The Main Street design

Abstract

Introduced in 1980 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Main Street program is defined as economic revitalization within the context of historic preservation. The program is recommended as a local government supported entity with non-profit administration. Some Georgia cities have opted to implement a governmental administration structure but, for some, a lack of collaboration among public and private entities exacerbated by the state’s fragmented training and information delivery system has resulted in erratic success rates among statewide Main Street cities. For some, this has resulted in the loss of historic buildings and character central to the success of the Main Street model. This examination of Georgia’s Main Street program confirms this premise leading to the call for development and implementation of a more holistic approach to the Main Street program in Georgia.