In 1980, the National Trust for Historic Preservation established the National Main Street Center to assist nationwide downtown revitalization efforts. The Wisconsin Main Street Program is based on the Trust's philosophy, which advocates restoration of the historic character of downtown while pursuing traditional development strategies such as marketing, business recruitment and retention, real estate development, market analysis, and public improvements. There are no quick fixes for declining downtowns, but success can be realized through the comprehensive and incremental approach of the Main Street Program. Everyone must work together to renew downtown. A strong organization provides the stability to build and maintain a long-term effort.
Design enhances the attractiveness of the business district.
Historic building rehabilitations, street and alley clean-ups, colorful banners, landscaping and lighting all improve the physical image of the downtown as a quality place to shop, work, walk, invest in, and live. Design improvements result in a reinvestment of private and public dollars into the downtown. Economic Restructuring involves analyzing current market forces to develop long-term solutions. Recruiting new businesses, creatively converting unused space for new uses, and sharpening the competitiveness of Main Street's traditional merchants are examples of economic restructuring activities. Promotion creates excitement downtown.