Missouri Main Street Connection
LATE SUMMER 2015
In This Issue
A Heartfelt Thank You
2016 Downtown Revitalization Conference
MMSC Adds New Advisory Member
Upcoming Events for 2015
Communities Receive Revitalization Achievement Awards
New Initiatives for Revitalization Programs
Matching Grants Available
November Quarterly Training
Brownfields Mobile Workshop
Thank You to All Our Sponsors
We Could Not Have Done It Without You

Missouri's 7th Annual Downtown Revitalization Conference was made possible through the many hours and talents given by our guest speakers and volunteers. We sincerely Thank You!
Save the Date

 

Mark your calendars now for Missouri's 2016 Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference. 

 

July 26-28, 2016

Would you like to host the 2016 conference in your community?

 

MMSC is accepting RFPs through

September 18, 2015. 

 

Contact Gayla at

417-334-3014 or [email protected]

to obtain a Request for Proposal for the 2016 Missouri Downtown Revitalization Conference & Evening of Excellence.

MMSC Adds Member to Advisory Board

Sandy Lucy, Mayor of Washington, Missouri, was added to the Missouri Main Street Connection Advisory Board on July 31, 2015.

Sandy Lucy
Mayor, Washington, MO
231 West Main Street
Washington, MO 63090
Phone: 636-667-9316
[email protected]
MMSC Has a New Website

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website!

Our goal with this new site is to provide our visitors with an easier way to learn about what Missouri Main Street Connection does, why we do what we do, and how you can get involved. 

The updated site has a fresh look and user-friendly navigation. New features include a blog and interactive communities map. 

We hope you will enjoy our new website!
Upcoming Events for 2015

Warrensburg, MO
10 am to 1 pm
Learn how a 40/60 matching grant can provide your community with on-site training for revitalization.

Missouri Preservation Conference
October 21-23
Cape Girardeau, MO
Preservation topics in classroom sessions and tours. Details will be available soon at preservemo.org.

National Preservation Conference
November 3-6
Washington, DC
Visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation website for conference details.

Canton, MO
Topics and location will be available soon.

Canton, MO
Jim Thompson of Iowa Main Street will share the latest in business recruitment and retention.

Visit the Upcoming Trainings page on our new website.
Our Partners in Revitalization
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Our Mission

The Mission of the Missouri Main Street Connection is to provide communities with the knowledge and tools to economically and physically revitalize their downtowns. 

Missouri Communities Receive Awards for Revitalization Achievements

The Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) recently honored downtown revitalization achievements during the annual Evening of Excellence dinner and awards ceremony at The Westin Crown Center in Kansas City on July 30. 

Awards in 14 different categories were presented to communities, individuals, businesses, cities and civic organizations that have invested skills and volunteer time to revitalize their downtowns. Read more of the official press release

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Great American Main Street Award� (GAMSA) to the Main Street organization in Cape Girardeau, Old Town Cape. Old Town Cape initially received this award at the National Main Streets Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Old Town Cape richly deserves the Great American Main Street Award," said Gayla Roten, State Director of MMSC. "The Old Town Cape Director, Marla Mills, and the Board of Directors have a dedication and passion for revitalization that should be emulated by every Main Street community in Missouri. We are delighted to celebrate this award with Old Town Cape and all the people who are engaged in the Main Street revitalization effort in Cape Girardeau."

The event capped off three days of over 30 educational workshops and in-the-field educational sessions, sponsored by Missouri Main Street Connection. Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to see more highlights of the conference and Evening of Excellence. 
New Programs for Revitalization Organizations

Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) is excited to offer two new programs to communities in Missouri!

People Energizing Places
Starting and sustaining a Main Street organization can be challenging. MMSC's new People Energizing Places (PEP) Grant can help your Main Street organization gain additional training and expert guidance to become more effective. This new two-year program provides individualized training, focused initiatives for sustained revitalization and technical expertise developed to advance the Main Street organization's downtown development.

Strategic Teams Engaging Places
Sustaining a Main Street organization can be daunting. MMSC's new Strategic Teams Engaging Places (STEP) Grant will catapult your organization to the next level through expert guidance and training to create real change in your revitalization efforts. This new one-year program provides customized training from a detailed assessment to strategically advance the Main Street organization's downtown development.

Contact the MMSC office at 417-334-3014 or email Keith Winge at [email protected] for more information about these programs.
Matching Grants Available to Missouri Communities

Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) is offering matching grants to Missouri communities interested in starting a revitalization program in their downtown or historic commercial district.

Only five grant awards are available in 2015. All potential applicants must attend one workshop to be eligible. The next workshop in Warrensburg, MO, on September 2 will demonstrate the Main Street Philosophy of Revitalization; the criteria for the grant and how to apply; and the materials and deadline for the application.

While attending the grant workshop, also learn about Certified Local Government (CLG) designation and the benefits and training opportunities available through the CLG program.*

The Affiliate Grant workshop is FREE, but RSVP is required as seating is limited. There is an optional Lunch & Learn with Main Street Tour ($13 to cover box lunch) immediately following the workshop. 

RSVP online today, or contact Bobbie at 417-334-3014 or [email protected] to reserve your seat.

*This workshop is partially funded by a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.  Grant awards do not imply an endorsement of contents by the grantor.  Federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, handicap or ethnicity.  For more information, write to the Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

Unraveling Economic Development in Downtown Revitalization 


Missouri Main Street Connection will present the fall quarterly Downtown Revitalization Workshop in Canton, Missouri, on November 13.

 

Jim Thompson, Business Development Consultant for Iowa Main Street, will share the latest in business recruitment and retention.  From analysis to action plans to execution, Jim will share the secrets of economic development and how to put those secrets into action.

 

Download the workshop flyer for more information and registration options.

Brownfields Mobile Workshop

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup Program in partnership with the City of Joplin and the Harry S Truman Coordinating Council, invite you to attend a one-day mobile workshop to learn about brownfield properties and their potential for redevelopment.

This one-day workshop on Wednesday, August 26 will begin in Joplin and travel to Springfield and visit Brownfield locations along the way before returning back to Joplin at the end of the work day.
 
The term brownfield means real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which is complicated by the presence, potential presence or perceived presence of a hazardous substance. Typical brownfield sites include gas stations, dry cleaners, mills, production facilities, hospitals, and even main street buildings. 
 
The mobile workshop will incorporate training about assessing brownfields, clean-up options, and redevelopment potential. The training will include visits to brownfield and former brownfield sites and include information about the assessment, clean-up and redevelopment activities as seen through the eyes of brownfield experts.

Early registration is encouraged as space is limited.
Thank You to All Our Sponsors

The 2015 Downtown Revitalization Conference was a great success through support from our sponsors - Thank You!

AmtrakGreat Southern Bank
Arcturis
Grey Eagle Distributors
Big Cedar LodgeHeritage Consulting, Inc.
Commerce Bank
Historic Preservation Program - Southeast Missouri State University
Development StrategiesHusch Blackwell LLP
Downtown Excelsior Partnership
Karen Bode Baxter
Edward JonesLisart Capital, LLC
Element74, LLC
Marsh & Company, PA
Elms Hotel & SpaStrata Architecture + Preservation
Enhanced Historic Credit Partners
Thompson Coburn LLP
First State Community BankUS Bank
Foutch Brothers, LLC
Victor Stanley, Inc.
Gardner Capital, Inc.Waitt Outdoor