Main Street Portage is an organization dedicated to revitalizing and maintaining the historic downtown. We are a part of a National Program created over 30 years ago.The National Main Street movement has transformed the way communities think about the revitalization and management of their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
We are a volunteer based organization. Our Board Officers and Members are Portage residents who commit their time and knowledge to support our downtown community.
As a part of the National Main Street Program, we have adopted the The Main Street Four-Point Approach® and the eight principles that serve as a core of our organization.
The Main Street Four-Point Approach®*
As a unique economic development tool, the Main Street Four-Point Approach® is the foundation for local initiatives to revitalize their districts by leveraging local assets—from cultural or architectural heritage to local enterprises and community pride.
The four points of the Main Street approach work together to build a sustainable and complete community revitalization effort.
Organization
Organization establishes consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups that have a stake in the commercial district. By getting everyone working toward the same goal, your Main Street program can provide effective, ongoing management and advocacy for the your downtown or neighborhood business district. Through volunteer recruitment and collaboration with partners representing a broad cross section of the community, your program can incorporate a wide range of perspectives into its efforts. A governing board of directors and standing committees make up the fundamental organizational structure of volunteer-driven revitalization programs. Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a paid program director. This structure not only divides the workload and clearly delineates responsibilities, but also builds consensus and cooperation among the various stakeholders.
Promotion
Promotion takes many forms, but the goal is to create a positive image that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in your commercial district. Advertising, retail promotions, special events, and marketing campaigns help sell the image and promise of Main Street to the community and surrounding region. Promotions communicate your commercial district's unique characteristics, business establishments, and activities to shoppers, investors, potential business and property owners, and visitors.
Design
Design means getting Main Street into top physical shape and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers, and visitors. It takes advantage of the visual opportunities inherent in a commercial district by directing attention to all of its physical elements: public and private buildings, storefronts, signs, public spaces, parking areas, street furniture, public art, landscaping, merchandising, window displays, and promotional materials. An appealing atmosphere, created through attention to all of these visual elements, conveys a positive message about the commercial district and what it has to offer. Design activities also include instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the district's physical appearance through the rehabilitation of historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, educating business and property owners about design quality, and long-term planning.
Economic Restructuring
Economic restructuring strengthens your community's existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base. This is accomplished by retaining and expanding successful businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix, sharpening the competitiveness and merchandising skills of business owners, and attracting new businesses that the market can support. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district. The goal is to build a commercial district that responds to the needs of today's consumers.
Coincidentally, the four points of the Main Street approach correspond with the four forces of real estate value, which are social, political, physical, and economic.
The Eight Principles**
The National Trust Main Street Center's experience in helping communities bring their commercial corridors back to life has shown time and time again that the Main Street Four-Point Approach succeeds. That success is guided by the following eight principles, which set the Main Street methodology apart from other redevelopment strategies. For a Main Street program to be successful, it must whole-heartedly embrace the following time-tested Eight Principles.
- Comprehensive: No single focus — lavish public improvements, name-brand business recruitment, or endless promotional events — can revitalize Main Street. For successful, sustainable, long-term revitalization, a comprehensive approach, including activity in each of Main Street's Four Points, is essential.
- Incremental: Baby steps come before walking. Successful revitalization programs begin with basic, simple activities that demonstrate that "new things are happening " in the commercial district. As public confidence in the Main Street district grows and participants' understanding of the revitalization process becomes more sophisticated, Main Street is able to tackle increasingly complex problems and more ambitious projects. This incremental change leads to much longer-lasting and dramatic positive change in the Main Street area.
- Self-help: No one else will save your Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local resources and talent. That means convincing residents and business owners of the rewards they'll reap by investing time and money in Main Street — the heart of their community. Only local leadership can produce long-term success by fostering and demonstrating community involvement and commitment to the revitalization effort.
- Partnerships: Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the district and must work together to achieve common goals of Main Street's revitalization. Each sector has a role to play and each must understand the other's strengths and limitations in order to forge an effective partnership.
- Identifying and capitalizing on existing assets: Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique. Every district has unique qualities like distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program.
- Quality: Emphasize quality in every aspect of the revitalization program. This applies to all elements of the process — from storefront designs to promotional campaigns to educational programs. Shoestring budgets and "cut and paste" efforts reinforce a negative image of the commercial district. Instead, concentrate on quality projects over quantity.
- Change: Skeptics turn into believers and attitudes on Main Street will turn around. At first, almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite — public support for change will build as the Main Street program grows and consistently meets its goals. Change also means engaging in better business practices, altering ways of thinking, and improving the physical appearance of the commercial district. A carefully planned Main Street program will help shift public perceptions and practices to support and sustain the revitalization process.
- Implementation: To succeed, Main Street must show visible results that can only come from completing projects. Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is under way and succeeding. Small projects at the beginning of the program pave the way for larger ones as the revitalization effort matures, and that constant revitalization activity creates confidence in the Main Street program and ever-greater levels of participation.
*SOURCE 'MAIN STREET" NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION (http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/about-main-street/the-approach/)
** SOURCE MAIN STREET" NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION (http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/about-main-street/the-approach/eight-principles.html)
Board Officers:
President
Shane Schmidt
Vice-President
BID President
Peggy Joyce
Executive Director/Downtown Manager
Gil Meisgeier
Office: 608-745-1861
Cell:608-334-4207
Secretary
Krista Miller
Term expires 3/31/12
Treasurer
Mark Zimmerman
Board Members
Jeremy Rusch
Term expires 3/31/12
Brett Esse
Term expires 3/31/12
Megan Manthey
Term expires 3/31/12
Marlena Cavanaugh
Steve Polnow - ex officio.
Carol Shogren ex-officio Mercantile Representative
Mayoral and BID president positions are open to those serving in these capacities, and these individuals will automatically sit on the MSP board.
INFORMATION FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH
Each month, we will be featuring one downtown business on our Facebook page. Please, send us information about your business (up to 60 words), web address and a photo or your logo.
Facebook postings will appear in the order the information was received .
EVENT and PROMOTIONS FEATURE
In addition to our "Business of the Month" feature, we will also be posting special events and promotions for downtown businesses. Please, forward your logo, dates and specials you wish to feature on our Facebook page. We will post your information one week prior the event/special starts.
All requests MUST be send directly to Marlena Cavanaugh with "Facebook Feature" in the e-mail title. Currently we can accept only e-mail applications. For more questions please contact Marlena.
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