For Immediate Release- February 10, 2015

Contact: Marylon Barkan

205.516.4506

marylon@mainstreetalabama.org

 

Main Street Alabama Launches Regional Approach to Downtown Redevelopment in Coastal Gateway Region

 

Birmingham - Main Street Alabama and the Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance have announced a new partnership with a regional spin utilizing the nationally known Main Street 4-Point Approach®.

 

The program focuses on organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring.  Main Street Alabama is the state coordinating program for downtown revitalization, while Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance is a partnership of Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, and Monroe counties in southwest Alabama as well as the Poarch Creek Indian Nation.  With the generous support of Alabama Power, the communities of Atmore, Brewton, Butler, Evergreen, Grove Hill, Jackson and Thomasville will become Downtown Network Communities of Main Street Alabama. 

 

“We are particularly excited about our growth in the Coastal Gateway region,” stated Mary Helmer, President and State Coordinator of Main Street Alabama.  “Main Street programs have a catalytic effect and the establishment of Monroeville’s designated program just nine months ago has yielded tremendous interest from these surrounding communities.  The leadership of the Coastal Gateway Economic Development Alliance recognized the opportunity to grow revitalization programs in the area, coordinated the community efforts and secured funding to make this regional program a reality.  We anticipate the leadership from this organization will be emulated to grow other regional programs.”

 

In addition to individual Main Street Alabama visits to each community, Coastal Gateway will host two regional workshops annually, one in the spring and one in the fall. Main Street Alabama will provide training in the morning followed by a sharing of best practices, first by Monroeville, as the region's first Designated Main Street Community, and then by each of the seven Regional Downtown Network communities.

 

"Coastal Gateway believes that the courthouse squares and downtowns are the hearts and souls of our communities. And we believe that Main Street Alabama is a tremendous resource for revitalization. We thank Alabama Power for helping to make our communities the first regional network in Alabama," said John Johnson, executive director of Coastal Gateway EDA.

 

 

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