National Main Street Center

National Main Street Center is a nonprofit organization that works to revitalize and preserve Main Streets across the United States, in partnership with National Trust for Historic Preservation, U.S. Department of the Interior, and U.S. Department of Commerce. The organization was established in 1980 by Mary Means, with support from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lady Bird Johnson, and other notable figures, including Jimmy Carter and Diane Feinstein. The National Main Street Center has worked with numerous communities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans, to promote historic preservation and community development, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Reserve System. The organization's efforts have been recognized by Congress, with bipartisan support from lawmakers like Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell.

● History

The National Main Street Center was founded in 1980 as a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, with the goal of helping communities revitalize their downtown areas, often in partnership with local governments, such as the City of San Francisco and the State of California. The organization was inspired by the work of Jane Jacobs, William Whyte, and other urban planners, who emphasized the importance of community engagement and historic preservation in urban development, as seen in projects like the Boston Waterfront and the Pittsburgh Renaissance. In the 1990s, the National Main Street Center became an independent organization, with its own board of directors and staff, including experts like Richard Moe and Don Rypkema. The organization has worked with communities across the United States, from small towns like Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Leavenworth, Kansas, to large cities like New York City and Los Angeles, often in collaboration with organizations like the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, and the National Association of Realtors.

● Mission_and_Objectives

The mission of the National Main Street Center is to empower communities to revitalize their downtown areas, while preserving their historic character and promoting sustainable development, in line with the principles of smart growth and new urbanism, as advocated by Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. The organization's objectives include providing technical assistance and training to community leaders, as well as promoting public-private partnerships and community engagement, often in collaboration with organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The National Main Street Center also works to promote historic preservation and cultural heritage tourism, in partnership with organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, as seen in projects like the National Register of Historic Places and the Save America's Treasures program.

● Programs_and_Services

The National Main Street Center offers a range of programs and services to support community revitalization efforts, including the Main Street America program, which provides technical assistance and training to community leaders, as well as the Main Street Now conference, which brings together community leaders and experts from across the United States, including speakers like Richard Florida and James Howard Kunstler. The organization also offers grants and funding opportunities to support community revitalization projects, in partnership with organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Reserve System. Additionally, the National Main Street Center provides research and policy analysis on issues related to community revitalization and historic preservation, often in collaboration with think tanks like the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution.

● Organization_and_Leadership

The National Main Street Center is led by a board of directors that includes experts in historic preservation, community development, and urban planning, such as Don Rypkema and Stephanie Meeks. The organization's staff includes professionals with expertise in community engagement, grant writing, and program management, often with backgrounds in organizations like the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The National Main Street Center is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and has a network of regional offices and partners across the United States, including offices in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado, and partnerships with organizations like the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

● Impact_and_Achievements

The National Main Street Center has had a significant impact on community revitalization efforts across the United States, with over $70 billion in public-private investment and over 600,000 jobs created or retained, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The organization has worked with over 1,600 communities across the United States, from small towns like Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Leavenworth, Kansas, to large cities like New York City and Los Angeles, often in collaboration with organizations like the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, and the National Association of Realtors. The National Main Street Center has also been recognized for its work, including receiving the National Planning Award from the American Planning Association and the Preservation Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, as well as awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Endowment for the Arts. Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States