LG Main Street Receives Accreditation
La Grange Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservationbased economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
“We are very proud to acknowledge this year’s 862 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their steadfast dedication to nurture economically and culturally vibrant downtown districts,” said Hannah White, Interim President and CEO of Main Street America. “The increase in the size and impact of our network speaks volumes to the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of local communities and drive innovative solutions.”
In 2022, Main Street America programs generated $6.2 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 7,657 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 29,174 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,688 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,528,535 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support its operations, it generated $24.07 of new investment back into its downtown communities.
Collectively, two million people live or work within the boundaries of designated Main Street America districts. An estimated workforce of 1.1 million people contribute their skills and expertise to advancing the missions of these historic downtowns and commercial corridors.
La Grange Main Street’s performance is annually evaluated by the Texas Historical Commission, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. To qualify for Accreditation status, communities must meet a set of rigorous standards that include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.
In 2022, Downtown La Grange saw a total of $649,344.93 invested in buildings and businesses. Events such as Oktoberfest and Schmeckenfest saw record attendance numbers, with both residents and visitors coming in droves to participate. And the Historic Walking Tour saw full tours in both May and October as we celebrated the history of downtown and our community.
“This year saw each of our events set record levels of attendance. In particular, Schmeckenfest welcomed a record 2,500 people downtown in early December. We saw new businesses open, and long-time stalwarts of our community find new owners to lead them. We are fortunate to have a community supporting its downtown and historic district like La Grange. I think it’s safe to say that La Grange Main Street had a very successful 2022,” said Main Street Advisory Board Chair, Kathy Weishuhn. “But that’s not where the work ends. We are looking forward to what the rest of 2023 has in store for us and all the wonderful work we hope to accomplish.”
The goal of La Grange Main Street is to revitalize our historic downtown, thereby bringing the city’s center back to its historic location, create community pride, and establish a unique environment for all to enjoy.
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have generated more than $101.58 billion in new public and private investment, generated 168,693 net new businesses and 746,897 net new jobs, rehabilitated more than 325,119 buildings, and levered over 33.7 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet. org.