Here is a posting of note from the President and CEO of the National Main Street Center:
As I'm sure you've heard, the City of Detroit, site of
next year's National Main Streets
Conference, filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in federal court last Thursday. As
headlines across the nation point out, Detroit becomes the largest municipality
to ever file for bankruptcy. This filing has major implications for the future of Detroit and
numerous cities around the country facing similar situations.
No doubt you have also seen images on the news of the
blight and other challenges facing the city. However, despite this news, we are
still looking forward to Detroit hosting our conference next May 18-21. Why?
Simply put, we see bankruptcy as a re-boot of the city's
economy-as an opportunity for growth and regeneration, not as a signal to cut
and run. No one knows more about
restarting communities than Main Street, with its 30+ year track record of re-energizing
communities and a proven strategy for doing so.
We need look no farther than Michigan to see evidence of
the Main Street Approach's success. With three Great American Main Street Award
winners in the last four years and a track record of stimulating more than $674
million in private investment and nearly 8,000 new jobs, Michigan offers
abundant examples of civic leaders, citizens, and business owners overcoming
the obstacles to downtown revitalization, capitalizing on their advantages, and
preserving their heritage.
The National Main Streets Conference is a golden
opportunity, much in the way our 2006 annual conference in post-Katrina New
Orleans was, to bring the best Main Street has to bear on a city very much in
transition. We will not only be coming
with our toolbox of best practices and time-tested solutions, but with an open
mind as well, eager to learn from Detroit as a laboratory for fresh ideas,
including the use of art and culture to drive regeneration, urban farming on
vacant land, pop-ups in empty buildings, and
entrepreneurism of all kinds.
As Main Streeters, we see Detroit's challenges as
opportunities and are inspired by the many talented people working together to
make Detroit and Michigan a better place. Come see their innovative work for
yourself, and lend your expertise and support to the Motor City.
Warm Regards,
Patrice Frey,
President & CEO, National Main Street Center, Inc.
Share Your Knowledge
The 2014 National Main Streets
will celebrate, learn from and share ideas to help and
empower those that make Main Street work: program managers, entrepreneurs,
volunteers, business owners, students, teachers, and artists. Main Streets
across the country - from small downtowns to mid-size cities to urban
neighborhoods - share similar challenges. Learn more and submit a proposal<http://my.preservationnation.org/site/R?i=LhzJVqf4J2LXHKQtV282aQ>
