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| Our mission is to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut's Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities. |
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Happy Holidays from CMSC!
The holiday season is a time to be with friends and family, to celebrate our many blessings and look forward with confidence to the new year. At CMSC, we'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the many organizations and people who share their time, talent and expertise with us as we teach people how to cultivate great downtowns. Thank you for all you do in support of our Main Streets!
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Thank You to Our Donors and Sponsors
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Our success is made possible by the generous support of our donors and sponsors. Their contributions demonstrate a commitment to Connecticut's downtowns and Main Streets, showing support for the things we value, like the importance of place; diverse, inclusive communities; and connected, walkable town and city centers.
Our Founding Sponsors, Eversource and DECD, never fail to step up to support us with major financial contributions. Not only do they fully support the opportunities economic development creates in our downtown communities, but they're also excellent collaborators on important issues like historic preservation and the state historic tax credit program.
Our Growth Sponsors UIL Holdings and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) understand the economic and social value our Main Streets provide, and they're steadfast in their commitment to creating prosperous Main Streets that embrace our historic past. They're also generous supporters of our Come Home to Downtown program that brings vacant and under-utilized buildings back to life with housing above commercial space.
Of course, CMSC is well known for our popular Main Street Forums for the 21st Century, a suite of educational
programming that helps local and state leaders understand how to take advantage of community assets and the resources available to sustain and transform their downtowns. The following organizations are supporting our 2018-2019 Main Street Forum series and events:
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Making It Happen: Meet Our Members
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Our members are truly extraordinary.
Every day, they work to make their downtowns and main streets vibrant, useful places for all to enjoy. From small towns to urban cities, our statewide network of 79 members works tirelessly to make sure their town centers and commercial corridors are clean, safe, attractive and fun, creating a welcoming place for businesses to thrive and for people to congregate. If you haven't checked out our members recently, now's the time to discover all the great things they have to offer.
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Trusted Resources: Meet Our Professional Affiliates
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Knowing the many different aspects that go into creating a thriving downtown, there's no way our small staff of four can provide all of the targeted services our Main Streets need. So we've accessed a wide range of industry experts who can provide our members and others with the information and expertise they need. Our Professional Affiliate network is made up of dozens of organizations who understand the importance of Main Street and can offer targeted advice and solutions.
Check out our Professional Affiliates here.
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Working Together: Meet Our Partners
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At CMSC, we pride ourselves on our ability to work collaboratively with others toward common goals that benefit our downtowns and commercial corridors. Bringing the right people to the table has led to innovative yet practical solutions like Connecticut's new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts and the Come Home to Downtown program. We're very lucky that Connecticut has so many smart, talented groups working to improve our housing options, build more sustainable transit connections, and create compact mixed-use development. These groups are willing to share their time and talent to work collaboratively with CMSC and others, so please be sure to give them a friendly hello or a word of thanks when you can. Just scroll down to see the many organizations we partner with - they're listed at the bottom of each edition of Downtown Update.
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▪ New London Finalist for Levitt Music Grant -
The Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards is a matching grant program by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a national creative placemaking funder dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of America through the power of free, live music. New London Music Festival is one of 25 finalists nationwide. Through a varied program of artists and concerts, they aim to draw a diverse population into the heart of the city exposing them to all that New London has to offer as well as expanding their understanding of different musical disciplines. Learn more here.
▪ November BRIDGE Materials Available - In November, CMSC presented Downtown Trails as Community & Economic Development Engines, the latest in our BRIDGE Series, co-hosted by UCONN Extension and CT Trails Census, and sponsored by BSC Group. Speakers Laura Brown, UCONN Extension; Jack Walsh, former President & CEO, Valley United Way; and Aaron Budris, Senior Regional Planner, Naugatuck Valley Council of Government, spoke about why trails should be considered a downtown asset, the potential of the Naugatuck River Greenway (NRG), and how trails have impacted Derby and surrounding towns. CMSC also partnered with Professional Affiliate Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc. to offer 2 AICP CM credits. View the materials from the event.
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Spotlight on 2018 Award of Excellence Winner
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Great Placemaking in Hartford
Recipients: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner; International Hartford; Riverfront Recapture; iQuilt Partnership; Hartford BID
Downtown Hartford is experiencing a revival, spurred in part by the many organizations focusing on making sure the city is full of lively events for residents and visitors alike. CMSC recognized several of groups with a 2018 Award of Excellence for their collective placemaking efforts that together provide fun, inclusive events no matter the season. From dancing in the streets to fireworks to the popular Winterfest going on now, there's something for everyone thanks to the many community-focused groups in Hartford.
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