Main Street Blog

Main Street Blog

In and Around, Out and About Dallas: A Preview of Field Sessions at Main Street Now 2020

November 19, 2019 | In and Around, Out and About Dallas: A Preview of Field Sessions at Main Street Now 2020 | By Debra Drescher, Texas Main Street Program Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission, and Rob Hodges, Communications Project Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission | Students engaging with art in the Dallas Arts District. Courtesy of ADEX Dallas Architecture and Design Foundation. The Texas Main Street Program, Texas Historical Commission, and Friends of the Texas Historical Commission will co-host the 2020 Main Street Now Conference in Dallas, May 18–20, with the opening reception occurring the night of May 17. Get to know our host ...
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2020 Main Street America Institute Course Calendar Now Available

November 18, 2019 | The 2020 Main Street America Institute Course Schedule Are you looking to re-energize your revitalization knowledge base? Do you want a little extra guidance from experts in the field? The Main Street America Institute (MSAI) can help. Take three steps to start your journey today. 1. Plan your 2020 professional development calendar. Check out the 2020 MSAI course schedule and read through course descriptions and learning objectives here. Whether you are interested in taking one course or pursuing a certificate or credential, MSAI can grow your toolbox for revitalization. 2. Learn about the program and ask questions! Uncertain if professional ...
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Announcing the Mary Thompson and David J. Brown Main Street America Institute Scholarships

November 18, 2019 | Announcing the Mary Thompson and David J. Brown Main Street America Institute Scholarships The National Main Street Center (NMSC) is pleased to offer two full scholarships to the Main Street America Institute (MSAI), a professional development program designed for revitalization professionals implementing the Main Street Approach, in honor of two of NMSC’s distinguished former board members, Mary Thompson and David J. Brown. Apply here. Mary Thompson’s career in commercial district revitalization has spanned over 40 years, crossing a variety of geographies and in many roles. In 1984, Mary created what is now the Washington Main Street ...
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Allied Member Spotlight: Discovery Map

November 14, 2019 | Allied Member Spotlight: Discovery Map International, Inc. This week we caught up with Rob Amon of Discovery Map International, Inc. — the country’s leading provider of curated guides to top tourist destinations, cities, and towns throughout North America. Headquartered in Waitsfield, Vermont, Discovery Map has been producing distinctively colorful, hand-drawn maps for 39 years. What is the most rewarding aspect of working with Main Streets? When we begin mapping a new area, we hold a meeting with everyone that will be involved in the process. The goal of the meeting is to get a comprehensive idea of the map layout as well ...
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New Publication! The Future of Retail: Creative Approaches to Place-Based Entrepreneurship

November 13, 2019 | The Future of Retail: Creative Approaches to Place-Based Entrepreneurship | As trends suggest a long-term shift away from traditional bricks-and-mortar retail, Main Streets will need to continue to find new ways to draw people downtown. The Future of Retail: Creative Approaches to Place-Based Entrepreneurship provides a roadmap on how to adapt to the evolving retail landscape by capitalizing on what Main Street has always done well: providing experiences, serving as incubators for entrepreneurs, offering socially-conscious local products and services, and fostering social engagement through innovative programming and place. ...
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2019 Community Transformation Workshop Recap

October 7, 2019 | 2019 Community Transformation Workshop Recap | Hopewell Downtown Partnership's Executive Director Evan Kaufman welcomes Community Transformation Workshop attendees to Hopewell, Virginia. Credit: Kelly Humrichouser The 2019 Community Transformation Workshop was held October 23 – 25 in Richmond, Virginia. A hallmark event of the Main Street America Institute program, the workshop included visits to the Virginia Main Street communities of Fredericksburg and Hopewell. Over three days, participants learned from experts in the field – and each other – about the complex combination of strategy, revitalization, and leadership that creates ...
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Cast Your Vote for the Levitt AMP (Your City) Grant Awards

November 6, 2019 | Cast Your Vote for the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards | Online public voting for the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards is now open! Each year, the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation awards $25K matching grants to up to 15 nonprofits serving small to mid-sized towns and cities to bring a free concert series to those communities.Your votes will determine the Top 25 finalists. Show your support and cast your vote for the six Main Street America programs in the running from now until Nov. 20: 64.6 Downtown : Fort Smith, Arkansas Gallup MainStreet Arts & Cultural District : Gallup, New Mexico Heart of Biddeford : ...
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2019 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets

November 5, 2019 | 2019 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets | National Trust for Historic Preservation The 2019 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign featured 20 sites that each highlight and raise awareness for the often unrecognized contributions of women to American history and society. From the home of the first female African American doctor in Denver, Colorado, to famed author Harper Lee’s hometown courthouse in Monroeville, Alabama, these sites celebrate the triumphs, struggles and rich history of women in America. On October 30, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in collaboration with Main Street America, ...
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Community Spotlight: Creating Rainworks in Downtown Frederick

October 31, 2019 | Community Spotlight: Creating Rainworks in Downtown Frederick | Rainworks 'create joy' at The Muse. (c) Frederick Downtown Partnership Rainy days are no fun… so we decided to create our own sunshine in Downtown Frederick! With a little elbow grease and the right supplies, anyone can create a Rainwork (rain-activated sidewalk art) in just three easy steps. Find the Location: Look for cement that has an even surface, is light in color and doesn’t have much (or any) gravel visible. Get the Materials: We made all of our stencils by hand using cardboard, string and hot glue. We also used the official  Rainworks Invisible ...
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Main Spotlight: High School Student Starts Thriving Antique Shop on Main Street

October 29, 2019 | Main Spotlight: High School Student Starts Thriving Antique Shop on Main Street | 16-year-old Luke Knudson poses with his 1926 Model A Roadster outside the antique shop he opened when he was 13 years old. Luke drives the car at local parades and parks it outside the shop during Sheridan’s car show. Credit: Steve Bourne 3307 Photography Downtown Sheridan, Wyoming, has been home to dozens of antique stores over the years, but one of the few remaining and most popular shops in town isn’t run by a long-time business owner—it’s operated by a local teenager who opened the shop when he was just 13 years old. In between going to class at the ...
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Ten Ideas to Make Your Small Business Saturday a Success

October 29, 2019 | Ten Ideas to Make Your Small Business Saturday® a Success | Residents of Woodland Park Main Street in Colorado pose with their Small Business Saturday tote bags, compliments of American Express, at the welcome station they set up to pass out swag on Small Business Saturday. Credit: Gail Wingerd Main Street America has been a proud supporter of Small Business Saturday® since the beginning and is thrilled to team up with American Express as they celebrate the 10th annual Small Business Saturday. In honor of the 10th Small Business Saturday, we’ve gathered a list of 10 ideas to make this Small Business Saturday your best yet. As you develop ...
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A Warm Welcome to Amanda Elliott

October 29, 2019 | A Warm Welcome to Amanda Elliott, our Newest Staff Member | We are excited to welcome Amanda Elliott to our team! As Senior Program Officer and Director of California Main Street Programs, Amanda is responsible for delivering comprehensive commercial district revitalization technical services to   partner communities and coordinating programs across the country and acting as Director of the   California Main Street program administered by NMSC . She is the former Executive Director of the Richmond Main Street Initiative, Inc. in Richmond, California, where she was responsible for managing and supervising the activities, operations and ...
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RFP: Main Street Community Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Consultant

October 28, 2019 | RFP – Main Street Community Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Consultant | Organization and Project Overview At Main Street America, we believe that everyone deserves access to a vibrant neighborhood – a place that has a thriving local economy, is rich in character, and features inviting public spaces that make residents and visitors feel that they belong. Yet we know that many Americans, whether in small towns or big cities, miss out on these benefits. Our mission is to make this right. Main Street America (MSA) is a non-profit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. MSA recently executed a multi-project Task Agreement ...
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National Park Service Awards Main Street America Funds to Launch Façade Improvement Grant Program

October 24, 2019 | National Park Service Awards Main Street America Funds to Launch Façade Improvement Grant Program |  Main Street America (MSA) is pleased to announce the Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program , made possible by a $746,900 grant from the Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program (HSRP) as administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of Interior. This is the first year of funding for the HRSP. State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, and non-profits were eligible to apply for funding to support a subgrant program to fund multiple preservation projects in their rural jurisdictions. ...
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Action Alert: Ask your Senators to Cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO)

October 23, 2019 | Action Alert: Ask your Senators to Cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) | Last week, Senator Cassidy (R-LA), Senator Cardin (D-MD), Senator Collins (R-ME), and Senator Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Senate version of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO), S. 2615.  Similar to the House version of HTC-GO (which presently has 48 Cosponsors ), the Senate legislation would bring more value to Historic Tax Credit projects, improve access to the credit, and encourage investment in smaller rehabilitation projects.  What does the Senate version of the bill include? Increasing the credit ...
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Main Spotlight: It's All Great in the Lone Star State

October 22, 2019 | Main Spotlight: It’s All Great in the Lone Star State | By Rob Hodges, Communications Project Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission, and Debra Drescher, Texas Main Street Program Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission | Photo credit: Travel Texas The Texas Main Street Program , Texas Historical Commission , and Friends of the Texas Historical Commission will co-host the 2020 Main Street Now Conference in Dallas, May 18–20, with the opening reception occurring the night of May 17. Get to know our host city, state, and Main Street communities through this special blog series. Conference registration opens ...
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Community Spotlight: Oregon Main Street Recognizes 20 Individuals, Businesses, & Projects for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization

October 17, 2019 | Community Spotlight: Oregon Main Street Recognizes 20 Individuals, Businesses, & Projects for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization |  Oregon Main Street recently announced its 2019 Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award winners in Tillamook, Oregon. A total of 20 businesses, projects, and people were recognized that reflected the Four Points of the Main Street Approach: Economic Vitality, Promotion, Design, and Organization. The awards celebration occurred during the opening event for the Oregon Main Street Conference that took place Oct. 2-4. The twenty projects, businesses, and individuals honored included: Best New Business ...
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Rebuilding Main Street in Rural America: How to Engage Support, Find Funding and Build a Stronger Community

October 16, 2019 | Main Spotlight: Rebuilding Main Street in Rural America: How to Engage Support, Find Funding and Build a Stronger Community | By Wendy Van Duyne, Landscape Architect at Stantec | When the Oconomowoc Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department wanted to redesign the Fowler Lake waterfront, their goal was to make this area a downtown destination for community members and visitors alike. Photo credit: Matt Edgar Rural communities are stretching their budgets to accommodate critical needs, but where can they look for additional funding? Downtowns are the lifeblood of our communities. In small towns across the country, Main Street ...
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Carlsbad Farmers Market Celebrates 25th Anniversary

October 10, 2019 | Community Spotlight: Carlsbad Farmers Market Celebrates 25th Anniversary | Photo credit: Carlsbad Village Association What started 25 years ago as a way to help maintain local agriculture and promote its long-term benefits for the community, while also enhancing business downtown, has truly become the heartbeat of downtown Carlsbad. From its beginnings in a parking lot one block off the Main Street to its current location in the center of downtown, the State Street Farmers Market has become a vital part of the Village tapestry. The State Street Farmers Market, also known as the Carlsbad Farmers Market, has been in operation since ...
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Bringing Opportunity Zone Investment to Central Appalachian Communities

October 10, 2019 | Bringing Opportunity Zone Investment to Central Appalachian Communities | 158 OZs in Central Appalachian coal-impacted communities in WV, OH and VA. Photo credit: Appalachian Community Capital  Appalachian Community Capital today announced receipt of a $1,000,000 technical assistance grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to help bring Opportunity Zone investment into Central Appalachian communities in Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.  Main Street America is a lead partner in Opportunity Appalachia , a technical support initiative designed to strengthen investable transactions in target rural communities, ...
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