Announcements

MEDIA RELEASE

To:        Ames Media
From:    Main Street Cultural District and Ames Chamber of Commerce
Date:    Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Re:       Ames receives Main Street Iowa

Awards presented for service and business excellence in Ames

Ames, Iowa – After months of a detailed application process, the Ames Main Street Cultural District (MSCD) was selected for the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) Main Street Iowa program. Announced at a special ceremony in Des Moines on Monday afternoon, Ames was recognized along with 6 other communities for receiving this designation.

The Ames MSCD had been charged with applying for Main Street Iowa status by its board shortly after being officially recognized as a national “Cultural District” a couple years ago. When current MSCD Director Jayne McGuire was hired last fall, her first order of business was to dive in to the process which would include coordinating MSCD members, City Council approval, community input, letters of recommendation and more. McGuire also attended rigorous training sessions, and solicited commitment to preserve Iowa’s historic buildings and unique business districts, and to improve the local economy by adopting the “Main Street Four Point ApproachTM” to commercial district revitalization outlined by IDED.

According to McGuire, “The Main Street Four-Point Approach™ is a community-driven, comprehensive methodology used to revitalize older, traditional business districts throughout the United States.  It is a common-sense way to address the variety of issues and problems that face traditional business districts.” The Main Street Approach advocates a return to community self-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local ownership, and a sense of community.

Becoming a Main Street Iowa community allows Ames access to training, marketing and other state resources otherwise unavailable to other communities. Main Street Iowa has been one of the premier downtown revitalization programs in the country for more than 20 years.

IDED Director Mike Tramontina presented the awards at the ceremony. “Iowa’s historic main streets are the heart and soul of our communities. We are committed to doing all that we can to keep Iowa’s downtowns strong and vibrant for business owners, workers, residents and visitors,” Tramontina said.

MSCD Board President and Temptations on Main owner Tim Coble is thrilled with the announcement. “It’s a great honor to be recognized statewide for something we’ve known for years: that the Main Street Cultural District is a thriving cultural and retail destination, and a key component of what makes Ames such a dynamic community,” Coble said.

Along with Ames, the six other communities selected this year for the Main Street Iowa designation include Colfax, Fort Madison, Manning and the commercial districts in Cedar Rapids (Czech Village/New Bohemia), Davenport (Hilltop Campus Village) and Des Moines (6th Avenue Corridor) will be part of Main Street Iowa’s new Urban Neighborhood District program. The addition of these new communities brings the total number of Main Street programs in Iowa to 47.

Contacts:          

• Jayne McGuire, Director | Main Street Cultural District | 233-3472 | director@mainstreetculturaldistrict.com
• Tim Coble, MSCD Board President | Temptations on Main | 232-6393 | TemptationsAmes@aol.com
• Eve Doi, Vice President,  Chamber Operations and Communication |232-2310 |eve@ameschamber.com

Come file your taxes for FREE, using TurboTax Freedom Edition
TAX DAY - FEB. 28, 2009 from 10:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m
Room 158, Scheman Bldg, Iowa State Center in Ames

• 10:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m.
• 11:00 a.m. - Noon
• Noon - 1:00 p.m.
• 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.