Easton receives 2019 National Main Street accreditation
EASTON, Md. –Easton, Maryland 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 partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs to recognize their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Organized and maintained by Discover Easton, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, Easton, Maryland is one of the longest-accredited Main Street communities in the State of Maryland.
“We are proud to acknowledge this year’s nationally accredited Main Street America programs that have worked tirelessly to strengthen their communities,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “These programs deserve recognition for generating impressive economic returns, preserving community character, and celebrating local history. Main Street America Accredited communities are part of a powerful movement of changemakers, and their dedication to improving quality of life in the places they call home is inspiring.”
In 2018 alone, Main Street America programs generated $4.93 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 5,310 net new businesses, generated 25,301 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,146 historic buildings, and clocked 2.2 million volunteer hours.
Easton’s performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Maryland through the Department of Housing and Community Development, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify 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.
“We are excited to continue our work with Main Street Maryland and the National Main Street Center,” Discover Easton director Ross Benincasa said. “To be nationally-accredited is a highly sought-after recognition, and we are excited to continue to engage our Easton community over the next year in new events and initiatives throughout our Main Street.”
In addition to Easton’s Main Street designation, Discover Easton manages marketing and event promotions for the Town of Easton and serves as the independent business association for the town. They have recently submitted plans to create an Easton Arts District to the State of Maryland and a proposal to extend the town’s Main Street district, which would offer more incentives to the growing business community.
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ABOUT DISCOVER EASTON
Discover Easton is a marketing, promotion and events non-profit organization operating as a member of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. The mission of Discover Easton is to enhance, promote and preserve the vitality of Easton’s independent merchants which benefit business owners, residents and visitors; and to bring awareness to the Town’s historical roots and lifestyles. To learn more about our organization, businesses, and upcoming events, head towww.discovereaston.com.
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a 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, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $79.12 billion in new public and private investment, generated 640,017 net new jobs and 143,613 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 284,936 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.