MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET PROGRAMS RECEIVE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR 2015
The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) announces that the following Main Street programs in Mississippi have been designated as accredited National Main Street Programs for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center®, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Aberdeen Main Street, Amory Main Street, Baldwyn Main Street Chamber, Batesville Main Street Association, Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation, Biloxi Main Street, Booneville & Prentiss County Main Street Association, Canton Chamber of Commerce/Main Street, Carthage Main Street, Team Cleveland Main Street, Clinton Main Street, Columbus Main Street, Main Street Corinth, Main Street Crystal Springs, Main Street Greenville, Main Street Greenwood Inc., Gulfport Main Street, Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association, Hernando Main Street Chamber, Indianola Main Street, Inc., Kosciusko Main Street, Laurel Main Street, Louisville/Noxapater Main Street, Main Street Macon, Meridian Main Street, New Albany Main Street Association, Ocean Springs Chamber-Main Street-Tourism Bureau, Okolona Main Street, Olive Branch Old Towne Association, Pascagoula Main Street/City Hall, Pass Christian Main Street, Philadelphia Main Street, Picayune Main Street, Pontotoc County Main Street Chamber, Ripley Main Street Association, Senatobia Main Street, Small Town Mississippi, Greater Starkville Development Partnership, Tunica Main Street, Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, Vicksburg Main Street, Water Valley Main Street, West Point Main Street and Woodville Main Street.
Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street® programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization through the Main Street Four Point Approach®.
“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for their outstanding accomplishment in meeting the National Main Street Center’s 10 Standards of Performance,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “As the National Main Street Center celebrates its 35th Anniversary, it is also important to celebrate the achievements of the local Main Street programs across the country, some of which have been around since the beginning. These local programs work hard every day to make their communities great places to work, live, play and visit while still preserving their historic character.”
The Main Street organizations are evaluated annually by the Mississippi Main Street Association, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. These standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street program’s application of the Main Street Four Point Approach® to commercial district revitalization.
Evaluation criteria determine the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.
“Receiving National Main Street accreditation is a prestigious designation and we congratulate each of these programs in Mississippi for this achievement,” said Bob Wilson, MMSA Executive Director. “Main Street programs play a strategic role in stimulating economic development in our local communities, our state and the entire nation.”
Accredited programs will be recognized on June 18 at the Mississippi Main Street Annual Awards Luncheon at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson.
Since 1993, Mississippi Main Street Association has generated nearly $4.7 billion in private and public investment (which includes more than $1 billion in public investment).
In 2014, Mississippi Main Street cities generated 292 net new businesses, 76 business expansions to existing businesses, 1,173 net new jobs, 92 façade rehabilitations and 127 upper floor housing units. More than 65,117 volunteer hours were recorded.
Main Street programs in Mississippi leverage an average of $485 for every public/private dollar invested.
Established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, the National Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts.
Established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, the National Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts. Working in more than 2,000 downtowns and urban neighborhoods over the last 35 years, the Main Street program has leveraged more than $61.7 billion in new public and private investment. Participating communities have created 528,557 net new jobs and 120,510 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 251,838 buildings, leveraging an average of $26.52 in new investment for every dollar spent on their Main Street district revitalization efforts.
MS Main Street Assn Release
4/9/15
Magnolia Tribune
