Great American Main Street Award Semi-Finalist

This has been one heck of a week as we received fantastic news! Main Street Fairmont was selected as one of ten semi-finalists for the Great American Main Street Award! This award recognizes communities who achieved exceptional accomplishments in revitalizing America’s historic main street commercial districts.

This highly selective competition was open to all nationally accredited Main Street communities throughout the United States. To participate in the competition, candidates had to fill out an extensive on-line application that included statistical figures, a detailed narrative history of our organization and revitalization efforts as well as photographic documentation.

The second stage of the application process requires all semi-finalist communities to provide supporting documentation which includes maps, an official resolution of support from the local government and letters of support. If you would like to write a letter of support for Main Street Fairmont, please address the letter to Great American Main Street Award Jury. The letter must be sent to Main Street Fairmont by Friday, October 17 to be included in Main Street Fairmont’s application packet.

Since 1994, Main Street Fairmont has consistently championed downtown revitalization through economic restructuring, aesthetic appeal, community promotions and fundraising efforts. Because of Main Street Fairmont, the city gained 69 new businesses, 218 new jobs and rehabilitated over 137 buildings. In the past 13 years, over $53 million dollars was publicly invested in the town while over $11 million dollars was privately invested in our downtown district.

The other semi-finalists include:
Aledo Main Street, Inc.- Aledo, Illinois
Federal Hill Main Street- Baltimore, Maryland
Livermore Downtown, Inc.- Livermore, California
Main Street Toccoa, Toccoa, Georgia
Main Street Oberlin, Inc.- Oberlin, Ohio
Main Street El Dorado- El Dorado, Arkansas
On Broadway, Inc.- Green Bay, Wisconsin
Rochester DDA- Rochester, Michigan
Rehoboth Beach Main Street, Inc.- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

The National Main Street Center will announce the winner at the 2009 Town Meeting in March in Chicago, Illinois.

Thanks to all our volunteers who make Main Street Fairmont great!