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Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
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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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Decades of deterioration made the historic business district in Wetumpka, Alabama, a pass-through for motorists, creating a dangerous and unappealing landscape for residents and visitors. But when the town became a designated Main Street community in 2016, the organization immediately latched on to intentional placemaking as a way to foster a much-needed pedestrian-friendly environment to help its small businesses. This strategy had many unexpected benefits, including playing a pivotal role in both surviving the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and in helping to better position the town to be featured on HGTV’s Home Town Takeover.
The Intersection of Placemaking and Open Streets
Placemaking is the process of creating places that focus on transforming public spaces to strengthen the connections between people and the community around them. This practice often involves beautifying a space, making it more usable, and implementing cultural and social aspects to help improve the quality of life for those who use it.
Where Open Streets initiatives align with placemaking is when the method specifically utilizes roads, alleys, and parking lots to encourage walking, biking, community events, and slower automobile traffic in the process. With our current moment’s need to maintain healthy social distances, this dynamic proves more important now than ever.
Every downtown has its own identity. Described as the “City of Natural Beauty” for its abundance of rivers, green hills, and woodland wildlife, Wetumpka is also known for its quirky history including a five-mile-wide impact crater created 85 million years ago as well as the unique river snails—the endangerment of which caused the local power company to allow more water through their dam to mimic the natural habitat of the snail, leading to enough flowing water to bring kayaking, fishing, and other water activities to the area. We took these notable aspects of our identity and made them an integral part of our placemaking activities.
Although our organization’s budget was modest, it was evident we had to begin somewhere. The perfect opportunity came just months after our designation, when Main Street America teamed up with ioby.com for the Cultivating Place Challenge. We immediately began working on ideas for placemaking to submit to this Challenge and soon after, the Tulotoma Snail Trail cultivating place project was created!
The Tulotoma Snail Trail was designed to be the primary placemaking piece in a series of downtown art installments detailing the unique history of downtown Wetumpka and giving shape to our ever-evolving identity. This project aimed to help revitalize our historic business district by generating foot traffic and bringing attention to our beauty and one-of-a-kind personality, helping to improve the quality of life for our community.
The plans for our cultivation project were robust and included incorporating public art, greenscapes, signage, a stone walkway, and seating. When our Snail Trail was one of the 15 Challenge projects chosen to move forward, we made the most of this opportunity by starting small and improving the façade of a local downtown museum. Although we started small, each new installment led to bolstered hope and emboldened support for our cause, eventually leading to authentic events and experiences created through our Main Street stratagem.
We knew we wanted to make permanent change—even through temporary demonstrations at times—to bring about innovative services and opportunities to the public. The projects have not only led to improved spaces, a stronger small business community, greater cohesion among residents, and an authentic identity, but they have also brought about many unexpected benefits and outcomes.
In 2017, a destructive EF-2 tornado turned out to be a rallying point for our community, and our Snail Trail helped the community heal. During the pandemic, COVID-19 gave us the opportunity to customize events through the Open Streets initiative. Most recently, this culmination of a largely transformed landscape (and people working together) arguably increased our chances to become the featured small town on HGTV’s Home Town Takeover.
Instead of allowing the setbacks to become the primary focus of our narrative, we turned them into ways our community could come together and introduce new ideas and perspectives.
One of my favorite unexpected outcomes of our Open Streets initiative? After a difficult journey to turn a derelict eyesore of an alleyway in the heart of downtown into a cultivated place on our Snail Trail, the HGTV Home Town Takeover production crew was able to utilize this open space during filming for safely-distanced meals and other ancillary parts of production. It brought me such joy to look out my office window and see the space being used in ways I’d never even dreamed on my most hopeful of days.
Utilizing intentional placemaking and Open Streets has led to anticipated favorable outcomes involving public health and safety, community building, economic impact, and environment as outlined by Main Street America. But in our Main Street, they have also led to the following unexpected outcomes:
Public Health and Safety
Community Building
Economic Impact
Environment
A little creativity in cultivating place can go a long way. Soon after becoming Main Street Wetumpka’s founding executive director, I attended a workshop and learned one of the most important philosophies I’d employ during my tenure: Control what you can control and try not to focus on what you cannot. Because when it comes to the blending of private and public spaces in America’s historic districts, it’s important to use your time and resources on tactics that will make the most valuable and sustainable change. By implementing tactics like Open Streets placemaking practices, communities can continue to develop and progress despite uncertain times.
Streets play an important role in our downtown districts. Learn more about Main Street America's recent work with the Department of Transportation to promote vibrant and sustainable downtown roadways.
Learn how the Safe Streets and Roads for All program is providing grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
Streetscape in Denison, Texas. © Mel Climer — Climer Design
REV Birmingham and Woodlawn United share how they work to reenergize spaces and places in Birmingham, Alabama, through civic infrastructure projects in the city’s historic commercial corridors.
Learn how this Louisiana town has used an accessibility-first approach to build a welcoming and inclusive community.
Downtown Ruston, Louisiana. Photo by Henry McCoy.
Learn how the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta uses this unique mural program to celebrate Valentine's Day and raise important funding for their work.
Learn how micromobility can increase access, equity, and inclusion in your Main Street with examples from local programs across the network.
This Washington Main Street is encouraging people to brave the rainy weather with their free umbrella share program.
Parking is a challenging problem for many Main Streets. We explored the arguments for and against free parking, and a method for conducting an inventory of parking in your downtown.
Miami, FL © Matt Alaniz
Learn how Bainbridge Island Downtown Association leverages their connection to the ferry to create a walkable and vibrant downtown.
Bainbridge Island, WA © Anna Carson
An innovative artistic project brings new life to the alleyways in Billings, Montana.
Billings, MT © Downtown Billings Alliance
In big cities and small towns, people face increasing danger when navigating communities on foot. As advocates for connected and walkable downtowns, Main Streets have a crucial role to play in increasing pedestrian safety.
Lansing, Michigan © Lansing 5:01
Learn how you can participate in the Thriving Communities program as a capacity builder or how you can receive support from the program.
To celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month, we explored three innovative and interesting parks-based projects and collaborations in Main Street communities.
Waterloo, Iowa, shares advice and lessons learned from their e-scooter program.
Learn how you can harness design principles and strategies to create a cooler, more welcoming downtown.
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
The City of Leeds, AL welcomed a new downtown mural over the holidays that has brought a sense of excitement and anticipation for the continuing efforts to focus on the Leeds downtown district.
Leeds, AL © Jeremy Dove
What is more Iowan than turning grain bins into public art? Learn how Main Street Coon Rapids created these beautiful murals to celebrate their downtown.
Coon Rapids, IA © Main Street Coon Rapids
Pollinator gardens are fantastic ways to increase green space, promote sustainability, and educate your community on the local environment.
Crofton, MD © Kerry Kelly
The AARP Community Challenge program gives out quick-action grants to activate public spaces. Meet some of the Main Streets awarded grants through the program this year.
Learn how these outdoor microspaces can contribute to more vibrancy in our public spaces.
Chairman Emeritus Ed McMahon explores the power of place in creating spaces people love.
Boise, ID © christiannafzger
To support Georgia Main Streets throughout the recovery process and position them for long-term sustainability, Main Street America launched the Georgia Main Street Innovation Grant Program, made possible through generous support from The Williams Family Foundation of Georgia.
Thomasville, GA © Thomasville Main Street
We heard from organizations across the nation about the incredible impact their markets have had on community engagement, entrepreneur and small business support, and keeping their district vibrant.
Mount Airy Downtown, Inc., celebrated the return of their Market Street Arts and Entertainment District (MSA & ED) last weekend, as part of their pandemic recovery efforts.
Mount Airy, NC © Robbie Curlee
A vacant storefront is the perfect stage to creatively promote the available space or to showcase other businesses and events in the area.
Ripon, WI © RetailWorks, Inc
Interested in creating a StoryWalk in your downtown commercial district? Read on to learn more about installing a successful story walking trail.
In remembrance and in honor of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., over 900 streets in the United States were named after him. Many are located predominantly in African American communities.
Milwaukee, WI © Historic King Drive BID
Dubbed the Blues Alley, the Ripley Main Street program plans to install murals of local pioneering Black blues artists, cutout guitars painted by local art students, and blues lyrics painted on the walls.
Ripley, MS © Ripley Main Street
Wayfinding guides people to places they seek but it also brings awareness to places they may have otherwise missed.
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Main Street America partnered with OneMain Financial to create Made on Main Street.
Creating a historic or art walking tour is much more than simply a collection of pictures and descriptions.
Over 300 attendees enjoyed a family-friendly block party that celebrated the community and showcased Prosser's upcoming streetscape improvement project.
Cambridge was the first Main Street community in Maryland to install public chargers.
The Downtown Newton Development Association (North Carolina) partnered with the City of Newton on a temporary tactical urbanism project to demonstrate how their permanent streetscape improvements will benefit downtown.
Over 500 people braved the misty rain this past weekend to come and celebrate Painesville and its Made on Main Street community transformation project.
Wilson Artsy Alleys is an initiative of the Wilson Downtown Development Corporation which takes the arts to new locations in forgotten places.
In October 2017, Main Street Ottumwa collaborated with local partners, Main Street Iowa, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Better Block Foundation to stop planning, talking, and wishing, and start doing.
Kelly Tompkins of Main Street Enid shares more about the Maker Trail project and how it inspired creativity and helped people discover downtown.
The Metuchen Downtown Alliance created a cool, family-friendly public gathering space in “the worst looking spot in town” with the help of just $2,500 in Edward Jones Placemaking on Main Challenge matching grant funds,
A collaborative effort launched between Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) and vertical farming company, Plenty, looked to blank downtown walls as a canvas for growing food, creating conversation, and activating overlooked spaces.
From walkability and transportation connectivity, to access to nature and availability of fresh food, place is inextricably linked to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.
Beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower fountain through Main Street Paris's new Love Lock Fence.
Kasey Drummond, Glenrock Main Street Director, explains how they brought the acclaimed graffiti artist ARCY to their Main Street and explores the work he produced in three additional Wyoming communities on his summer tour.
Karen Dye, Newkirk Main Street's program manager, was inspired to “make downtown more fun and festive” with painted water meter covers after learning about the practice at a recent Main Street Now conference.
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
In contrast, the Main Street Program in Laramie, Wyoming, is thriving, having successfully cultivated millions of dollars to help fill these vacant, blighted spaces with permanent structures.
In this article we’ll explore the process of planning, funding, installing, operating, and enjoying music on your Main Street.
In 2016, the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center partnered with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Department of Interior Architecture (UNCG) to provide design assistance to Main Street communities.
Placemaking is a strategy that Six Corners Association has enthusiastically applied to our community development efforts because of its seamless integration with the Main Street Approach.
How one Wyoming Main Street implemented a free bike share program.
In 2015, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) partnered with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to engage Wisconsin Main Street organizations and farmers markets in the Metrics and Indicators for Impact – Farmers Markets (MIFI-FM) toolkit.
The local Main Street organization, Downtown Milford Inc., is trying to address these shifting demographics by creating a more inclusive sense of community.
This is the story of how a National Endowment for the Arts gathering in DC inspired the leaders of a small town in Appalachia to connect with those in Milwaukee to transform a neglected park.
Main Street communities across the country are no stranger to seeking creative strategies to solve their most nagging issues – vacant buildings, marketing downtown, bolstering retail to name a few.
This article is the second in a series on corridors and the important role they play in Main Street revitalization. The previous article focused on the historic origins of corridors, corridor types, and functions that they serve in our communities.
Façade appearance is a critical aspect of the overall aesthetic appeal and unique character of downtown.
While the Main Street program may not take the lead in corridor enhancements, it can be a vital partner and advocate for improvements in overall community appearance.
Street pole banners preserve the historic character of main streets while fostering community awareness and engagement.
With strong community support, the Library Foundation was able to raise over $1.2 million dollars in private donations.
A lot of signs are necessary to make a downtown work well, but not every community knows what a good sign system looks like, or how instrumental it can be to the creation of a successful downtown.
A key goal of the Atlanta Streetcar is to attract investment to and revitalize the neighborhoods along the streetcar alignment.
