What is the Main Street Program?

Main Street Working Groups

Organization

Organization involves getting everyone working toward the same goal and assembling the appropriate human and financial resources to implement a Main Street revitalization program. A governing board and standing committees make up the fundamental organizational structure of the volunteer-driven program. Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a paid program director as well. This structure not only divides the workload and clearly delineates responsibilities, but also builds consensus and cooperation among the various stakeholders.

  • Establish the program with appropriate legal and financial accounting structures
  • Hire staff
  • Raise funds for local operation
  • Establish the board of directors and four committees
  • Recruit 40-60 board and committee members
  • Establish a website
  • Develop printed informational pieces about the program
  • Establish a mission statement
  • Design and publish a quarterly newsletter
  • Hold six educational events about the Main Street program

Promotion

Promotion sells a positive image of the commercial district and encourages consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play and invest in the Main Street district. By marketing a district's unique characteristics to residents, investors, business owners, and visitors, an effective promotional strategy forges a positive image through advertising, retail promotional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns carried out by local volunteers. These activities improve consumer and investor confidence in the district and encourage commercial activity and investment in the area.

  • Develop a promotional calendar
  • Produce one new special event
  • Produce 2-3 new retail/business promotions
  • Produce one image-enhancing event
  • Involve 50% of businesses in promotional activities
  • Target specific markets to attract through promotions

Design

Design means getting Main Street into top physical shape. Capitalizing on its best assets — such as historic buildings and pedestrian-oriented streets — is just part of the story. An inviting atmosphere, created through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, street furniture, signs, sidewalks, street lights, and landscaping, conveys a positive visual message about the commercial district and what it has to offer. Design activities also include instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, and long-term planning.

  • Train the design committee
  • Hold 1-2 clean up events in the downtown district
  • Coordinate design assistance to 6-8 property owners
  • Facilitate 2-4 simple design improvements, such as storefront paint/awnings
  • Inventory the buildings in the district
  • Evaluate condition of public amenities and streetscape
  • Educate property owners about appropriate maintenance practices
  • Develop a plan for design improvements
  • Begin to develop design guidelines

Economic Restructuring

Economic Restructuring strengthens a community's existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base. The Main Street program helps sharpen the competitiveness of existing business owners and recruits compatible new businesses and new economic uses to build a commercial district that responds to today's consumers' needs. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district.

  • Analyze existing market data
  • Gather baseline statistics about jobs, income, businesses, and sales
  • Collect new data on customer perceptions through surveys
  • Define the district's trade area and primary customers
  • Survey 100% of business operators in the district to determine their needs
  • Provide 2-4 educational seminars for business operators
  • Create financial incentives for building rehab and/or business development
  • Market existing technical and financial resources to business operators

National Main Street standards of performance:

  • Broad-based public and private sector support for the revitalization process
  • Vision and mission statements
  • Comprehensive Main Street work plan
  • Historic preservation ethic
  • Active board of directors and committees
  • Adequate operating budget
  • Paid, professional program manager
  • Program of ongoing training for staff and volunteers
  • Reporting of key statistics to coordinating program
  • Current member of the National Main Street Membership program

Main Street Principles

For a Main Street program to be successful, it must whole-heartedly embrace the following time-tested Eight Principles.

Comprehensive ››
No single focus can revitalize Main Street. For successful, sustainable, long-term revitalization, a comprehensive approach, including activity in each of Main Street's Four Points, is essential.
Incremental ››
Baby steps come before walking. Successful revitalization programs begin with basic, simple activities that demonstrate that "new things are happening" in the commercial district. As public confidence in the Main Street district grows and participants' understanding of the revitalization process becomes more sophisticated, Main Street is able to tackle increasingly complex problems and more ambitious projects. This incremental change leads to much longer-lasting and dramatic positive change in the Main Street area.
Self-help ››
No one else will save your Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local resources and talent. That means convincing residents and business owners of the rewards they'll reap by investing time and money in Main Street — the heart of their community. Only local leadership can produce long-term success by fostering and demonstrating community involvement and commitment to the revitalization effort.
Partnerships ››
Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the district and must work together to achieve common goals of Main Street's revitalization. Each sector has a role to play and each must understand the other's strengths and limitations in order to forge an effective partnership.
Identifying and capitalizing on existing assets ››
Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique. Every district has unique qualities like distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program.
Quality ››
Emphasize quality in every aspect of the revitalization program. This applies to all elements of the process — from storefront designs to promotional campaigns to educational programs. Shoestring budgets and "cut and paste" efforts reinforce a negative image of the commercial district. Instead, concentrate on quality projects over quantity.
Change ››
Skeptics turn into believers and attitudes on Main Street will turn around. At first, almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite — public support for change will build as the Main Street program grows and consistently meets its goals. Change also means engaging in better business practices, altering ways of thinking, and improving the physical appearance of the commercial district. A carefully planned Main Street program will help shift public perceptions and practices to support and sustain the revitalization process.
Implementation ››
To succeed, Main Street must show visible results that can only come from completing projects. Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is under way and succeeding.