Click here to access the MDC newsletter dated Friday, June 5, 2020.
Our latest newsletter includes an update on the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee (ERC), resources for reopening, COVID-19 impact tracking, Build Maine info, and our popular Human to Human segment.
Click here to access the MDC newsletter dated Thursday, May 21, 2020.
Our latest newsletter includes updates on the MDC Downtown Together Calls and Build Maine, resources for reopening, COVID-19 impact tracking, and our popular Human to Human segment.
Click here to access the MDC newsletter dated Friday, May 1, 2020.
As spring continues the amount of love and kindness that is happening in our downtowns gives us great optimism for what lies ahead. Our May 1 newsletter contains information about some inspiring innovations and adaptations in response to COVID-19 restrictions, as well as updates on financial resources and programs for small businesses and the organizations that support them.
Click here to access the MDC newsletter dated Friday, April 17, 2020.
The MDF staff is reflecting on our feelings and our productivity and what our work looks like at this time. We have found our weekly check-in calls with our Main Street and Affiliate partners to be a great source of continued inspiration in terms of work that is ongoing to meet the immediate needs of small businesses, and work that lies ahead to continue to support thriving downtowns.
Gardiner’s Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center was featured in a recent Kennebec Journal article for winning one of six competitive awards through the ReVitalizeME grant program to help complete the renovation of its historic building. The funds will enable the historic theater repair masonry and replace windows.
REvitalizeME is a sub-grant program of the National Park Service. MDF’s Maine Downtown Center is partnering with the Maine Historic Preservation Commissioner to administer the funds.
Click here to access the MDC newsletter dated Friday, March 27, 2020.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic we have restructured our newsletter to include information about recent and pending legislation, available financial resources, and implementable ideas to help keep downtown businesses viable and vibrant during and beyond the immediate crisis.
Hallowell, Me – October 9, 2019 – MDF’s Maine Downtown Center (MDC) is pleased to announce it will partner with the Main Street America program to provide no-interest loans to three Maine communities for highly visible improvements to buildings and storefronts. Over the next three years, Gardiner, Biddeford, and Skowhegan will use fifteen small, interest-free loans through the Historical Commercial District Revolving fund.
“We are grateful to the National Main Street Center and the 1772 Foundation for their support of Maine’s first statewide Main Street historic preservation revolving loan fund,” said Anne Ball, MDC’s Program Director. “This fund will provide loans for small businesses and property owners to invest in their historic downtown facades. These visible downtown improvements will drive economic development and further investment in these nationally designated Main Street communities.”
In 2016, MSA partnered with the Texas Main Street Program to launch the Façade Improvement Pilot Program, generously funded by The 1772 Foundation, Inc. This pilot program brought $80,000 in façade improvement funds to two Main Street America communities in Texas: San Augustine and Texarkana. The success of that pilot program has allowed MSA to launch a second round of revolving funds in Texas and to expand our revolving fund into more Main Street America communities. Maine is the second state to partner in this program.
“Working with our Texas partners, we have seen the impact of façade improvement loans have in producing significant, positive changes in Main Street districts over these past three years,” said Patrice Frey, President and CEO at Main Street America, “We are excited to expand this work with Maine Downtown Center and continue to see the economic and visual impacts in Maine downtowns.”
Established in 1999, MDC currently has 10 nationally accredited Main Street Maine programs and seventeen state-designated Maine Downtown Affiliate programs. MDC is committed to supporting and building a sustainable economic future for its communities. Since its founding, 222 jobs have been created, 444 businesses started, and 1,030 buildings rehabilitated in Main Streets across the state.
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Contact:
Anne Ball, Maine Downtown Center aball@mdf.org 207-415-5770
Lindsey Wallace, Main Street America lwallace@savingplaces.org 312-610-5605
Brittanii’ Batts, Main Street America bbatts@gmail.com 312-610-5606
ABOUT Maine Downtown Center
Established in 1999, the Maine Downtown Center serves as the state coordinator in Maine for the National Main Street Center, utilizing the Four-Point Approach® to help communities statewide revitalize their historic downtowns. This almost 40-year-old approach has a reputation as one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation for vibrant, healthy downtowns resulting in job creation, business growth, building rehabilitation and cultural enhancement. Learn more at mdf.org.
About Main Street America
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Learn more at mainstreet.org.
HALLOWELL, Maine – September 19, 2019 The Maine Development Foundation’s Maine Downtown Center (MDC) program will administer $750,000 in funding over the next two years for historic preservation or energy efficiency projects in Maine downtowns. MDC’s is the largest of only nine grants announced this month by the National Park Service, Department of Interior, Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program (HRSP).
“We are thrilled to bring this funding to Maine downtowns and look forward to partnering with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission as our lead partner in this program,”says Anne Ball, Program Director for MDC. “The preservation of some key downtown buildings and libraries can serve as a catalyst for economic development. We are eager to award this funding and track the economic activity in these communities.”
The objective of the HRSP is to support the rehabilitation of historic properties in order to rehabilitate, protect, and foster economic development of rural communities. Funding in the form of subgrants will be awarded through a competitive program that will be operated by Maine Development Foundation. Projects can include physical preservation projects for historic sites, architectural/engineering services and technical assistance.
“Historic preservation projects have consistently proven to foster economic growth,” National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith said. “Through the support of the National Park Service, rural communities are able to preserve their historic resources, shining a light on their unique local history and bolstering economic development.”
Grant applications and requirements will be made available in December 2019 at www.mdf.org. Grant assistance is provided by the Historic Preservation Fund and the National Park Service.
CONTACT:
Anne Ball
Program Director, Maine Downtown Center
Maine Development Foundation
aball@mdf.org
207-415-5770
About the Maine Downtown Center
Established in 1999, the Center serves as the state coordinator in Maine for the National Main Street Center, utilizing the Four-Point Approach® to help communities statewide revitalize their historic downtowns. This almost 40 year old approach has a reputation as one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation for vibrant, healthy downtowns resulting in job creation, business growth, building rehabilitation and cultural enhancement.
About the Maine Development Foundation
MDF is a non-partisan, statewide driver of sustainable economic growth in Maine. We connect people, decision-makers, and communities through trusted research, leadership development, and creative partnerships to stimulate new ideas, solve problems, and improve the lives of all Mainers. To learn more about MDF, visit www.mdf.org.
Bucksport and other members of MDF’s Maine Downtown Center program are featured in this in-depth look at how communities are revitalizing their downtowns and expanding their local economies. Read the full article in the Bangor Daily News: https://bangordailynews.com/2019/07/27/bangor-metro/after-decades-of-decline-how-these-maine-downtowns-turned-themselves-around/
HALLOWELL, Maine — July 10, 2019 — The Maine Downtown Center (MDC), a program of Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is pleased to select the Town of Houlton’s Downtown Committee as a partner in building a Downtown Revitalization Roadmap™. Houlton has demonstrated the capacity to complete the project and also to implement the strategies from the plan when it is completed.
Downtown Redevelopment Services, LLC will be facilitating the project. The Revitalization Roadmap™ process is a streamlined planning process that takes 7-10 weeks and involves downtown visioning, a downtown assessment (ordinances, business health and building conditions), public input and strategic recommendations (tasks, initiatives or policy suggestions). The recommendations are grounded in short and long-term achievable goals that are highly action oriented and use existing resources or are no and low cost for implementation.
“This project will give Houlton the tools they need to move their community forward,” says Anne Ball, Maine Downtown Center Director. Houlton has done much of the ground work to improve their downtown and this project will position them to continue their revitalization efforts”
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been selected for this project to benefit Houlton’s beautiful historic Downtown,” says Nancy Ketch, Houlton’s Community Development Director. “We extend our sincere thanks to the Maine Downtown Center for making this opportunity available to our community. The timing seems absolutely perfect for us to participate in this type of a process. We are looking forward to getting underway and encourage the public to get involved.”
Houlton is one of seventeen Maine Downtown Affiliates and one of four in Aroostook County. The Maine Downtown Center provides vital programming and guidance to towns across Maine and is a one stop shop for revitalizing Maine downtowns. To learn more about the program and how your community can get involved, visit http://mdf.org/mdc_overview.php.
For more information contact MDC Senior Program Director Anne Ball aball@mdf.org (207) 415-5770.
