Thinking Great on Main Street

Applying for the Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) is more than completing an application – it is an exciting opportunity for you to measure the successes of your downtown revitalization program. Once you embrace the work, you’ll discover that the required level of reflection is, in fact, energizing. The process will help you better communicate your downtown’s successes through verbal, written, and visual methods. Long after the application is submitted, you’ll continue to return to the rich portfolio you created and use it to tell your downtown story.
For example, the GAMSA application requires the applicant to consider the concept of “live-ability,” as it relates to downtown, asking:

• What is your downtown’s level of walkability for pedestrians?
• What are the existing residential options, availability, and price points?
• Are there any incentives available for residential rehabs, restorations, or new construction?
• Is the number of downtown residents increasing?
• Is there an adequate mix of retail businesses, service businesses, restaurants, and cultural amenities to serve the needs of residents?
• Who are the downtown partners who are helping, or can help you, implement projects to make downtown more live-able?

Completing the GAMSA application may seem like a big task, but if you and your team keep in mind the additional benefits gained by focusing on your downtown’s assets and its successes and needs, at the end of the process you will already be a winner!

• LikeThinking Great on Main Street
• Comment
• ShareShare Thinking Great on Main Street