Nargis Fontaine Main Street
Project Manager,
MA, COA Dept. of Planning
D
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P
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Design
Organization
Promotion
Economic Vitality
WE ARE ATL MAIN STREET
DESIGN ORGANIZATION PRESERVATION ECONOMIC VITALITY
The West End Main Street Model
WEMC is a part of the
City of Atlanta's
Main Street Program.
We share this designation with East Atlanta
Lil 5 Points
MLK
Sweet Auburn Works
Virginia Highlands
5 Business Communities are Passionate and Intentional About DOPE and Work to Distribute the Methodology
Whether preserving history and culture, tackling issues, or advancing and promoting new entrepreneurial businesses the Main Street model is the driving force
1 Business Association That is Serious About Crime, Cleanliness, Advocacy, and helping small businesses thrive
DESIGN
A focus on Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical elements of downtown while capitalizing on the unique assets that set the commercial district apart. Main Streets enhance their appeal to residents and visitors alike with attention to public space through the creation of pedestrian friendly streets, inclusion of public art in unexpected areas, visual merchandising, adaptive reuse of older and historic buildings, more efficiently-designed buildings, transit oriented development, and much more.
D
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P
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PROMOTION
Promoting Main Street takes many forms, but the ultimate goal is to position the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and the hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics. This can be done through highlighting cultural traditions, celebrating and preserving important architecture and history, encouraging local businesses to market cooperatively, offering coordinated specials and sales, and hosting special events aimed at changing perceptions of the district and communicating to residents, investors, businesses, and property owners that this place is special.
ECONOMIC VITALITY
Revitalizing a downtown or neighborhood commercial district requires focusing on the underlying Economic Vitality of the district. This work is rooted in a commitment to making the most of a community’s unique sense of place and existing historic assets, harnessing local economic development opportunities and creating a supportive business environment for small business owners and the growing scores of entrepreneurs, innovators, and localists alike. With the nation-wide growing interest in living downtown, supporting downtown housing is also a key element of building Economic Vitality.
A National Organization With a Proven Organizational Methodology