MILTON — Main Street Milton, Inc. has been designated as an Affiliate Main Street America Program by the National Main Street Center and Florida Main Street. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of nationally recognized Main Street America Affiliate Programs in recognition of their commitment to achieving meaningful improvements in downtowns and commercial districts across the country using the trademarked Main Street Approach.
"It is my privilege to recognize this year’s 299 Main Street America Affiliate Programs," National Main Street Center President and CEO Patrice Frey said. "Their commitment to helping advance strong local economies, and to being a part of a national movement of like-minded community change-makers is truly powerful. Main Streets are the heart of our communities, and these Main Street America programs truly strengthen the economic, social, and cultural fabric of their entire communities."
In 2017, Main Street America programs generated $4.48 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,211 net new businesses, generated 30,294 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,737 historic buildings, and clocked 2.7 million volunteer hours.
Main Street Milton’s performance is evaluated annually by Florida Main Street, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that are committed to comprehensive revitalization and achieving meaningful community outcomes.
"Milton has a very rich and proud history as a Main Street Community. With the recent revitalization of the program, strenghtened relationship with the City of Milton and support from the community, I fully expect Main Street Milton to return to a position as a model program and achieve full accredidation next spring," Main Street Milton Executive Director Ed Spears said. "I am working closely with Florida Main Street staff and recently completed the mandatory ‘Main Street 101’ training. I am happy to report that the program is in good standing with Florida Main Street."
Main Street Programs are eligible to seek the highest level of certification, Accredited Program, once per year. The next opportunity to seek accredidation will be early 2019. Accredited Programs are announced at Main Street America’s Annual Conference.
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,000 neighborhoods and communities, both rural and urban, that share a commitment to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $71.35 billion in new public and private investment, generated 583,869 net new jobs and 131,974 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 267,800 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Main Street Milton recognized as 2018 Main Street America Affiliate