Since 1980, the North Carolina Main Street revitalization program has leveraged over $2.75 billion in public and private investment, generated 23,472 net new jobs and 5,883 net new businesses and rehabilitated more than 6,000 buildings. There are 67 designated Main Street communities in the state.
Now, on July 24, 2018, the North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning Center selected Angier, Elon and Laurinburg to become North Carolina Main Street Communities. It’s a designation that municipalities in need of revitalization earn upon meeting certain downtown redevelopment requirements.
“We congratulate Angier, Elon and Laurinburg on joining the ranks of our state’s Main Street Communities,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “Leaders in Angier, Elon and Laurinburg have committed to improving the economic well-being of their towns through the North Carolina Main Street program, and their work should serve as a model for others considering downtown revitalization.”
The recipients previously participated in other Main Street programs. Since Angier became a Small Town Main Street Community in 2008, local leaders worked toward fulfilling the requirements to become a full Main Street Community, including hiring a local Main Street Director. Elon and Laurinburg graduated from the Main Street and Rural Planning Center’s Downtown Associate Community program, which supports sustainable economic revitalization through strategic planning and organizational development.
“These three communities will now have access to one of the largest resource networks for downtown revitalization leaders in the United States,” said Liz Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center. “Their status as Main Street Communities will bring them new opportunities for growth and development.”
For over 35 years, Main Street America® has helped revitalize older and historic commercial districts. Its national network now extends to more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities. Main Street America® is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center®, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The NC Main Street and Rural Planning Center works with communities on the development of economic development strategies that will transform downtown through an implementation plan based on the Four-Point Approach® methodology, a comprehensive downtown revitalization by the National Main Street Center® 40 years ago.
The North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning Center works in regions, counties, cities, towns, downtown districts and in designated North Carolina Main Street communities, to inspire placemaking through building asset-based economic development strategies that achieve measurable results such as investment, business growth, and jobs.
Photo of Main Street in Laurinburg, NC in 2016 by Gerry Dincher via Wikipedia.
See North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center website.