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winners, representing two of only 40 communities Architectural Review Board, Downtown Business
<br /> so honored by the National Main Street Center. Committee and Promotions. Membership dues,
<br /> The following discussion should be very instructive city contributions, fundraising activities and grants
<br /> 0 to other cities and downtown organizations in pro from the state of Kentucky constitute the primary
<br /> viding some key lessons in how to build and main funding sources for the organization. Danville was
<br /> tam effective downtown partnerships. honored as a Great American Main Street for 2001.
<br /> A solid working relationship with municipal gov
<br /> DANVILLE, KENTUCKY ernment is important to any downtown revitaliza
<br /> Danville(pop. 17,000),located 35 miles south of tion organization. In Danville, the linkages with
<br /> Lexington, is a regional hub in central Kentucky. City Hall have been well maintained since the Heart
<br /> This historic community was the site of the framing of Danville's inception. For starters, the city allo
<br /> of the Kentucky state constitution in 1792,an event cares$30,000-35,000 in annual funding directly to
<br /> commemorated downtown in Constitution Square the Heart of Danville. According to Mayor Alex
<br /> State Historic Site. The city made national head- Stevens, this annual allocation meets with little
<br /> lines in 2000 when it hosted that election year's political opposition because it is widely recognized
<br /> only Vice-Presidential debate. The downtown's that "what is good for downtown is good for
<br /> commercial district is on the National Register for Danville." The mayor also appoints the
<br /> Historic Places, as are several of the adjacent resi- Architectural Review Board that oversees the facade
<br /> dential districts. Moreover, the downtown is the improvement grant program; this board is part of
<br /> home to Centre College (founded in 1819), Boyle the Heart of Danville and is administered by its
<br /> County Courthouse,City Hall,Kentucky School for executive director.
<br /> the Deaf (the oldest state operated school for the Another strong organizational linkage has been
<br /> deaf in the United States) and Ephraim McDowell established with the Boyle County Community
<br /> Regional Medical Center. Development Council (CDC). The Heart of
<br /> The Heart of Danville was formed in 1986 to Danville,recognizing the urgent need for an agency
<br /> become Danville's Main Street organization. to focus on countywide planning and economic
<br /> Affiliated with the National Main Street Center and development,played a major role in the creation of
<br /> the Kentucky Main Street Program (housed in the CDC in 1990. The CDC and Heart of Danville
<br /> Kentucky State Preservation Office), it has closely share an historic restored downtown house,togeth-
<br /> IIIII adhered to the four point Main Street Approach er with the Chamber of Commerce, Convention
<br /> (organization, design, promotion, economic and Visitors Bureau, and Industrial Foundation.
<br /> restructuring) throughout its existence. The Heart This helps encourage close communication and the
<br /> of Danville has a 15-member board of directors, a sharing of ideas, resources and event planning.
<br /> full-time executive director (Julie Wagner has held Katie Jo Berkshire, AICP, current CDC director,
<br /> this position since 1998) and five standing corn- works closely with Julie Wagner on numerous
<br /> mittees: Economic Development, Preservation, downtown-related activities, including business
<br /> recruitment. The fact that she previously interned
<br /> with the Heart of Danville has helped to strengthen
<br /> this organizational relationship. Berkshire,an
<br /> strong
<br /> advocate of downtown, frankly stated, "you never
<br /> ;� hear of anyone commenting they came to Danville
<br /> :Li li: 11_ � ;" to see our wonderful bypass (highway commercial
<br /> r t
<br /> development) — they do praise our downtown
<br /> 4 ',1-1'. ifiltiri441""!,:'
<br /> d -'. r a however." Together, the Heart of Danville and
<br /> u 2 " CDC co administer the 3rd Street Development
<br /> ` x
<br /> r _, - �, Corporation.
<br /> Other Working Coalitions
<br /> �4 rt� �� �Y dY�b''`y
<br /> The Heart of Danville has sustained several other
<br /> ��` F working coalitions. One is with Centre College, a
<br /> x i private liberal arts university with 1,500 students 1
<br /> ' a`. "`` located on the western edge of downtown. Over
<br /> �� / = the years,numerous faculty have served on Heart of
<br /> a .' `;, - '" '- -�- Danville committees and worked on special proj
<br /> x
<br /> i i L �" ects, while colle e administrators have served on
<br /> r t � 1� g
<br /> r l +� � , the board of directors. In fact a professor in the
<br /> -"`" " ; History Department was one of the co founders of
<br /> o . b �� ? �-°�' the Heart of Danville.
<br /> Main Street buildings that comprise the core of Danville's downtown commercial historic district.
<br /> 1
<br /> 54 Economic Development Journal / Fall 2002
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