The Approach

A Roadmap to Revitalization

UrbanMain™ uses the Main Street Approach to guide comprehensive revitalization efforts. The Main Street Approach is a comprehensive framework that helps communities identify their unique competitive advantage, leverage the power of residents and local stakeholders, and implement a series of short-and-long-term projects. Over 2,000 communities have used this highly-regarded planning and implementation framework to strengthen their local economy.

The Approach at a Glance

The Main Street Approach is centered around Transformation Strategies. A Transformation Strategy articulates a focused, deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown or commercial district’s economy.
A program’s work on Transformation Strategies should be organized around the Four Points: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.
A revitalization program’s work – and its Transformation Strategies – need to be informed by a solid understanding of local and regional market data, and sustained and inclusive community engagement.

What Are Transformation Strategies?

Transformation Strategies – generated through meaningful community engagement and informed by an analysis of the district’s market position — help to guide a revitalization program’s work. An effective Transformation Strategy serves a particular customer segment, responds to an underserved market demand, or creates a differentiated destination.

Some "ready-to-use" strategies — called Catalyst Strategies — fall into two broad categories: those that are focused on a specific customer segment and those that are focused on an industry, product, or service segment.

Examples include:

• Workers and Residents
• Elder Friendly and Aging-in-Place
• Family-Friendly
• Agriculture Center
• Arts (performing and visual)
• College Town
• Convenience Goods and Services
• Entertainment and Nightlife
• Knowledge Economy

What Are the Four Points?

Transformation Strategies are implemented through comprehensive work in four broad areas, known as the Four Points.

ECONOMIC VITALITY focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies.

DESIGN supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.

PROMOTION positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.

ORGANIZATION involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.

Specialized Services

UrbanMain was created to provide our urban districts with greater flexibility in how they use the National Main Street Center’s services and provides support for issues, like gentrification or security, that may not be needed by our traditional Main Street America Network.

- Dionne Baux, Director of Urban Programs

About Us

UrbanMain helps communities restore economic vitality and promote quality of life for residents in under-resourced older and historic neighborhood commercial districts.

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Our Services

To meet the variety of conditions and needs of city and community leaders, we offer a range of service offerings from comprehensive, multi-phased strategic services to targeted, tactical services.

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Questions?

Find answers to your questions and learn more about how UrbanMain can support your community by viewing our FAQs. You may also contact us at urbanmain@savingplaces.org.

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