The Main Street Approach

Clackamas County Main Street utilizes all four components of the Main Street Approach when providing training and technical assistance to participating communities.

The Main Street Approach™ is a proven comprehensive approach to downtown commercial district revitalization. This approach has been implemented in over 1,800 cities and towns in 45 states across the nation with the help of the National Main Street Center and statewide downtown revitalization programs. The success of the Main Street Approach™ is based on its comprehensive nature. By fully integrating four points into a practical downtown management strategy, a local program will produce fundamental changes in a community's economic base:

Organization involves building a Main Street™ framework that is well represented by business and property owners, bankers, citizens, public officials, chambers of commerce, and other local economic development organizations.  Everyone must work together to renew downtown.  A strong organization provides the stability to build and maintain a long-term effort.

Promotion creates excitement downtown.  Street festivals, parades, retail events, and image development campaigns are some of the ways Main Street™ encourages customer traffic.  Promotion involves marketing an enticing image to shoppers, investors, and visitors.

Design enhances the attractiveness of the business district.  Historic building rehabilitation, street and alley clean-up, colorful banners, landscaping, and lighting all improve the physical image of the downtown as a quality place to shop, work, walk, invest in, and live.  Design improvements result in a reinvestment of public and private dollars to downtown.

Economic Restructuring  involves analyzing current market forces to develop long-term solutions.  Recruiting new businesses, creatively converting unused space for new uses, and sharpening the competitiveness of Main Street's traditional merchants are examples of economic restructuring activities.