Community Spotlight: Oregon Main Street Recognizes 20 Individuals, Businesses, & Projects for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization

October 17, 2019 | Community Spotlight: Oregon Main Street Recognizes 20 Individuals, Businesses, & Projects for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization |

Oregon Main Street recently announced its 2019 Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award winners in Tillamook, Oregon. A total of 20 businesses, projects, and people were recognized that reflected the Four Points of the Main Street Approach: Economic Vitality, Promotion, Design, and Organization. The awards celebration occurred during the opening event for the Oregon Main Street Conference that took place Oct. 2-4.

The twenty projects, businesses, and individuals honored included:

Best New Business – Margin Coffee, Albany Business of the Year – Conversion Brewing, Lebanon Honorable Mention for Business of the year – Albany Civic Theater, Albany Best Adaptive Reuse – Big’s Chicken, Beaverton Best Economic Vitality Activity – Temporium, Hillsboro Best Downtown Retail Event – Beaverton Downtown Association’s Old Town Passport, Beaverton Best Special Event – Baker City Downtown’s Taste of Baker, Baker City Best Image Activity – Reedsport Main Street Program’s #TuesdaysOnTheTown, Reedsport Best Placemaking Project – Klamath Falls Downtown Association’s Klamath Piano Project, Klamath Falls Best Design Education Activity – T.W.E.R.K. Project, Lebanon Best Façade Renovation – Corby’s Public House, Dallas Best Interior Renovation – Ex Novo Brewing, Beaverton Best Upper Floor Renovation – 206 ½ Historic Hotel, Albany Best Historic Preservation – M&N Building, Astoria One to Watch – City of Warrenton Outstanding Partnership – City of Lebanon Outstanding Fundraiser – Independence Downtown Association’s Walk of Hearts, Independence Volunteer of the Year – Beaverton Downtown Association’s Michelle Barnett, Beaverton Board Member of the Year – Lebanon Downtown Association’s Dala Johnson, Lebanon Main Street Manager of the Year – Astoria Downtown Historic District Association’s Sarah Lu Heath, Astoria

“The award winners serve as inspiration to communities across our Network and reflect some of the highest level of revitalization success,” said Sheri Stuart, state coordinator, Oregon Main Street. “We are so inspired to see how our historic downtowns across Oregon are coming to life through the creativity, passion, and plain hard work of community members.”

The wide range of awards is reflective of the comprehensive Main Street Approach™ developed by the National Main Street Center. This model is used by the communities participating in the three-tier Main Street Track of Oregon Main Street Network. From 2010 to 2018, communities participating in the Performing Main Street and Transforming Downtown levels – the top two tiers – have seen $97,901,913 in private building improvement projects, $104,225,575 in public projects, 1,106 private rehab projects, 650 net new businesses, and 3,226 net new jobs. In addition, over 207,000 hours of volunteer time has been contributed to local main street organizations.

Oregon Main Street is part of Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. For additional information, visit www.oregonmainstreet.org.


From left to right: Ex Novo Brewing, Beaverton & Temporium, Hillsboro


From left to right: Margin Coffee, Albany & Independence Downtown Association’s Walk of Hearts, Independence


Submitted by Oregon Main Street