FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2021
RICHMOND MAIN STREET INITIATIVE
RECEIVES 2021 NATIONAL MAIN STREET ACCREDITATION
Continuing Legacy of Meeting Rigorous Revitalization Performance Standards
Richmond, CA – Richmond Main Street Initiative has been designated as an accredited Main Street™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s 889 nationally accredited Main Street programs that have worked tirelessly to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of Main Street America. “During an incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to drive impressive local recovery efforts, champion small businesses, and foster vibrant downtown districts. I am inspired by their hard work and confident that these accredited communities will continue to help their downtowns flourish in the next stages of recovery.”
In 2020, Main Street America programs generated $4.14 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 4,356 net new businesses, generated 14,988 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,488 historic buildings, and clocked 983,702 volunteer hours.
Richmond Main Street Initiative’s performance is annually evaluated by California Main Street Alliance, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building meaningful and sustainable revitalization programs and include standards such as, fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings.
“2020 was quite a year. Perhaps more than ever before our work in Downtown Richmond was vitally important. As the effects of the COVID19 pandemic rippled through every aspect of our daily lives, our team responded quickly to meet the needs of our community, such as providing 2200 hours of maintenance and hospitality services, supporting 82 businesses through 115 hours of assistance, hosting virtual events including our first ever broadcast Spirit & Soul Festival, which reached 67,000 viewers,” reflects Alicia Gallo, Interim Executive Director. “This accreditation is a testament to our unique Main Street Approach and we are honored to be recognized for our role in this national movement to celebrate community character, preserve local heritage, and drive grassroots economic development.”
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Richmond Main Street Initiative is a community based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing historic Downtown Richmond. We partner with a diverse set of stakeholders including district businesses, property owners, residents, organizations, and the City of Richmond to fulfill the community-driven vision of our downtown as a pedestrian-friendly urban village that offers products, services, arts, and entertainment that reflect Richmond’s rich and diverse heritage. We also manage the Downtown Richmond PBID which supports a variety of economic vitality, clean and safe, and promotions initiatives. For more information and to read about our work and impact, please visit www.richmondmainstreet.org.
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $89.57 billion in new public and private investment, generated 687,321 net new jobs and 154,435 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 303,836 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit www.mainstreet.org.
Contact: Alicia Gallo, Interim Executive Director
P: (510) 236-4049
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