HAWKINSVILLE BETTER HOMETOWN

RECEIVES 2011 NATIONAL TRUST MAIN STREET ACCREDITATION

Hawkinsville, Georgia, July 22, 2011- Hawkinsville Better Hometown has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Trust and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs that have built strong revitalization organizations and demonstrate their ability in using the Main Street Four-Point Approach methodology for strengthening their local economy and protecting their historic buildings.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” says Doug Loescher, director of the National Main Street Center. “Accredited Main Street programs are meeting challenges of the recession head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable.”

The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Downtown Development, which works in partnership with the National Trust Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. These standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street program’s application of the Main Street Four-Point Approach to commercial district revitalization. Evaluation criteria determines efforts and include standards such as developing a mission, fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress, and preserving historic buildings. For more information on the national program, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/about-main-street/ the-programs/national-programs.html.

Board Chair, Mrs. Jill Niblett expressed her excitement over the programs accreditation. “Our board works hard to produce and implement annual work plans that will bring about improvements for our downtown.” “I am happy that we have met these national standards again this year.”

Program director, Ms. Karen Bailey said, “I am proud that we have a strong program with twelve years of experience behind us so that we can continue to make strides in downtown revitalization.”  “We are fortunate to have our board members and committee members who care enough to volunteer their time to make sure that we continue to make progress in downtown and to preserve our history.”

The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.preservationnation.org) is a nonprofit membership organization bringing people together to protest, enhance and enjoy place that matter to them. Established in 1980, the National Trust Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts. Working in more than 2,200 downtowns and urban neighborhoods over the last 30 years, the Main Street program has leveraged more than $48.9 billion in new public and private investment. Participating communities have created 417,919 new jobs and 94,176 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 214,263 building, leveraging an average of $16 in new investment for every dollar spent on their Main Street district revitalization efforts.