Louisiana Main Street has announced that six Main Street programs have been designated as accredited National Main Street Programs for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center?, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Denham Springs Main Street, Hammond Downtown Development District, Leesville Main Street, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Main Street, Plaquemine Main Street and Thibodaux Main Street all received the accreditation.

Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street? programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization through the Main Street Four Point Approach?.

"We congratulate this year's nationally accredited Main Street programs for their outstanding accomplishment in meeting the National Main Street Center's 10 Standards of Performance," says Patrice Frey, president & CEO of the National Main Street Center. "As the National Main Street Center celebrates its 35th Anniversary, it is also important to celebrate the achievements of the local Main Street programs across the country, some of which have been around since the beginning.  These local programs work hard every day to make their communities great places to work, live, play and visit while still preserving their historic character."   

The Main Street organizations are evaluated annually by Louisiana Main Street, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. These standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street program's application of the Main Street Four Point Approach? to commercial district revitalization.

Evaluation criteria determine the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.

In 2014, Louisiana Main Street districts generated 147 new businesses, 436 new jobs, $57,000,000 in building rehabilitations and new construction, and $50,500,000 in public improvements.  More than 41,000 volunteer hours were recorded by more than 9,000 volunteers.  Main Street programs in Louisiana leverage an average of $28 for every public/private dollar invested.
 

Louisiana Main Street is a program of the National Main Street Center, Inc., and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development. For more information, visit www.louisianahp.org/mainstreet.