MDC’s 7^th Annual Conference

On June 1, 2007 over 140 people attended the 7^th Annual Maine Downtown Conference, held in downtown Houlton.

Laurie Lachance, president of the Maine Development Foundation, welcomed participants with the news that $150,000 has been included in the state budget for the Maine Downtown Center’s Main Street Maine program, which was celebrated with much applause from the audience. The funding follows a $75,000 appropriation in 2006, and it will enable the program to continue in its current nine communities and expand to others.

Kennedy Smith’s Keynote Address

Keynote speaker Kennedy Smith, former director of the National Main Street Center and now principal of the Community Land Use and Economics Group, provided inspiring examples of what works in downtown revitalization, encouraging communities to focus on local assets and create market-based strategies to bring appropriate business clusters downtown.   Participants attended breakout sessions on developing downtown farmer’s markets; promoting downtown revitalization; business recruitment and retention; historic preservation planning and design; and cultural heritage tourism. Many joined local historian Richard Rhoda as he led walking tours of historic downtown Houlton.

Richard Rhoda’s Historic Walking Tour of Houlton

Commissioner John Richardson of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development was the luncheon speaker, which was held in another historic building, the Houlton Elks Club. Also recognized at the luncheon were Bill King, who chaired the Maine Downtown Center’s Advisory Board for two years, and Roxanne Eflin, an advisory board member who has served 10 years as executive director of Maine Preservation. 

Major conference support was provided by Key Bank, with additional funding from Wright-Pierce Engineering, Northern Maine Development Commission, Aroostook Partnership for Progress, the Maine Community Development Association, and the Town of Houlton. The Temple Theater, the Town of Houlton, Houlton Elks Club, and Houlton Higher Education Center donated venue space for the conference. A very special thank you goes to Maine DOT for their in-kind contribution of all of our audio-visual needs.

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A New Initiative of the Maine Downtown Center!

Square One

A new initiative from the

Maine Downtown Center 

The Square One program is a new initiative of the Maine Downtown Center to help smaller communities launch comprehensive downtown revitalization strategies. Using the principles of the Main Street™ model, we will focus on building a strong downtown organization and promoting the downtown as a destination. Over the next year, we will work with our pilot community, Livermore Falls, to develop and implement the program. Our goal is to expand this program to additional communities in 2007-08.

Livermore Falls Bank Building

Main Street, Livermore Falls

Livermore Falls Annual Meeting

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MDC’s 6^th Annual Conference

Waterville hosted the Maine Downtown Center’s annual Downtown Revitalization conference on October 11^th. The keynote was delivered by folklorist Nick Spitzer, host of NPR’s American Routes and professor of folklore and cultural conservation at the University of New Orleans. Nick provided an inspiring and entertaining look at Maine’s unique culture, and stressed the importance of preserving that culture, in particular our historic downtown communities. Over 200 people attended the day-long event, which included a variety of workshops, an authentic Lebanese cuisine lunch, and a closing reception at the Redington Museum. Sponsors of the event included Key Bank, Eaton-Peabody Consulting Group, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, the city of Waterville, and Colby College. A very special thank you goes to Maine DOT for their in-kind contribution of all of our audio-visual needs. 

 Ave Vinick and Nick Spitzer

Walking Tour to Hathaway Creative Center

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Maine Downtown Center Welcomes Newest

Main Street Maine Community!

In August 2006, Governor Baldacci joined the Maine Downtown Center formally welcome Biddeford into the Main Street Maine program. MDC will work with Biddeford’s downtown revitalization program, Heart of Biddeford, to provide the community with technical assistance, training, and other support for the next three years. Funding for this project comes from the Legislature’s passage of LD1956, An Act to Recapitalize the Maine Downtown Center, in 2006.

Governor Baldacci and members of Heart of Biddeford

Governor Baldacci speaking with customers at Reilly’s Bakery