We are so proud of Downtown Excelsior Partnership (DEP) for being named one of eight semifinalist for the 2027 Great American Main Street Award. Read a part of their press release where Lyndsey Baxter, DEP executive director, shares:

"We are beyond honored. When we say this recognition belongs to our community, we mean it. Think about everyone who took a chance on downtown when its future wasn’t certain...the business owners, property owners, volunteers, City leaders, and residents who kept showing up. Twenty years later, their work is being recognized across the country and that’s pretty incredible."

View their application video to see all the work they have accomplished in their community over the past 20 years!

Missouri Main Street Connection is preparing to share with Missouri legislators and the governor the 20-year impact of Main Street in Missouri. Will you join us in meeting with your legislators and sharing the success stories from 2006 to 2026? The Main Street movement needs you to step up and educate elected officials on the impact Main Street has made in your community by supporting and recruiting businesses, creating vibrant places for social connection, and more.

Pictured above: Uptown Jackson, Old Town Cape, Rep. John Voss, and MMSC.

State Director Gayla Roten attended the Ceremonial Bill Signing in St. Louis on September 2nd. Greater St. Louis, Inc. hosted the event, where Governor Kehoe signed HB 3080 and HB 3231.

HB 3080

This bill modifies Missouri's Historic Preservation Tax Credit to cut bureaucratic red tape and incentivize private investment in Missouri's downtowns and Main Streets, which will support revitalization efforts in downtown St. Louis and preserve our communities' historic assets.

HB 3231

This bill provides five major new tools to incentivize new investment in downtowns across Missouri by: giving cities the ability to establish Innovation Zones, reauthorizing and expanding MODESA, creating office-to-residential conversion incentives, creating the Missouri Angle Investment Tax Credit, and expanding the state's existing Missouri Works program.

Governor Mike Kehoe and Gayla Roten

The “Doctor Is In” is a free service available to Missouri Main Street communities* as an initial consultation with a group of professionals about preservation-related questions. Missouri Main Street Connection’s Historic Preservation Committee can assist you with funding, facade renovation inquiries, tax credit questions, building material maintenance, HP best practices, and more.

*This service is available to all communities in good standing in the top four tiers: Accredited, Associate, Affiliate, and Community Empowerment Grant Program.

The 2027 Main Street Calendar of Events is ready for you to download! Check out the educational opportunities that MMSC has planned for you to learn vital information to support historic preservation-based economic development.