Background

Maine Downtown Center

MDF believes that vibrant downtowns can be an economic engine of growth; can serve as an attractant to young people, creative economic ventures, retirees and diverse populations; and can mitigate costly sprawling land use development patterns. That’s why we run the Maine Downtown Center.

The mission of the Maine Downtown Center is to foster downtown revitalization that is dynamic and community-based, and results in economic development, business growth, job creation, housing revitalization, historic preservation, and cultural enhancement.

The State of Maine Legislature established the Maine Downtown Center (MDC) in 1999 to be the statewide resource for downtown revitalization efforts. The Maine State Planning Office (SPO), The Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Maine Development Foundation were charged with co-coordinating the efforts of the MDC. The Maine Downtown Center is housed at the Maine Development Foundation and is supported by a mix of private and public funds. The Maine Downtown Center serves as the state coordinator for the National Trust Main Street Program in Maine. Established in 1980, this successful nationwide program stimulates economic development within the context of historic preservation.

The Maine Downtown Center:

• Serves as a resource for all Maine communities interested in or undertaking downtown revitalization projects
• Serves as an educator and advocate for strategies for downtown revitalization
• Oversees and manages

• Main Street Maine program
• Maine Downtown Network
• Maine Downtown Institute
• Annual Downtown Conference & Achievement Awards
  

Ten Good Reasons to Invest in the Main Street Maine Program and the Maine Downtown Center

1. Collectively, Main Street communities nationwide have realized a net gain of 87,850 new businesses, 391,050 new jobs, and $48.8 billion reinvested by the public and private sectors in over 2,200 downtowns.
   
2. Throughout the country an average of over $11 million per community was realized in new downtown investment in the community revitalization effort.
3. The Main Street Maine and Maine Downtown Network programs will create opportunities for towns that include protecting and strengthening the existing tax base, increasing retail sales and returning revenues to the community, creating new or improved housing in visually appealing and functional downtown buildings, attracting new businesses, creating new jobs and preserving historic resources.
4. Over 70 Maine communities have contacted the Maine Downtown Center since its inception in September of 2001, indicating a strong need for statewide downtown revitalization efforts. 
5. The Maine Downtown Center provides an initial three years of intensive technical assistance and support to communities that are competitively selected for participation in the Main Street Maine program, and continued training to all participating communities.
6. The Main Street Four-Point Approach® is action-oriented, community-initiated, and an incremental downtown revitalization strategy that is one of the country's most successful economic development programs.
7. The Maine Downtown Center Advisory Council, Senior Advisors and the Maine Development Foundation, the Center’s parent organization, are committed to the successful implementation of the statewide program. 
8. Acceptance into the Main Street Maine program is open to ALL towns and cities in Maine.
9. The Maine Downtown Center is a resource for all Maine communities who want to revitalize their downtowns. The Center provides valuable and proven information, contacts, advice, training, and support. We provide assistance by phone, e-mail, in person and through our Downtown Institute sessions and annual Downtown Conference.  
10. Participating and/or investing in the Maine Downtown Center makes good business sense! Revitalized downtowns throughout the state benefit everyone!