Four-Point Approach

The Main Street FOUR-POINT approach is incremental;

1. It is not designed to produce immediate change. Because they often fail to address the underlying causes of commercial district decline, expensive improvements, such as pedestrian malls or sports arenas, do not always generate the desired economic results.
2. In order to succeed, a long-term revitalization effort requires careful attention to every aspect of downtown —
3. It is a process that takes time and requires leadership and local capacity building.
4. The National Trust Main Street Center offers a comprehensive commercial district revitalization strategy that has been widely successful in towns and cities nationwide.

Organization/MEMBERSHIP involves getting everyone working toward the same goal and assembling the appropriate human and financial resources to implement a Main Street revitalization 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.

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,

1.    retail promotional activity,

2.    special events and

3.    marketing campaigns carried out by local volunteers.

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.

• 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.

Economic Restructuring strengthens a community’s existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base.

• Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district.