Main Street selects Biloxi for national program

Biloxi’s Main Street organization has been chosen as one of seven programs nationwide to serve as a demonstration site for a refreshed approach to comprehensive community revitalization and preservation-based economic development.

Each community, chosen after a competitive nationwide selection process, will benefit from strategic improvements to the National Main Street Center’s methodology that for 35 years has helped transform historic downtowns and urban neighborhoods across the country.

“This is a great opportunity for Main Street Biloxi and the volunteers who provide so much support,” said Mark Loughman, Environmental Affairs director and the immediate past president of Mississippi Main Street Association’s board of directors. “Each local organization will receive 12-to-18 months of free organizational capacity building and hands-on technical assistance from national experts.”

Biloxi joins Philadelphia, Penn.; Milledgeville, Ga.; Detroit, Mich.; Gary, Ind.; Lexington, Ky.; and Miami, Fla. as the seven cities to implement the new program.

“I hope this recognition will encourage even more volunteerism and involvement from Biloxi residents and community leaders,” said Pat Wylie, Senior Community Development representative and a member of the Main Street Biloxi board of directors. “With the new baseball stadium, the opening of several new restaurants and the announcement of five new hotels to be built downtown, there’s a lot of positive movement taking place in Biloxi.”

The refreshed program will focus on community revitalization efforts, planning and long-term strategic action execution and effectively measuring the impact of those efforts.