Twenty years ago, the historic core of Laramie was struggling. There were few thriving businesses. Only one or two restaurants remained open and several dilapidated buildings were so far gone that they required demolition. Worst of all, there was no unified vision for what downtown could become. That all changed when Wyoming Main Street provided the funds for a new, comprehensive downtown plan. Suddenly local stakeholders were sharing priorities, reviewing lessons learned and identifying short-and long-term goals. Today, because of the hard work of Laramie Main Street Alliance, virtually every storefront is occupied, there’s a calendar of events packed with celebrations, and an explosive demand for downtown housing.