deCoding Downtown
This guide from Main Street Alabama identifies the ways that municipal regulations can be used to support downtown transformation efforts with an emphasis on zoning and building codes.
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Creating sustainable downtowns is key for the health and longevity of our communities. Buildings play a significant role in energy usage and weather resiliency. These guidelines from the National Park Service provide advice for communities looking to incorporate sustainability into their building rehabilitation projects, including weatherization, HVAC, renewable energy, and more. Use these guidelines to assist you as you add sustainability elements to your building rehabilitation projects.
Published by National Park Service.
Related Resources
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Anatomy of a Main Street Building
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Preserving African American Historic Places
Creating a welcoming and inclusive downtown means you need to understand the rich cultural histories of your historic assets. This guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation explores strategies to preserve sites of African American history
The Greenest Building
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Fire Safety in Historic Buildings
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Washington, DC © Lori Feinman
A Layperson’s Guide to Historic Preservation Law
This guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides an overview of the laws you need to understand to support the historic buildings in your downtown district.
Toccoa, GA © Steph Maley
Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
Main Street communities can use these guidelines to increase the flood resiliency of their historic downtown assets. Published by National Park Service.
Downtown Design Guide
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Main Street Facades
It is important for Main Streets to understanding the architectural features of their historic assets. This hand-out provides an introductory overview of different façade elements like windows, transoms, columns, and awnings. Published by Nebraska Main Street Network.
Tax Credits 101
National Trust for Historic Preservation experts share how non-profits can use tax credits to protect historic buildings and community assets.
The Main Street Approach Design Handbook
A handbook on how urban design principles can be used to improve economic development, placemaking, safety, and community.
Designing for Health & Wellbeing Supports Community Prosperity
A look at the connection between the wellbeing of residents and the vitality of communities and explore the wide range of design elements and tools available that will lead to more active, accessible and connected Main Streets. Published in State of Main.
Storytelling and Main Street
Explore the ways that the Sweet Auburn district in Atlanta, Georgia has used storytelling and history to preserve their culture and advance their downtown revitalization efforts. Published in Main Street Now Journal.
Movies on Main
When the film industry made the switch from film to digital media, many small-town theaters struggled able to afford the switch. New Mexico MainStreet stepped in to work with local programs to save small-town theaters throughout the state. Published in Main Street Now Journal. Written by Elma Baco.
From Vision to Reality
Learn about Sweet Auburn in Atlanta, which was just starting its journey back to prosperity, and H Street Main Street in DC, which has become a national success story. Published in Main Street Now Journal. Written by Teresa Lynch.
H Street, Washington DC
On the “Flip” Side of Historic Preservation
Learn how a Main Street turned a historic preservation problem into an real estate opportunity and learned how to acquire, rehab, and save historic buildings while bringing in critical income. Published in main Street Now Journal.
Doing Away with Demolition-by-Neglect
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Beyond Farmers’ Markets
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From Nightmare to Fairy Tale
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Green Streets in Iowa
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Visualizing Your Community with Google Earth and Google SketchUp
Learn about Google Earth and Google SketchUp and see how these tools are facilitating community vision and historic preservation.
Covington, KY
Integrating Historic Property and Cultural Resource Considerations into Hazard Mitigation Planning
Hazard mitigation planning is an important process to protect your historic assets. This guide will take you through the processes of organizing your resources, assessing risks, developing your plan, and implementing your plan.
Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
A copy of the NPS guidelines for historic building rehabilitation for use in downtown historic preservation.
Lansing, MI
Downtown Florence, South Carolina © True Light Photography
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