The Oklahoma Main Street Center (OMSC), a division of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, has added another tier to the statewide Main Street program: network community. There are now three levels of participation – network, associate and fully-designated – under which an Oklahoma town, city or neighborhood district can join the Oklahoma Main Street Program.
Benefits of the network level include:
- An annual contracted agreement with the Oklahoma Main Street Center
- Learning about the national Main Street Four-Point Approach to historic commercial district revitalization
- National Main Street Center dues paid for one year
- Access to phone consultations with Oklahoma Main Street Center staff
- Access to resources at the state and national level via listservs and other web-based resources
- Invitations to trainings/workshops throughout the state
- Access to Oklahoma Main Street Facebook group
OMSC identified the need for the new network level after recognizing a gap in some communities’ ability to participate in the full Main Street program.
“After more than three decades of revitalizing historic Main Streets in Oklahoma, we know there are many towns and cities that would love the resources provided by Main Street but are not able to do the work of Main Street to its full capacity,” said Buffy Hughes, director of the Oklahoma Main Street Program. “These towns and cities may not have the population to pull volunteers from or enough of the historic building stock left to be considered for the fully-designated program. However, there are tools and resources available that could help them have a more successful historic commercial district or increase overall civic pride within their local area.”
The network level, like the associate and fully designated levels, will require an application to the Oklahoma Main Street Center to be considered. Applications for the network level will be accepted at any time and reviews of these applications will be held quarterly. The associate and fully-designated program applications are only accepted once a year.
“Oklahoma only gets better if we all thrive,” said Hughes. “This new level will hopefully provide access to information and resources that will help more areas around the state.”
For more information about the new network level, the tiered program or the Oklahoma Main Street Center, visit www.okcommerce.gov/mainstreet or contact the Oklahoma Main Street team at 405-815-6552.
