | 2019 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist Announcements Here we go! 2019 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist announcements begin TODAY... Semifinalists, selected by a national jury of community development professionals and representatives of government agencies involved in economic development and historic preservation, exemplify the power of the Main Street Approach® to transform traditional downtowns and neighborhood business districts. We'll announce all 10 on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram over the course of the week! Follow along with # GAMSA The 2019 Great American Main Street Award winners will ...
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Community Spotlight: Benson, North Carolina

August 15, 2018 | Community Spotlight: Benson, North Carolina | “Biz Vidz” Series Highlights Local Businesses in Benson Still from Salvaged Heirlooms “Biz Vidz” created by the Town of Benson. This summer, the Town of Benson started a special project to highlight their downtown businesses. Inspired by working with a videographer to produce a new economic development video , they decided to shoot their own in-house creations!  About once a week, a new 1:30-minute to 2-minute “Biz Vidz” highlighting one local business is posted to Benson’s social media accounts. These videos are shot, edited and fully produced in-house by the Benson Media Department ...
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7 Ways To Bring Your Main Street On Screen

August 14, 2018 | 7 Ways To Bring Your Main Street On Screen | By Dave Schmidt, GAH! Films The value of a marketing campaign for your Main Street is difficult to overstate: pictures, videos, and stories that shine a little light on the wonders of your town can encourage tourists (and even locals!) to step out and contribute to your community. A well-run campaign can even be a gift that keeps on giving, encouraging people to capture their own experiences and share their time with friends and family who might, in turn, do the same. You don’t need to be a big-name district to make a video that goes viral; you just need to know what you’re doing. But like the ...
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Community Spotlight: Newton, North Carolina

August 8, 2018 | Community Spotlight: Newton, North Carolina | Tactical Urbanism in Downtown Newton The Downtown Newton Development Association (North Carolina) partnered with the City of Newton on a temporary tactical urbanism project to demonstrate how their permanent streetscape improvements will benefit downtown. The project was the first in North Carolina to be approved on a state highway. For one week, the community enjoyed handmade bike racks, street trees, and lighting. A public comment board to captured ideas and suggestions. Local Discovery High School students (pictured above) planned and executed the project, along with the Main Street and ...
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Leading Main Street

August 7, 2018 | Leading Main Street | Norma Ramirez de Miess, National Main Street Center | Originally published in the 2018 edition of State of Main | We all know strong leadership when we see it, but how do we define it? While there may not be a one-size-fits-all Main Street leader, there are common characteristics among programs and communities leading successful revitalization efforts. Norma Ramirez de Miess, Senior Program Manager and Director of Leadership Development, highlights five of these key attributes, and shares insights and examples from Main Street leaders across the nation on what it takes to lead effectively. We are always impressed ...
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Network Spotlight: Main Street Maine

August 2, 2018 | Network Spotlight: Main Street Maine Maine’s 10 Nationally Accredited Main Streets Unveil Interactive Web Portal Aimed at Attracting Visitors Yesterday, the Maine Downtown Center launched an interactive web portal aimed at attracting visitors through one-stop shopping and compelling content. The website is a collaboration among the state's 10 Main Street Maine programs and the Maine Downtown Center, with guidance and matching funds from the Maine Office of Tourism. Main Street Maine features local makers, innovative events and natural assets in Maine’s downtowns on one connected, user-friendly website. “People come to Maine to discover ...
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One Week Left to Submit 2019 Main Street Now Conference Proposals

August 1, 2018 | One Week Left to Submit 2019 Main Street Now Conference Proposals |   Time is running out to submit your 2019 Main Street Now Conference education session proposal. The call for proposals closes August 8 ! We encourage proposals that speak to one of our three major themes— Managing Main Street, Elevating Local Leadership, and Celebrating Third Places —as well as perennial Main Street revitalization topics. Convened annually, Main Street Now showcases implementable best practices, time-tested solutions and innovative ideas from our national network of practitioners, as well as those in adjacent fields who share in the goal of creating ...
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Register for Historic Real Estate Finance Training

July 30, 2018 | Register for Historic Real Estate Finance Certification Real estate developers speak a language all their own. Do you understand the lingo, the players, and the process of historic real estate redevelopment? Prepare yourself to participate in downtown development deals and create results for your community with a new, specialized training opportunity from the Main Street America Institute, in partnership with the National Development Council. The Historic Real Estate Finance Certification series is a two-part program designed to meet the needs of Main Street leaders, enabling them to take a lead role in the redevelopment of historic ...
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