Main Street America™ recently notified Paducah Main Street that it has been designated a 2023 Accredited Main Street America™ program. Paducah Main Street has met rigorous performance standards and is committed to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
Mayor George Bray said, “This is the second consecutive year that Paducah Main Street has achieved this accreditation. I want to congratulate Paducah Main Street including Planning Director Nic Hutchison and Planning staff along with the Paducah Main Street Board for their commitment to the accreditation standards. The rigorous standards keep us on target in growing our historic downtown. Paducah’s downtown is vibrant and unique, but the continued health of our downtown takes leadership by Main Street and a daily dedicated effort by our small businesses. I’m proud of everyone who contributes to our local quality of life.”
Planning Director/Paducah Main Street Director Nic Hutchison said, “We’re excited that Paducah Main Street has maintained national accreditation for the diligent work towards downtown revitalization. Having an accredited Main Street program adds value to the work we are doing. In partnership with Kentucky Main Street as the coordinating program, Paducah Main Street has helped restore downtown Paducah to a vibrant place where people want to live, work, and play. Main Street has invested in the preservation of buildings, helped foster new business creations, and supported special events downtown.”
In 2022, Paducah’s downtown benefited from approximately $3 million in private investment with more than 60 jobs created. Additionally, the community contributed more than 2200 volunteer hours toward downtown’s success.
“We are very proud to acknowledge this year’s 862 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their steadfast dedication to nurture economically and culturally vibrant downtown districts,” said Hannah White, Interim President & CEO of Main Street America. “The increase in the size and impact of our network speaks volumes to the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of local communities and drive innovative solutions.”
In 2022, Main Street America programs generated $6.2 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 7,657 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 29,174 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,688 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,528,535 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $24.07 of new investment back into their downtown communities.
Collectively, two million people live or work within the boundaries of designated Main Street America districts. An estimated workforce of 1.1 million people contribute their skills and expertise to advancing the missions of these historic downtowns and commercial corridors.
Paducah Main Street’s performance is evaluated annually by Kentucky Main Street, a program through the Kentucky Heritage Council, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. To quality for Accreditation status, communities must meet a set of rigorous standards that include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
Paducah Main Street, a division of the Paducah Planning Department, is dedicated to giving a vibrant downtown Paducah experience by promoting historic preservation, economic growth, and creative place-making.
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