Apr 6, 2020 | Main Street
New Bern, N.C. – The 2019 North Carolina Main Street Champions, individuals that work and advocate for revitalized downtowns, were recognized for their commitment at a recognition ceremony in New Bern last month.
“Despite the short-term uncertainty in the global economy right now, vibrant downtowns will remain catalysts for North Carolina’s economic prosperity in the years ahead,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “These honorees have shown considerable creativity and dedication in improving their communities. We’re proud to honor their vision and hard work as Main Street Champions.”
N.C. Commerce and the N.C. Main Street program began recognizing Main Street Champions in 2000. “It’s long been well-known that successful downtown economic development doesn’t happen by luck,” said Liz Parham, director of the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center. “There are always hardworking people behind these efforts, and we wanted to take time each year to put the focus on leaders who are making a real difference in their communities. Main Street Champions serve as a valuable thinktank for future projects and innovation,” Parham said.
Forty-five Champions will receive honors for contributions to their Main Street programs and downtown districts in 2019. With this year’s group, 766 Champions have been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce over the past 20 years
Downtown Garner’s 2019 Main Street Champion is Jason Waters
The Downtown Garner Association is pleased to recognize Jason Waters, a past president, as an outstanding champion of Garner’s Main Street program for the last six years. Jason was instrumental in sustaining the downtown organization through its first significant staff change. Although he was new to the Main Street program, he helped provide continuity at a time when many volunteers were cycling off the board. He offered significant support to the new Main Street director and stepped up to serve as chair of the Garner Revitalization Association when the organization needed leadership.
Jason was a vocal advocate of efforts to raise downtown’s public profile and helped shepherd the rebranding of the Downtown Garner Association. Under his leadership, six new citizens joined the board and breathed new life into Garner’s Main Street program. Jason’s service to Garner’s Main Street program has been invaluable and the Downtown Garner Association is proud to call him our Downtown Garner champion.
Feb 12, 2020 | Events, Main Street
Help Downtown Thrive in 2020!
We cordially invite your business to become a 2020 sponsoring partner in Downtown Garner’s revitalization efforts. Financial support from our sponsors helps fund programming and sustains economic revitalization in downtown. In addition, being a downtown sponsor is a great way to promote your business at fun, family-friendly community events while helping draw attention to our downtown revitalization efforts. Between events, online marketing and print media, over 100,000 people see our sponsors each year.
To sign on as a 2020 Downtown Garner Sponsor:
Contact Mari Howe, Downtown Development Manager, at [email protected] or 919-773-4402 by March 8, 2020.
2020 Sponsor Benefits include:
For your contribution to our downtown revitalization efforts, your business is entitled the benefits below for your selected contribution level. Please note: booth space at food truck rodeos may not be converted to a food truck entry for downtown events.
Presenting Sponsor – $2,500
- Logo & “Presented by” credit on online ads for Downtown Garner events
- Logo & “Presented by” credit on event rack cards & direct mail inserts
- Complimentary booth space at 2 Food Truck Rodeos
- Individual sponsor banner displayed at 2020 Food Truck Rodeos
- Two Downtown Garner t-shirts
- Annual listing on Downtown Garner website
Gold Sponsorship – $1,000
- Logo & “Presented by” credit on Downtown Garner’s 2020 public art projects
- Logo & “Gold Sponsor” credit on event rack cards & direct mail inserts
- Complimentary booth space at 2 Food Truck Rodeos
- Logo on “Beer Garden Sponsored by” banner displayed at 2020 Food Truck Rodeos
- Two Downtown Garner t-shirts
- Annual listing on Downtown Garner website
Silver Sponsorship – $500
- Complimentary booth space at one Food Truck Rodeo of your choice
- Logo & “Silver Sponsor” credit on event rack cards & direct mail inserts
- Logo on “Kid Zone Sponsored by” banner displayed at 2020 Food Truck Rodeos
- One Downtown Garner t-shirt
- Annual listing on Downtown Garner website
Bronze Sponsorship – $250
- Complimentary booth space at one Food Truck Rodeo of your choice
- Name & “Bronze Sponsor” credit on event rack cards & direct mail inserts
- Logo on “Band Sponsored by” banner displayed at 2020 Food Truck Rodeos
- Annual listing on Downtown Garner website
Downtown Ambassador Sponsorship – $100
- Name & “Downtown Ambassador” credit on event rack cards & direct mail inserts
- Annual listing on Downtown Garner website
Questions?
Please contact Mari Howe, Downtown Development Manager, at [email protected] or 919-773-4402 by March 8, 2020.
About the Downtown Garner Association
Formed in 2005, the Downtown Garner Association fosters downtown economic revitalization within a context of historic preservation. Downtown Garner is a North Carolina Main Street community; DGA oversees the Main Street program through a public-private partnership with the Town of Garner. DGA is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible for individuals and businesses. Sponsors will receive a donor acknowledgement letter in thanks for their financial support of DGA’s events and programming in Downtown Garner. Visit DowntownGarner.com for more information.
Our Vision
Historic Downtown Garner connects our small-town roots with our future as a growing crossroads of cultural arts, recreation, and creative entrepreneurship in the community. Through private development, public investment, & historic preservation, we’re expanding our downtown to become the destination for local flavor & flair in Garner.
Mar 18, 2019 | Main Street
Downtown Ambassador Meet & Greet
Join us for a Meet & Greet
Learn more about the Downtown Garner Association and upcoming opportunities to share your talents and passion as we grow Downtown Garner to become a destination for local flavor and flair in our community!
Details:
March 28, 2019 – 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Full Bloom Cafe at 141 W. Main Street
Hors d’oevres, craft beer, & coffee will be served.
About the Downtown Garner Association
Formed in 2005, the Downtown Garner Association (DGA) leads development of Historic Downtown Garner as a vibrant business, entertainment, and cultural center through public-private partnerships.
Historic Downtown Garner connects our small town roots with our future as a growing crossroads of cultural arts, recreation, and creative entrepreneurship in the community.
May 27, 2018 | Main Street
The National Main Street Center has designated 47 North Carolina communities as accredited Main Street America™ programs, the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced today. Each year, the National Main Street Center and N.C. Commerce’s Main Street & Rural Planning Center partner to announce the list of all accredited Main Street America programs, recognizing exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
“The Main Street & Rural Planning Center expands our rural and small-town communities’ capacity to take on economic development and revitalization projects,” said Secretary of Commerce Anthony M. Copeland. “The communities accredited today have worked with the Center to establish practices that will fuel their efforts to bring jobs and development to their town.”
“We are thrilled to honor this year’s 829 nationally accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to preservation-based economic development and the revitalization of their commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, President and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “The power of Main Street shines across the country through these vibrant communities, who have all worked to generate impressive economic returns, preserve community character, and celebrate local history.”
Each community’s performance is annually evaluated by the North Carolina Main Street staff in partnership with the National Main Street Center. The staff identifies the local programs that meet ten national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.
The following NC communities achieved National Main Street Accreditation in 2018 for work completed in the 2017 calendar year:
Albemarle
Belmont
Boone
Brevard
Burlington
Cherryville
Clinton
Concord
Edenton
Elizabeth City
Elkin
Garner
Goldsboro
Hendersonville
Hickory
Kings Mountain
Lenoir
Lexington
Lincolnton
Lumberton
Marion
Monroe
Morehead City
Morganton
Mount Airy
New Bern
Newton
North Wilkesboro
Oxford
Roanoke Rapids
Roxboro
Rutherfordton
Salisbury
Sanford
Shelby
Smithfield
Spruce Pine
Statesville
Sylva
Tryon
Valdese
Wake Forest
Waxhaw
Waynesville
Williamston
Wilson
In fiscal year 2017, North Carolina Main Street programs generated $200 million in local public and private reinvestment, helped open 319 net new businesses, generated 2,000 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 259 buildings, and clocked 139,000 volunteer hours.
“We are proud of our communities that have worked hard to identify economic development strategies to transform their downtown districts through action within the framework of the Main Street Four Point Approach® of Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion and Organization,” said Liz Parham, Director of the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center.
The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center provides strategic planning and technical assistance, Main Street program guidance, training and education, including the NC Main Street conference, the state’s largest downtown revitalization educational event.
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a national 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, North Carolina communities using the Main Street America program model have leveraged more than $2.75 billion in new public and private investment, generated 23,472 net new jobs and 5,883 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 6,000 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For additional information about the Main Street program visit www.nccommerce.com/MainStreet, or contact Liz Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center at (919) 814-4658.
Jul 19, 2017 | Main Street
The Garner Revitalization Association has been designated as an accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach®.
North Carolina is one of the original states to administer the National Main Street Program. The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center evaluates each of the state’s local Main Street organizations annually to identify those programs that meet ten performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.
“Strong, thriving main streets are a key in ensuring strong communities, especially in rural parts of the state,” said Anthony M. Copeland, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Commerce. “We’re proud that our Main Street communities have been recognized on a national level for their achievements. These local programs assist communities in bringing jobs and businesses to their downtowns, which helps overall communities enjoy a healthier, more robust economy.”
Since 2009, Garner’s Main Street program has leveraged over $5 million in public investment and $5.9 million in private investment to support downtown revitalization. This public-private partnership spurred the creation of 12 new businesses, 68 new jobs, 11 building renovations, 7 façade improvements, and over 2,000 volunteer hours invested in the last 8 years.
“Those communities meeting the standards understand that downtown economic development requires a comprehensive approach, which is the basis for the National Main Street Program,” said Liz Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street Center. “We’re proud of the accomplishments of the 39 North Carolina communities that have achieved national accreditation.”
“It is a great honor to recognize this year’s 828 nationally Accredited Main Street America programs for their outstanding work to transform downtown and neighborhood commercial districts,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “Main Streets are the heart of our communities, and the work they do to create quality public spaces, catalyze local entrepreneurship, and support downtown housing is more important than ever. Across the county, Main Street America programs truly strengthen the economic, social, and cultural fabric of their entire communities.”
