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What are Main Streets?
The Main Streets program focuses its effort on providing merchants
and community residents with tools and information necessary for their
historic commercial center to compete in today's market. The program
helps neighborhood Main Street organizations capitalize on their
unique historical, cultural and architectural assets while addressing
many economic development needs around small business retention and
recruitment in light of strong competition from shopping malls and
discount retailers.
Over 1000 communities in 40 states have taken part in the Main
Street program since 1977, generating more than 3.6 billion in new
investments; over 83,000 new jobs, more than 33,000 new businesses;
and more than 36,000 building rehabilitation projects. Together, the
City of Boston and the National Main Street Center will deliver the
nation's largest Main Street initiative to date, representing the
first city-wide multi-district Main Street program in the United
States.
Main Streets in Boston
In 1983, then City Councilor Thomas M. Menino successfully caught
the attention of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main
Street Center for the revitilization of Roslindale Village in Boston.
Within its first three years, the Roslindale Village Main Street
Program achieved astounding results: 33 facade changes, 43 commercial
building rehabilitation's; 29 net new businesses; 132 net job gains,
totaling $5,141,200 in new investments.
In 1995, the city of Boston expanded it's partnership with the
National Trust's National Main Street Center to bring its enormous
reservoir of commercial district revitalization experience to the
entire City of Boston, resulting in a $4.2 million public-private
initiative, the Boston Main Streets program. In May 1995, the
program's first ten communities were selected in a citywide
competition; Cleary Square in Hyde Park, Codman Square in Dorchester,
Maverick Square in East Boston, Broadway in South Boston, Chinatown,
Allston Village, Egleston Square in Jamaica Plain, Upham's Corner in
Dorchester, Bowdoin Street/Geneva in Dorchester, and Dudley Square in
Roxbury. Roslindale Village continues as a mature Main Street
district. In 1997, four more communities were selected in a citywide
competition: Brighton, Mission Hill, Hyde Square/Jackson Square,
Washington Gateway/South End.
Components of Boston Main Streets
To achieve achieve the elements of a successful Main
Street, the City of Boston will provide the following services over
the next four years for each designated Main Street district:
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Technical assistance in organizational development
strategic planning and market development from both the National
Main Street Center and the City.
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Matching funds to support the cost of hiring an
executive director.
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Linking up each district with a Corporate Buddy for
financial and technical services.
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$2,000 in 1 to 1 matching funds annually to support
promotional events in the district.
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$100,000 in matching funds toward improvements to
private or public property.
Each Main Street organization, is in turn, expected to
provide the following from local sources:
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Matching funds for the organization's director and
for promotional events (between $7,000 and $17,000 in the first
year).
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Office space in the district-either donated or paid
for with funds raised locally.
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Materials and services for operation of the
organization and for promotional events.
Corporate Buddy Program: Boston Main Streets includes
a partnership component which identifies a large business to team up
with one of the districts. Corporate Buddies provide two key elements
to their local Main Street organization:
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Funding: a $10,000 commitment annually over four
years to their parent district.
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Technical support: can range from reviewing
financial plans to development of company volunteer projects and
graphic design support.
Corporate Buddies are: Citizens Bank, PNC Bank New
England, Boston Edison, Fleet Bank, Star Market, LISC, the Gillette
Company, Mellon Bank, Boston Private Bank & Trust, New Balance
Athletic Shoe, Inc., Sovereign Bank.
Boston Main Streets Home
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