State of Main: Fall 2016
Welcome to the inaugural edition of State of Main, the annual publication of Main Street America featuring thought leadership from across the network.
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RegisterMarion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.
Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street
Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.
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Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street
Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
The quality of infrastructure and amenities is not only important to a district’s basic functioning, but also has a direct impact on whether it is a great place. In recent years, entrepreneurs and employers alike are increasingly prioritizing place in their decisions on where to locate. Though Main Street commercial districts generally offer many of the qualities and amenities that attract small businesses, there are infrastructure elements that can dramatically increase their performance from an economic, health, and community perspective.
In this brief, we focus on three small-scale infrastructure elements that bolster the creation of great places, particularly in this time of COVID-19 response and management: digital enhancement (e.g. wifi and broadband), sanitation stations (e.g. handwashing and hand sanitizer stations), and moveable furniture (e.g. tables and chairs). Learn about the benefits of these public amenities, considerations for success, as well as examples from around the network.
Produced in collaboration between Main Street America and AARP Livable Communities, Commercial District Design: COVID-19 Response and Management is a series of design-centered briefs developed to equip community leaders with safe, equitable, age-friendly strategies to support economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.