MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Welcomes Waterville and Van Buren to Nationally Recognized Revitalization Program
Augusta, Maine – March 10, 2025 The Maine Downtown Center (MDC), a program of Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is pleased to announce that Van Buren and Waterville are joining its Maine Downtown Center Affiliate Program. Both communities completed an extensive application process that included an online application, a written commitment to the program, a site visit, and a review conducted by professional downtown revitalization experts that serve on the MDC Advisory Council.
“I am excited for Van Buren to be selected as a Maine Downtown Center Affiliate because it provides our community with valuable resources, networking opportunities, and expert guidance to support our downtown revitalization efforts,” says Luke Dyer, Town Manager of Van Buren. “This designation reinforces our commitment to economic growth, historic preservation, and creative placemaking, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for Van Buren.”
Both Waterville and Van Buren have volunteer committees that will work hard over the next year to build relationships with businesses, residents, property owners, and the municipality. They will begin to look at downtown assets, priorities for revitalization and begin to use the Main Street Four Point Approach, a proven downtown revitalization method for over 40 years.
Michael Hall, Community Development Specialist for City of Waterville says, “Downtown Waterville has been on an incredible rise over the past seven years, and becoming a Downtown Affiliate is the next big leap forward! This partnership equips us with the tools, resources, and momentum to supercharge our revitalization, strengthen local businesses, and cement Waterville’s place as the most vibrant downtown in Central Maine.”
With the addition of Van Buren and Waterville, The Maine Downtown Center now supports 30 member communities throughout Maine: 11 Nationally Accredited Main Street Communities, 13 Maine Downtown Affiliate Communities, and 6 Municipal Communities. Some are in the initial stages of downtown revitalization while many are working toward achieving nationally accredited “Main Street” designation. MDC offers access to training by state and national downtown development experts, best practices in the field, and a network of peers from around the state.
“It is a great feeling to have worked closely with the Van Buren Revitalization Association and Discover Waterville over the last year and have them reach this goal of being excited and committed to having a focused downtown revitalization program. We are looking forward to working with both Waterville and Van Buren on their downtown revitalization journeys as Maine’s two new Affiliates,” said Anne Ball, Senior Program Director of the Maine Downtown Center.
