Two Southwest Michigan Communities have been chosen to take part in a Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s Main Street program, a strategy that encourages economic development through historic preservation.
The cities of Benton Harbor and Three Rivers are two of nine communities across the state that will take part in the program designed to help convert unused spaces into productive properties and improve the competitiveness of existing businesses.
The Main Street Four Point Approach was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1977 in response to continued threats to historic commercial architecture and economic activity in small-city downtowns. The Michigan Main Street Center works in cooperation with the
National Main Street Center to provide resources and technical assistance to participating communities. Michigan Main Street Center staff will train those in local communities.
The four strategies are organization, economic restructuring, promotion and design.
Through organization the program teaches those in a community to work toward a common goal. A governing board and four standing committees are created. Volunteers work with a Main Street manager.
The economic restructuring aspect of the program helps existing businesses expand and recruits new businesses.
Promotion teaches how a community can develop a positive, promotional strategy through advertising, retail activities, special events and marketing campaigns that ultimately will encourage commercial activity and investment in the area. Promotion focuses on a downtown’s unique characteristics and markets them to residents, visitors, investors and business owners.
Through design, communities learn to enhance their downtown’s physical environment by capitalizing on its best assets -- including historic buildings -- and creating an inviting atmosphere through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, streetscapes and landscaping.
Gary Heidel, executive Director of
MSHDA announced the other participating communities are the villages of Almont and Elk Rapids, and the cities of Flint, Gaylord, Grand Blanc, Saginaw and Wayne.
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Mary Lou Kennan, Michigan State Housing Development Authority
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