Livingston, Montana Chosen for Main Street Revitalization

Livingston is the newest community chosen to participate in economic revitalization of its downtown area, through the Montana Main Street Program. Montana Main Street is part of the National Main Street Program and is coordinated through the Montana Department of Commerce.

“The Main Street Program helps to preserve the unique character of Montana’s downtown areas,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “It means something when you can take your grandchildren to the same barber shop, or candy store you went to as a kid. That’s community, that’s real Montana.”

Montana’s Main Street Program helps qualified communities revitalize their downtown commercial areas through historic preservation and use of existing downtown structures. The program’s four-point approach focuses on organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.

Communities must apply for the pilot program and obtain funding to employ a local Executive Director. The Montana Main Street Program does not provide funding for pilot communities. Instead, the Montana and National Main Street Programs provide consulting on organization and training.

Commerce Director Anthony Preite says the Main Street Program is a valuable resource for communities committed to revitalizing their downtown economies. “It’s really very exciting to see this program at work,” said Preite. “Local communities make the commitment to get the job done, and the state and national programs guide them along their path toward transformation.”

Livingston will remain a pilot program for approximately three years. They join 2006 pilot programs in Anaconda, Polson, and Red Lodge. Upon completion of the pilot period, Livingston will join Stevensville, Butte and Libby as full fledged Main Street communities.

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Mel Walters, Coordinator

Montana Main Street

Small Business Development Center

Montana Department of Commerce

406-841-2756 (W)

406-461-6801 (C)

[email protected]

Fax: 406-841-2728

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Montana Main Street – An Update http://www.matr.net/article-22033.html

Twenty Years of Main Streets http://www.matr.net/article-21957.html

Anaconda Main Street program to focus on revitalization, historic preservation http://www.matr.net/article-21918.html

Announcing ShopMainStreet.org – A national directory of Main Street businesses that have an online retail component http://www.matr.net/article-21701.html