Maine Downtown Center Names Ellsworth as an Accredited National Main Street Community
Top L to R: Jon Stein, Tabatha White, Eliza Worrick, Stephanie Leonardi, Erik Jackson, Karin Otto, Noah D., DJ Graiff, Randall Simons, Phyllis Young, Jesse Steiger, Hailee Carter, Michael Reisman, Beth Fendl, Celeste Deeny, Payden Maddocks-Wilbur, Cara Romano, Janice Buckingham, Eric Columber, Peter Lione, Berit Becker, Zabet NeuCollins.
ELLSWORTH, MAINE – September 17, 2024: MDF’s Maine Downtown Center (MDC) is thrilled to announce that Heart of Ellsworth is the newest nationally accredited addition to Maine’s Main Street program. Becoming an accredited Main Street Program is a mark of distinction. This designation recognizes a community’s long-term commitment to building a grassroots revitalization program, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces and cultural assets.
Map of current Main Street Maine, Affiliate and Municipal Communities
“Heart of Ellsworth and the entire Ellsworth community is overjoyed and so proud to receive this accreditation,” says Cara Romano, Executive Director of Heart of Ellsworth. “We look forward to a whole new level of growth as we continue to work with the MDC team and Main Street America to further strengthen our economic infrastructure, attract more investment and new businesses into our community, and bring more visitors to our beautiful city.”
Heart of Ellsworth joins ten other nationally accredited Main Street communities working with MDC in Maine. These organizations are accredited annually by MDC and meet rigorous standards for revitalization of their downtowns and commercial districts. The accreditation process helps communities identify their strengths and challenges and find resources to continue their progress. Main Streets gain access to and an extensive peer network within the state and nationally.
“It has been wonderful to support Heart of Ellsworth on its journey to accreditation, “says Anne Ball, Senior Program Director, MDC. “Not only does Ellsworth have a walkable downtown with many locally owned businesses, historic buildings and sites such as the Old Hancock Jail, and a riverwalk under development, they also have a strong organization leading the revitalization effort. The Heart of Ellsworth should be recognized for their leadership and their broad-based community support and their commitment to downtown revitalization. We are so excited during our 25th anniversary year to bring on our 11th Main Street. We look forward to continuing to work with Heart of Ellsworth as they start their next chapter as an accredited Main Street.”
Photo by No Umbrella Media LLC.
MDC represents some of the strongest core downtown commercial districts in the State and in New England. The Center serves as the State Coordinator for Maine’s National Main Street Program, which is under the umbrella of the national Main Street America organization. For more than 40 years, the Main Street America movement has been committed to strengthening communities by revitalizing older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through preservation-based economic development.
In addition to the now 11 Nationally Accredited Main Street Communities, MDC works with 13 Maine Downtown Affiliate Communities, and 4 Municipal Communities. Some are in the early stages of downtown revitalization, and many are working toward achieving national “Main Street” accreditation. MDC offers access to training by state and national downtown development experts, best practices in the field, and a network of peers from around the state.
Michelle Beal, an Ellsworth resident and City Council Member shared, “The Main Street designation is an invaluable asset in supporting the city's continued growth and vibrancy, especially in its downtown area. As the business and professional hub of Hancock County, this designation is a monumental step in ensuring the City become a model for work-life balance and amplifies the pride Ellsworth has in its historic walkable downtown and riverfront.”
For more information about MDF’s Maine Downtown Center and our work in communities large and small across Maine, visit https://www.mdf.org/program-partnerships/maine-downtown-center/.
About the Maine Downtown Center
Established in 1999, the Center serves as the state coordinator in Maine for the National Main Street Center, utilizing the Four-Point Approach® to help communities statewide revitalize their historic downtowns. This over 40-year-old approach has a reputation as one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation for vibrant, healthy downtowns resulting in job creation, business growth, building rehabilitation and cultural enhancement.
About the Maine Development Foundation
MDF is a non-partisan, statewide driver of equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth in Maine. We connect people, decision-makers, and communities though trusted research, leadership development, and creative partnerships to stimulate new ideas, solve problems, and improve lives. To learn more about MDF, visit www.mdf.org.