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<br /> 1 lb fiw er a ' _,� a z� ., „,11 ry
<br /> street
<br /> .main
<br /> partnering
<br /> By Kent Robertson
<br /> What is the most integral ingredient for a healthy a� r k *,,
<br /> downtown to possess? Professionals working in the $ g � �:
<br /> field know that the complex array of economic, ,n ,, +'"� r ' '--;;I:4',-,:::...Y -:h
<br /> political, location and cultural forces at play in any 47 „,,-,.,"-;ii,,-*,!, ,Ye
<br /> downtown, together with the fact that no two ��i � �
<br /> downtowns are alike,renders this questions impos- �� k ”
<br /> sible to answer in a simplistic,straightforward mangy ' � 1
<br /> per. Nevertheless, one basic principle is widely ° " P ' z lci,-;',r,t5—L2.41:: .7.2.:'4,;-,R.:',7:!;'.;',7.
<br /> agreed upon by most downtown development pro �� $> t ;
<br /> fessionals: Strong sustainable partnerships among "ti 7tw�,*,'� 4t :: (t 2 > 7.
<br /> the downtown association, local government and :;t:,,,,,',,, ' c "�
<br /> other key organizations in the city and region pro- � � � �; � ,,, ,,� �E -�� 'i
<br /> T
<br /> vide the essential foundation upon which effective - ! = �
<br /> revitalization activities can flourish. n _�
<br /> Organizations devoted to the revitalization of the
<br /> )1- — �. * -
<br /> downtown district come in many forms, including � �
<br /> downtown development authorities, downtown „ =
<br /> associations, merchant groups, Main Street organi- '°
<br /> zations (affiliated with the National Main Street
<br /> Center) and chambers of commerce. While these
<br /> organizations may have different missions, territo An attractive courthouse square on Main Street provides Danville with an enticing resting and
<br /> gathering place.
<br /> ries,membership and/or funding mechanisms,they
<br /> all share the reality that tackling downtown issues
<br /> on their own is, at best, a very steep hill to climb. downtown. Third, the amount of resources, both
<br /> Establishing and maintaining enduring relation- human and financial, that become available for
<br /> ships with other organizations — both private and downtown activities can witness substantial
<br /> public — is important for several fundamental rea- increases. Fourth, it promotes efficiency by avoid
<br /> sons. First, partnerships help to broaden the base ing duplication of efforts by different organizations.
<br /> of support for the downtown. Some
<br /> es a down-
<br /> both artnershi s yield a reater number of eo
<br /> P P Yl g p
<br /> town organization's agenda can appear as narrow pie —dui)
<br /> both professionals and volunteers — to work
<br /> and self-serving: Broadening the support base can on downtown events and projects; given how
<br /> help reduce this perception and strengthen the understaffed many downtown organizations are, Kent Robertson is professor
<br /> of community development
<br /> chances of securing grants, favorable political deci this becomes especially significant. at St.Cloud State University
<br /> slops and general support in the community for This article examines the role that partnerships (Minnesota). He has pub-
<br /> downtown projects. Second, partnerships can cre- played in the successful revitalization of down fished over 25 articles on
<br /> ate more stakeholders in the community who care towns in Danville, Kentucky, and St. Charles, downtown development
<br /> about what happens in the downtown. The more and has led workshops on
<br /> people with a stake in downtown, the strop er the Illinois. Both of these communities have been this topic across the United
<br /> g designated as Great American Main Street Award States. He can be contacted
<br /> at kent @stcloudstate.edu.
<br /> A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
<br /> Healthy downtowns require strong partnerships among significant downtown stakeholders, which include the
<br /> downtown organization, city government, local institutions, and civic and business organizations, among others.
<br /> his article profiles how partnerships were forged and the pivotal role they have played in the successful downtown
<br /> his
<br /> efforts of two Main Street communities:Danville, Kentucky, and St. Charles, Illinois. Furthermore, a
<br /> series of principles that underscore effective and sustainable downtown partnerships are presented that, together
<br /> with the case studies, should be instructive to downtown development efforts in other communities.
<br /> Economic Development Journal /Fall 2002 53
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