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The Main Street Approach
The Main Street Approach is a
community-driven, comprehensive methodology used to revitalize older,
traditional business districts throughout the United States. It is a
common-sense way to address the variety of issues and problems that face traditional
business districts. The underlying premise of the Main Street
approach is to encourage economic development within the context of historic
preservation in ways appropriate to today's marketplace. The Main Street Approach advocates a return to community
self-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional
commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive
architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local
ownership, and a sense of community.
 The Main Street Four-Point Approach is a
comprehensive strategy that is tailored to meet local needs and
opportunities. It encompasses work in four distinct areas - Design, Economic
Restructuring, Promotion, and Organization - that are combined to address all
of the commercial district's needs. The philosophy and the Eight
Guiding Principles behind this methodology make it an effective tool
for community-based, grassroots revitalization efforts. The Main Street
approach has been successful in communities of all sizes, both
rural and urban.
The Main
Street approach is incremental;
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. In order to succeed, a
long-term revitalization effort requires careful attention to every aspect of
downtown - a process that takes time and requires leadership and local capacity
building.
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