ELLSWORTH — On Aug. 15 Heart of Ellsworth welcomed Main Downtown Center to the City of Ellsworth for a site visit as part of their Main Street AmericaTM designation application process. Maine Downtown Center is a part of the Maine Development Foundation and is a Main Street America Coordinating Program. Since its establishment in 1999, the program has supported numerous communities in Maine, resulting in significant economic growth, job creation, and cultural enhancement.
In attendance at the site visit were members of the Heart of Ellsworth Board of Directors and its various committees, Ellsworth city leaders, and members of MDC’s Main Street America application review committee which is comprised of economic development leaders from throughout the state. The meeting, held at 16 State Street, featured presentations by attendees, a review and assessment of the submitted application, as well as a brief walking tour of a few spots associated with some of Heart of Ellsworth’s current projects, including the Union River and the Water Street Mural.
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 45 years. Today it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Their approach has a reputation as one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation for vibrant, healthy downtowns resulting in job creation, business growth, building rehabilitation and cultural enhancement. Since 1980, Main Street programs have resulted in $101.62 billion in local reinvestment, rehabilitation of more than 335,675 buildings, over 782,059 net gain in jobs, the establishment of more than 175,323 net new businesses and 35.3 million in volunteer hours worked. Main Street designation also opens opportunities for local businesses, community organizations and city government to access additional funding, grants, resources and technical assistance.
There are currently 10 nationally designated Main Street America communities in Maine: Bath, Belfast, Biddeford, Brunswick, Gardiner, Augusta, Rockland, Saco, Westbrook, and Skowhegan. If selected, Ellsworth will become the 11th Main Street Community in Maine. The Aug. 15 site visit was the final step for Heart of Ellsworth in the application process. They anticipate receiving the final decision on their application, and whether they have been awarded the Main Street America designation, in a few weeks.
Heart of Ellsworth’s mission is to promote artistic, economic, educational, environmental, cultural, and historic activities in the downtown area of Ellsworth, Maine, to provide a vibrant community for all.
Maine Development Foundation’s Maine Downtown Center is a Main Street America® Coordinating Program and was established in 1999. MDC is committed to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.
Main Street America’s mission is to strengthen communities through economic development and community preservation in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts across the United States.
