Emporia Main Street Receives 2020 National Main Street Accreditation

Emporia, Kansas — Emporia Main Street has been designated as a 2020 Accredited Main Street America™ program. Accredited status is Main Street America’s top tier of recognition and signifies a demonstrated commitment to comprehensive commercial district revitalization and proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street Approach™.  
“We are proud to recognize this year’s 860 Nationally Accredited Main Street America programs that have dedicated themselves to strengthening their communities,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “These Accredited Main Street programs have proven to be powerful engines for revitalization by sparking impressive economic returns and preserving the character of their communities. During these challenging times, these Main Street programs will be key to bringing economic vitality back to commercial districts and improving quality of life during the recovery process.”
In 2019 alone, $6.45 billion of public and private reinvestment was generated, 6,466 net new businesses were opened, 32,316 net new were jobs created, and 10,412 buildings were rehabilitated in Main Street America communities.
Emporia Main Street’s performance is evaluated by Kansas Main Street, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet ten rigorous performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings. “Emporia Main Street has been accredited by the National Main Street Organization for over 20 years, and we are pleased to receive this recognition once again. Our team continues to push the needle forward through innovation, physical development, entrepreneurship, and new housing initiatives,” stated Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street. “ We anticipate this year will bring challenges like never before. We have a lot of work ahead to produce a sustainable community with jobs, development, and economic diversity while ensuring the quality of life that retains and attracts local residents.”
Emporia Main Street, located in the heart of downtown Emporia, is a non-profit agency committed to increasing consumer business, strengthening retail and professional institutions, assisting in the preservation and maintenance of the community’s heritage and promoting pride in the community’s institutions and achievements through design, promotion, business enhancement and organization committees. Throughout the year they host over 40 events and work with a membership of businesses based in and around the Emporia area. For additional information on joining this organization, please visit emporiamainstreet.com.
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ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA

Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $85.43 billion in new public and private investment, generated 672,333 net new jobs and 150,079 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 295,348 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.