Main Street success

Missouri’s towns using the Main Street Approach to revitalization have reported economic growth through the first six months of the year in terms of rehabilitated buildings, new businesses and jobs. Data collected by Missouri Main Street Connection from January to June shows $4.5 million in private investments for facade improvements and building rehabilitation projects, $79,231 invested in public infrastructure improvements and net gains of 34 new businesses and 97 new jobs in 13 of the state’s communities, including Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.

Old Town Cape executive director Marla Mills, whose organization is an accredited national Main Street program, welcomed the news.

“The Main Street program is a proven, effective method of revitalizing historic commercial districts, not just in Cape Girardeau but across the state and nation,” Mills told me. “It is very beneficial to Old Town Cape and our local efforts to have an effective statewide organization.

“These combined numbers are significant and make a strong economic impact on each of these communities individually and the state as a whole,” she continued. “Given the performance of the state’s other Main Street communities I expect the number of nationally certified communities in Missouri to rise next year.”