Home   |   Be A Member   |   First Friday   |   Our Members   |   Four Points   |   Events   |   Things to Do

May 22, 2008

Gift Items   |   Downtown Map   |   E-Newsletter Sign-Up

The Four Point Committees

• Economic

• Design

• Organization

• Promotion

 

People Make A Community

Bring yourself and share a talent that you don't get to use at work or at home. Bring your kids and teach them the value of responsibility, accountability and community. Bring your friend or maybe make a new one. Donate an hour, a day, an idea or elbow grease. It All counts!

The Main Street Association is a part of the National Main Street Center National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since 1980, the National Trust?s National Main Street Center has helped hundreds of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts across the country reclaim the unique quality of life that only a thriving community center can provide. 

The Main Street Program is in more than 1500 communities in America, the Main Street Approach to commercial district revitalization has generated nearly 70,000 building rehabilitations and 174,000 jobs over the last 20 years.

Communities experience an average investment of over $5 million, with a return of $35 for every $1 spent on operation of the local program. The average cost per job generated is just $2,179 and cost per business created only $6,553. These figures make the Main Street Program one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation.

How the Main Street Approach Works: The Main Street Approach builds on downtown?s inherent assets ? rich architecture, small businesses, a connection with the past, and a sense of place ? not only to develop the district as a successful marketplace, but also to make it the center of community identity once again.

Organizationally structured as a local grassroots entity, Main Street builds consensus and develops a strategy based on citizens? vision of what their community should be. Strategies developed are based on the area?s particular assets, resources, and problems.

The Main Street Approach is based on a comprehensive strategy of work, using four points that provide a structural framework to identify key problems and goals. The four points of the Main Street Approach are: Economic Restructuring, Design, Organization, and Promotion.

All Committees work together to assist each other in the ongoing efforts to enhance, revitalize, preserve, and develop a strong cohesive downtown business/community environment.

Promotion

Marketing Stevensville Businesses assets to customers, residents, potential investors, new businesses and visitors. Also, forging a positive image through advertising, retail promotional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns carried out by local volunteers to create a positive downtown image.

Design

Enhances the attractiveness of the downtown and directs design improvement activity relating to building, maintenance and rehabilitation. It includes historic preservation, new construction, public information and privately owned signs, graphic material, public improvements, visual merchandising, traffic and parking.

Economic

Works to strengthen existing downtown businesses and eventually to recruit additional businesses through the following types of programs: Conducting and maintaining a comprehensive inventory of downtown businesses, development of business assistance teams, sponsorship of business seminars, identification of downtown market opportunities, creatively converting unused space for new uses, development of incentive programs to stimulate business growth.

Organization

Plans and conducts annual fund-raising activities for the Main Street Program, conducts annual membership drive, helps recruit new members to all committees, develops leadership, develops a Main Street framework that is well represented by business and property owners, bankers, citizens, public officials, chambers of commerce, and other local economic development organizations.