Designed for local leaders, this user-friendly property inventory tool allows users to easily gather, store, and showcase information about buildings and lots in their districts. The Building Opportunities on Main Street (BOOMS) Tracker is available to all designated Main Street districts in our network.
In this article, Patrice Frey explores how barriers to small-scale real estate development deals stymie growth and wealth building. She explains why building small matters, the problems faced by small-scale developers, opportunities for direct investment and greenhouse gas reduction, and more.
Watch this webinar to learn about the Building Opportunities on Main Street (BOOMS) Tracker's functionality, see a live demonstration of how quick and easy it is to enter data, and get a preview for what's next for this powerful tool made for local leaders.
Designed for local leaders, this user-friendly property inventory tool allows users to easily gather, store, and showcase information about buildings and lots in their districts. The Building Opportunities on Main Street Tracker (BOOMS) Tracker is available to all designated Main Street districts in our network.
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.
As part of our "At Home on Main Street" project, this tool is designed to help local leaders assess strengths and challenges related to housing in their downtowns or commercial corridors. Take the quiz to receive target resources to support housing efforts in your community.
Use this resource to guide your efforts to established or re-draw the boundaries of your downtown or neighborhood commercial district. Published by Texas Main Street Program.
Use this tool to help you understand property characteristics and history, ownership, environmental conditions, and reuse planning to make more informed decisions. Published by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Watch this webinar to learn how to use incubation spaces, fabrication labs, entrepreneurial training classes, adult pitch funding activities, investment groups, and alternative finance enhancements to drive downtown growth.
This groundbreaking study concludes that building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demolition and new construction.
As you work with property owners to develop historic structures for retail, housing, and other uses, it is important to understand the necessary fire safety upgrades you need to make. Handbook published by National Trust for Historic Preservation.
As part of our "At Home on Main Street" project, this guidebook provides detailed guidance on zoning, regulations, downtown vacancies, real estate funding, and more to help local leaders improve housing access and affordability in their communities.
As part of our "At Home on Main Street" project, this report explores nationwide research on housing stock, affordability, and accessibility in historic downtowns and neighborhoods.
This new tool is designed to help local leaders assess strengths and challenges related to housing in their downtowns or commercial corridors.
Vacant properties are a significant problem for many Main Streets. Understanding the causes and leveraging incentive programs and regulatory changes can help create a more vibrant district.
Eight communities have been selected to receive the 2025 Small Business Accelerator grants, in partnership with The Hartford.
The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act would open opportunities for Main Streets to access funding to rehabilitate historic buildings.
Data from the past year and updates on our building inventory tool, the Building Opportunities on Main Street Tracker
Key takeaways from six sessions at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference.
Creating real change in business ownership starts with local communities leading the way, backed by strong partnerships and collaborations.
Meet BOOMS Tracker super user, Brian Kramer, and learn how he is using to tool to build a deeper understanding of his Main Street district.
Join the Main Street America Research Team for a webinar on June 20th to learn more about how to use the Building Opportunities on Main Streets Tracker.
Matt Wagner, Ph.D., breaks down how context and outreach can help you build a stronger market analysis.
Becky Axilbund, Executive Director at Main Street Middletown, MD Inc., shares lessons learned from their renovation of two downtown buildings.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
We are excited to announce the Building Opportunities on Main Street (BOOMS) Tracker, a new free tool to help designated Main Streets unlock the potential of their vacant properties. This user-friendly property inventory tool allows local leaders can gather, store, and showcase information about their district’s built environment to plan and advocate for new property uses.