Why is Main Street Important
Main Street Four Point Approach

AWARDS
Southeast Tourism Society
Top 20 Events for 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 Market Street Festival

American Bus Association
Top 100 Event in North America
Market Street Festival

Mississippi Main Street Association
2002 Best Image Campaign

2004 Best Main Steet Organization in the State

2004 Best Public & Private Partnership - Clock Project

2004 Paul Coggin Memorial Award - Chris Chain

2005 Best Retail Promotion - Wassail Fest

2005 Volunteer Service Award - Tjajuan Boswell

2006 Best Newsletter - The Downtown Lowdown, an e-newsletter

Golden Triangle Advertising Federation
Best of Show: 2002 Market Street Campaign

Gold Addy: Main Street Image Brochure

Silver Addy: 2002 Annual Meeting Invitation

Judges Award: 2001 Annual Meeting Invitation
Gold Addy: 2001 Annual Meeting Invitation
Gold Addy: Main Street Columbus logo
Silver Addy: Discover the District logo

HISTORY

The Columbus Main Street Program was kicked off on August 9, 1985, at a joint meeting with Downtown Columbus Unlimited. On October 29-31, Columbus hosted a National Main Street Center Resource Team. The program immediately functioned as an arm of the City of Columbus with Paul Coggin as Main Street Manager. From its inception, the Columbus Main Street program worked closely with the downtown merchants association, Downtown Columbus Unlimited with the goal of eventually merging the two programs as a free standing corporation. Paul was, at the same time, instrumental in the founding of the Mississippi Downtown Development Association, which was accomplished in June 1986. It has since changed it's name to Mississippi Main Street Association.

After Paul Coggin's untimely death in 1991, George Irby became the Main Street manager and the process resumed of merging Main Street and Downtown Columbus Unlimited. This process was chaired by Holt McMullin as a project of Greater Columbus, Inc. and culminated in July 1992, with transfer of the Downtown Columbus Unlimited charter to become Main Street Columbus, Inc. Later that year, Jennifer Hanson was employed as the Main Street Manager. The committee structure was reformed and the first effort to increase membership and financial support was made. In August 1994, Jennifer moved to a new job in Jackson and Nell Thomas became the Main Street Manager. After Nell took a job at WCBI - TV Martha Lee Porter became our first full-time manager.  Jan Miller became the manager in 1999 and continued to build a very successful Main Street program.  Jan left in 2006 to take a position at MUW. Laura Quinn became the Main Street Manager in September of 2006 and resigned in October of 2007 to spend more time with her family. Amber Murphree is currently the Main Street Manager and has been since October of 2007.

Main Street is a non-profit public private partnership receiving funds from the City of Columbus, Lowndes County, Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, Market Street Festival and Membership participation. We work through a 22 member volunteer board of directors and much of our work is done through committees. Currently our working committees are design, promotion, membership, governmental, economic restructuring, merchant and festivals.

Main Street has been instrumental in the adoption of a historic preservation ordinance, and adoption of a tree ordinance. The Main Street program purchased a building on 5th Street North next to BancorpSouth. The Main Street Program has been instrumental in the following projects and events in Columbus; Columbus Christmas Parade, Festival of Lights,Farmer's Market Revitilization,Lighting of the City Christmas Tree, Market Street Festival, Columbus Day Celebration, Riverwalk Project, Leadership Plaza lights and maintenance and downtown landscape projects and beautification.

Main Street Columbus leads the state in the number of upper level apartments with approximately 128 apartments. Downtown Columbus is enjoying a new spirit of interest and investment, there are currently several buildings being renovated and several projects under consideration.

Why is Main Street Important?

• Main Street is a symbol of community economic health, local quality of life, pride, and community history. These are all factors in industrial, commercial and professional recruitment.
• A vital Main Street retains and creates jobs, which also means a stronger tax base. Long -term revitalization establishes capable businesses that use public services and provides tax revenues for the community.
• Main Street is also a good incubator for new small businesses - the building blocks of a healthy economy. Strip centers and malls are often too expensive for new entrepreneurs.
• A vital Main Street area reduces sprawl by concentrating retail in one area and uses community resources wisely, such as infrastructure, tax dollars and land.
• A healthy Main Street core protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.
• The traditional commercial district is an ideal location for independent businesses, which in turn:
  • Keeping profit in town. Chain businesses end profits out of town.
  • Supports local families with family owned businesses.
  • Supports local community projects, such as Market Street Festival, and Franklin School.
  • Provides an extremely stable economic foundation, as opposed to a few large businesses and chains with no ties to stay in the community.
• A revitalized Main Street increases the community's options for goods and services: whether for basic staples, like clothing, food and professional services or less traditional functions such as housing and entertainment.
• Main Street provides an important civic forum, where members of the community can congregate. Parades, special events, Market Street Festival and celebrations held there reinforce intangible sense of community. Private developments like malls can and do restrict free speech and access.
• Main Street districts become tourist attractions by virtue of the character of buildings, location, selection of unique businesses, and events held there.

Main Street Columbus Post Office Box 1062 Columbus, MS 39703

phone: 662/328-6305 fax: 662/328-6329 EMAIL the Director

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