STANDARDS

The material in this unit may be used to address the following Social Studies standards:

MAIN STREET PROGRAM

Recognizing that historic downtown buildings will be saved only if they house successful businesses, in 1980 the National Trust for Historic Preservation launched the Main Street economic development program.

Louisiana joined the Main Street program in 1984; currently (Spring 2003) 24 Louisiana communities participate in the program. These include:

The program is based upon four ideas, which are implemented under the leadership of each town's professional Main Street manager:

            Organization: bringing together local officials, businessmen and citizen volunteers
            to plan and work together for the improvement of downtown

            Design: improving the appearance and rediscovering the historic character of
            downtown through the rehabilitation of historic buildings

            Promotion: marketing of downtown businesses and events

            Economic restructuring: strengthening existing businesses and recruiting new
            ones


EXAMPLES OF DOWNTOWN COMEBACKS

Bastrop (Morehouse Parish)

Residents of Bastrop had long forgotten what their historic downtown looked like because most of its buildings were covered by metal slipcovers in the 1960s. In 2001 the new Main Street community's manager chose the uncovering of downtown as his first major goal. Using seed money from the Division of Historic Preservation as well as funds allocated by the municipality, Main Street Bastrop offered downtown building owners the opportunity to have their slipcovers removed at no charge. Each owner was then responsible for any cleanup or restoration work needed on his newly uncovered historic façade. An amazing twenty-two buildings were "de-slipcovered" along the courthouse square, all within a few months' period. Bastrop now has a "new" downtown thanks to its old buildings.

Hammond (Tangipahoa Parish)

Although many of Hammond's buildings escaped the modernization trend so popular in the 1950s and 1960s, its downtown was suffering when a revitalization program began in the late 1970s. Quite naturally, Hammond was chosen in 1984 to be among Louisiana's first four Main Street towns. Now the downtown is once again the heart of the community. Major buildings have been restored and the downtown is economically healthy, with a total vacancy rate (2003) of only 14 percent. Downtown Hammond has a good mix of retail, restaurants, bars, offices, and services. The town has also been successful in an often illusive goal-- the bringing of permanent residents back to downtown through the conversion of upper stories to apartments.

Columbia (Caldwell Parish)

Downtown Columbia was almost dead when it joined the Main Street program in 1995. There were very few businesses open, and most of the early 1900s buildings were boarded up and vacant. After only two years following the Main Street philosophy, the town had gained new businesses and jobs. In addition, a number of building rehabilitation projects, public improvements, and new construction have contributed to the town's comeback. One of the early successes was the restoration of the Schepis Building, an ornate structure designed and built in 1916 by Italian immigrant John Schepis. Now the Schepis Museum, the building is the impressive center of Columbia's Main Street.


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