Thank you for supporting our community’s Main Street revitalization program.  Your participation will have a direct impact on protecting your commercial district’s future as the center of community life.

 

What is a Main Street Association?  You’re joining a coast-to-coast movement led by the National Trust’s National Main Street Center that has established nearly 2,000 community programs across the country during the past two decades.  Together, these programs have produced an investment in traditional commercial districts of more than $10 billion and spurred the rehabilitation of countless historic structures, while providing space for tens of thousands of new businesses and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs for local citizens.  At present there are approximately 15 Washington communities participating in the Main Street approach.

 

Why are traditional commercial districts important?  Most businesses are independently owned. They support other local services and keep profits in town.   Main Street represents a significant portion of the community’s tax base.  If the district declines, property values drop, placing more of a tax burden on other parts of town.  The commercial district offers convenience.  Main Streets are often within walking distance of residential areas, providing easy accessibility for the community.  Main Street is the historic core of the community.  Its buildings embody the community’s past and its visual identity.  A historic commercial district is often a major tourist attraction.  When people travel, they want to see unique places.  An inviting atmosphere created through window displays, parking areas, building improvements, signs and landscaping conveys a visual message about what the commercial district is and what it has to offer.

 

There are many ways to get involved and make a positive impact with the Waterville Main Street Association.