Comprehensive
No single focus – such as lavish public improvements, “name-brand”
business recruitment, or endless promotional events – can do the job. Downtown revitalization requires a comprehensive strategy.
Incremental
Small projects and simple activities lead to a more sophisticated understanding of the revitalization process and help develop skills to tackle more complex problems and ambitious projects.
Self-Help
Nobody else will save Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to make the project successful. Continued long-term success depends on the involvement and commitment of the community.
Public-Private Partnership
Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the economic health and physical viability of the downtown. Each sector has a role to play, and each must understand the other’s strengths and limitations so that an effective partnership can develop.
Assets
History is on our side. Main Street must capitalize on the unique assets it already has, like the distinctive buildings, friendly shop owners, and a human scale that give people a sense of belonging and pride.
Quality
Built to last. Quality must be emphasized in every aspect of the revitalization program; this applies equally to each program element, from storefront design to promotional campaigns to volunteer recruitment.
Change
Skeptics turn into believers. Almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around… at first. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite – and essential. Public support for change will build as the program grows.
Implementation-Oriented
Make a difference TODAY. Most towns have enough plans collecting dust on the shelves to last them through the century. Main Street focuses on activity that creates confidence in the program and creates visible changes that are a reminder that the revitalization effort is underway. Main Street plans for the future while creating change NOW.
Main Street Approach
Organization means getting everyone working toward the same goal. The work of building consensus and cooperation among groups that have an important stake in the district can be eased by using the commonsense formula of a volunteer-driven program, an organizational structure of a board of directors and committees, and a financially strong organization.
Promotion means selling the image and promise of Main Street to all prospects. By marketing the district’s unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, and visitors, an effective promotional strategy forges a positive image through advertising, retail promotional activity, and special events carried out by local volunteers.
Design means enhancing the visual quality of downtown through attention to all elements of the physical environment. An inviting atmosphere, created through window displays, parking areas, signs, sidewalks, street lights, landscaping, and the buildings themselves, conveys a visual message of what Main Street is and what it has to offer.
Economic Restructuringmeans strengthening the existing economic assets of the business district while diversifying its economic base. By helping existing businesses expand and recruiting new ones to respond to today’s market, Main Street programs help convert unused space into productive property and sharpen the competitiveness of business enterprises.
