Maine Downtown Center Announces
2009 Main Street Maine Application Round
The Maine Downtown Center is pleased to announce that it is opening a new application round for
communities interested in participating in the Main Street Maine program.
The Main
Street Maine program utilizes the Main Street economic development model for
historic commercial downtown districts created by the National Trust for
Historic Preservation in 1980. This volunteer intensive model is used in
over 2,212 communities. Currently the Maine program includes Saco, Norway, Bath, Gardiner, Waterville, Skowhegan, Eastport, Biddeford and Van
Buren. One new Main Street Maine community will be named in 2009, and
will receive technical assistance and training provided by the Maine Downtown Center for the next 3 years. As part of designation, communities must
commit to maintaining a downtown revitalization program using the Main Street approach, which
includes hiring a downtown manager, maintaining an active board and committee
structure, and establishing a 3-year funding plan. Details can be found
in the Application Guidelines which, along with the Application, can be downloaded
from the link below.
Applicant
communities must send at least 2 representatives to attend one of two half-day
mandatory application workshops. The workshops are also a good way of
learning more about the Main Street approach for communities that may not be
ready to undertake the application process.
If you are
interested in applying, YOU MUST attend one of the following
Application Workshops:
Bangor:
FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 17
Bangor Savings Bank’s Corporate Office’s Conference Room
99 Franklin St., Bangor, ME 04401 / 207.942.5211
Brunswick: MONDAY,
OCTOBER 20
Curtis Memorial Library’s Morrell Meeting Room
23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME 04011 / 207.725.5242
Directions
AGENDA
FOR EACH DAY
8:30am Welcome
and Introductions
8:45-9:30am Overview
of Main Street Approach
9:30-9:45am Value
of Main Street Program
9:45-10:30am Q
& A
10:30-11:30am Review
Application Process and Criteria
11:30am-12:30pm How
to Fill Out the Application
12:30pm Depart!
Schedule
for Selecting the New Main Street Maine community*:
Deadline
for Applications: January 30, 2009
Selection
Committee review
and scoring
of applications: February 1 - February 15, 2009
Selection
Committee meets
to choose
finalists: During week of February 23, 2009
Visit
Finalist Communities: Week of March 16
Announce
New Community: Week of March 30
Begin work
with New Community: End of April 2009
*Dates are subject to change at the discretion of the Maine Downtown Center.
If you
think you are interested, but aren’t quite sure, or aren’t quite ready, this is
a great opportunity to learn more about the Main Street program!
We need
a head count for each session, so please let Lisa Merrill know if you will be
attending by sending an email with your contact info to lmerrill@mdf.org.
For more
information on the Main Street program, please visit www.mdf.org/downtown
or the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center website at www.mainstreet.org.
To discuss the Main Street program, please contact Kristen
Cady, Program Director, at kcady@mdf.org or at 626-3117.
APPLICATION
GUIDELINES
