Indiana Main Street is a program dedicated to fostering the community-driven revitalization of downtown areas throughout Indiana. This initiative empowers passionate individuals, dedicated volunteers, influential stakeholders, and community organizers to collaboratively revitalize their local areas. By working together, they stimulate reinvestment, generate employment opportunities, and cultivate a strong sense of local pride.
The transformation facilitated by the Main Street approach is a carefully balanced blend of analytical understanding and creative expression. Communities are encouraged to first develop a comprehensive understanding of their local economy, identifying key economic drivers and their position within the broader regional context. This evidence-based approach is then combined with the art of placemaking, which involves leveraging storytelling to highlight the unique character of each community. This includes preserving historic structures that contribute to local distinctiveness, fostering broad and inclusive civic engagement, and implementing effective marketing strategies. To effectively support this extensive network, Main Street America provides a revitalization framework known as the Main Street Approach. This framework equips communities with the necessary tools to harness both the science and art of downtown revitalization, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all residents.
The Indiana Main Street program offers valuable technical assistance and diverse educational opportunities to communities actively participating in the initiative. Serving as the state’s coordinating body, Indiana Main Street is affiliated with Main Street America, a national network promoting downtown revitalization.
For a detailed understanding of the program’s legal foundation, refer to the Indiana Code that formally established Indiana Main Street.
The Indiana Main Street Four-Point Approach
The Four Point Approach is the cornerstone of the Indiana Main Street program, providing a comprehensive framework for community revitalization. This approach is structured around four interconnected pillars:
Organization: This foundational element focuses on establishing a robust organizational structure to sustain revitalization efforts. It involves building strong partnerships, actively engaging community members, and securing the necessary resources for the district’s development. Effective organization fosters consensus and cooperation among diverse groups and individuals involved in the revitalization process. Community-wide support, encompassing both public and private sectors, is crucial for achieving tangible and lasting results. Furthermore, dedicating specific staff and resources solely to downtown revitalization is essential for long-term, large-scale success.
Promotion: Strategic promotion is vital for positioning the downtown or commercial district as the vibrant heart of the community and a central hub for economic activity. It aims to cultivate a positive image that effectively showcases a community’s unique attributes and appeal. Marketing the commercial district’s assets to a diverse audience, including customers, potential investors, businesses, local residents, and visitors, is key. To ensure sustained interest and engagement, Indiana Main Street emphasizes reshaping perceptions of downtown as a dynamic center of activity. Successful image campaigns and promotional initiatives that build upon a community’s distinct heritage and culture are crucial for conveying a compelling and consistent message that promotes the downtown area.
Design: Thoughtful design plays a critical role in supporting community transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that distinguish the commercial district. This involves improving the physical appearance of the downtown area through initiatives such as rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging compatible new construction, and developing sensitive design management systems and long-term planning strategies. The visual character of downtown areas, encompassing streets, signage, buildings, and storefronts, is unique to each Indiana community. Indiana Main Street aims to harmonize these elements to create an inviting and attractive environment that draws in visitors and businesses alike.
Economic Vitality: This pillar concentrates on leveraging capital, incentives, and various economic and financial tools to support both new and existing businesses. It also focuses on catalyzing strategic property development and fostering a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs and innovators who are key drivers of local economies. Economic vitality is enhanced by strengthening the district’s existing economic base while actively seeking opportunities to expand it and adapt to evolving market conditions and competition from outlying developments. Indiana Main Street’s overarching goal is to cultivate downtown areas that are economically robust and sustainable. Conducting thorough research into regional markets and consumer trends provides Main Street organizations with a realistic understanding of the optimal market mix for their downtown areas. Informed by this research, these organizations can effectively work to stabilize current businesses and strategically recruit new businesses to address identified market gaps.
Indiana Main Street Program Levels
The Indiana Main Street Program offers a tiered structure with three distinct levels to accommodate varying stages of community readiness and engagement:
- Nationally Accredited Main Street (NAMS): This level is reserved for organizations that consistently meet all established Main Street Accreditation Standards, demonstrating a high level of program implementation and effectiveness.
- Indiana Accredited Main Street (IAMS): Indiana Accredited Main Street designation is for organizations that currently meet the specific Indiana Accreditation Standards, signifying a strong commitment to the Main Street Approach within the state context.
- OCRA’s Downtown Affiliate Network (ODAN): The Downtown Affiliate Network is designed for organizations that are actively building their capacity to effectively implement the Main Street Four Point Approach. It also welcomes groups that primarily focus on event-related activities to enhance downtown vibrancy. Additionally, ODAN membership is available to groups working with the Main Street Four-Point Approach that may not yet fully meet OCRA’s criteria related to Historic Preservation Ethic and/or Fabric. Members of OCRA’s Downtown Affiliate Network are required to meet specific ODAN Criterion Standards to participate and benefit from the network.
