Guiding Principals for the Main Street Program

1.  Comprehensive  No single focus--such as lavish public improvements, name brand business recruitment, or endless promotional events--can do the job.  For successful, long term revitalization, a comprehensive approach must be applied.

2.  Incremental  Baby steps come before walking.  Basic, simple activities lead to a more sophisticated understanding of the revitalization process and heap members of the community develop skills and resources to tackle more complex problems and ambitious projects.

3.  Self-Help  Nobody else will save Main Street.  Local Leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local resources.  That means convincing residents and business owners alike of the rewards for their investment of time and money in Main Street--the heart of their community.

4.  Partnerships  Both the public and private sectors have a  vital interest in the district and can work together to achieve shared goals.  Each sector has a role to play and each must understand the other's strengths and limitations to forge an effective partnership.

5.  Assets  Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique.  Every district has unique qualities like distinctive building and human scale that give people a sense of belonging.  These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program.

6.  Quality  Emphasize quality in every aspect of the revitalization program.  This applies to every element of the process--from storefront designs to promotional campaigns to educational programs--shoestring budgets and "cut and paste" efforts won't do the job.

7.  Change  Skeptics turn into believers.  Almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around...at first.  Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite--public support for change will build as the program grows and consistently meets it goals

8.  Implementation  Activity creates confidence in the program and ever-greater levels of participation.  Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is underway.  Small projects at the beginning of the program pave the way for larger activities as the revitalization effort matures.