March 2008

MAIN STREET 101

Although Main Street Chillicothe has been a driving force in the Chillicothe community for over a decade, there is still much to be told about what the organization is doing to strengthen the core of the community… the downtown area. First and foremost, many people are confused by the name. For all those in question, Chillicothe does not have a “Main” Street. The name Main Street Chillicothe is derived from the national four-point approach that over eighty communities within the state of Missouri have adopted as their means of downtown revitalization.

The Main Street Program 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 approach has been successful in communities of all sizes, both rural and urban.

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 principles behind this methodology make it an effective tool for community-based, grassroots revitalization efforts.

Each of the four points serves a specific purpose for the downtown area. Design means getting the downtown into top physical shape while capitalizing on its best assets such as historic buildings and traditional downtown layout. Design also focuses on creating an inviting atmosphere through landscaping, façade improvements, signage, lighting and window displays. Economic Restructuring works to find a new purpose for downtown enterprises by helping existing businesses expand and recruiting new ones to respond to today’s market. Promotion means selling the image and promise of the downtown through advertising, retail promotions, special events, and marketing campaigns and Organization focuses on getting everyone working toward a unified goal for the good of the downtown and surrounding community.

The Main Street approach is incremental; it is not designed to produce immediate change. 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. Chillicothe has accepted the undertaking of revitalizing our downtown area and the community has been very supportive in the efforts to bring it back to its prime.

The Main Street Chillicothe office is located on the second floor of the Chillicothe Commerce Center in downtown Chillicothe. We invite you to pay us a visit and view our beautifully restored upper-level space.

To learn more about the Main Street Program, both locally and nationally, visit the following sites: www.mainstreetchillicothemo.com and www.mainstreet.org.