The effort to create a more dynamic and self-sustaining downtown/neighborhood revitalization effort is finally ready to kick off. Eight downtown managers from around the state have banned together to form the “I AM MAIN STREET” organization. Starting anything from scratch is a difficult task, and there have been many ups and downs while starting this movement.

The eight is already down to seven, as Chelynne Curci has been laid off in Butler … which has had a long standing program. This is a situation that has repeated itself around the Commonwealth as long-standing programs have passed by the wayside as the debacle of Keystone Communities has taken its toll.

I believe there is a lot at stake in the movement to create more viable downtown development entities. Downtowns across the state have suffered from disinvestment in the recent years. Many of the local downtowns are just a shell of their former selves. Mall development in the past has sucked all of the department stores that were located in the downtown out to the suburbs, and left large unoccupied buildings to decay.  The malls have now fallen out of favor and there seems to be a move back to the downtowns as a shopping destination. 

I don’t believe that anyone thinks that there will be department stores locating in downtowns any time soon, but that does not mean that downtowns cannot continue to establish market share in the regional marketplace, and work to restore themselves to being relevant to the community.

The Main Street program is a proven way to revitalize downtowns. Many communities have started making a downtown vital over the past 30 years through the Main Street Program. The problem is, the commonwealth administrative support has ended and funding for projects was delayed for years because of lack of support in the commonwealth department that administers the program. Even if the administrative support were cut, some of the programs would have survived if they were able to complete projects. 

Project funding was withheld for three years, and recently it was all released a few months before the election.  30 million dollars went out the door and much of it was doled out as walking around money. The elimination of the Community Revitalization Program (walking around money) made the housing and development line item a large political trough. It did not matter if you had a plan for development. It did not matter if you had an organized effort to deal with your revitalization. This scattershot approach has spelled doom for the Main Street program.

The “I AM MAIN STREET” movement advocates the following:

For fiscal year 2015 – 2016, $1,250,000 of the funds shall be used for 50 Keystone Main Street or Keystone Elm Street Programs administration to be allocated proportionally across the Commonwealth.

We are trying to restore the program and have 50 of the Main Street or the housing counterpart Elm Street programs across the commonwealth. It is imperative that the communities that have already pledged $50,000 for five years be given access to administrative dollars in order to function as a program. In order to have a viable program, the communities need a real partner in the commonwealth. Right now Keystone Communities has a requirement that 60 percent of the time for the $50,000 allotment needs to be dedicated to Main Street or Elm Street activities. There is reference to having a code official act 60 percent Main Street and 40 percent code enforcement … that is patently ridiculous.  They are two completely different skill sets.

We are seeking to restore the value of small town life. In Philly, you need to get to the 3rd ring suburbs to see a downtown that is far enough away from the city to get it to function as they do in the rural areas. The Pottstowns, Coatesvilles, Phoenixvilles and West Chesters all fit the bill.

We need help … we need people to join the movement back to downtown … we have a Facebook page called I AM MAIN STREET and of course a website called I AM MAIN STREET. We are seeking for people to visit those sites, download the presentation and contact your state representatives and state senators to get them to recognize the importance of this issue.

We cannot do it alone…

Barry Cassidy is a freelance grant and economic development consultant. He can be reached at barrycassidy@comcast.net.