Mundelein MainStreet
and

The National Main Street Center

Mundelein MainStreet continues our affiliation with the National MainStreet Center (NMSC) and now over 1,650 other member communities in 44 states. The NMSC www.mainstreet.org, is based in Washington D.C., and is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation www.nationaltrust.org. They provide nationwide advocacy, research, publications, statistical documentation, staff training and educational services to advance the goals of those in the network.

Years of work to save historic buildings and sites had taught the National Trust that many of the traditional downtowns in America were suffering from neglect, sprawl and a lack of proactive management. To reverse these trends, research and practical application of new practices began in several pilot cities in the early 80's. These experiences led to the development of the National Main Street Center and the Four Point Approach ™.

"Since 1980, the National Main Street Center has been working with communities across the nation to revitalize their historic or traditional commercial areas. Based in historic preservation, the Main Street approach was developed to save historic commercial architecture and the fabric of American communities' built environment, but has become a powerful economic development tool as well. The Main Street program is designed to improve all aspects of the downtown or central business district, producing both tangible and intangible benefits. Improving economic management, strengthening public participation, and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to Main Street's future as recruiting new businesses, rehabilitating buildings, and expanding parking. Building on downtown's inherent assets -- rich architecture, personal service, and traditional values and most of all, a sense of place -- the Main Street approach has rekindled entrepreneurship, downtown cooperation and civic concern. It has earned national recognition as a practical strategy appropriately scaled to a community's local resources and conditions. And because it is a locally driven program, all initiative stems from local issues and concerns."

Link to the National Trust for Historic Preservation
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