What is Illinois Main Street?

The Illinois Main Street program was founded by Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra in 1993. The program was administered by the Lt. Governor’s Office and received design services from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency until 2015 when the program lost all state funding. In 2018, with support from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the National Main Street Center re-launched Illinois Main Street and is the current administrator. 

Illinois Main Street supports a network of communities across the state that are working to create vibrant and prosperous downtowns and commercial districts.

As a Main Street America State Coordinating Program, Illinois Main Street is part of a national movement of individuals and organizations with a shared commitment to increasing economic vitality in downtown, celebrating historic character, and bringing communities together.

Illinois Main Street (IMS) works with communities across the state to foster local economic development and enhance overall quality of life. IMS does this by providing hands-on training, statewide workshops, networking opportunities, and access to resources of community organizations focused on revitalizing their older or historic commercial districts. Learn more about our services.

Illinois Main Street is part of Main Street America, a coast-to-coast network of organizations and individuals working to bring vitality and prosperity to downtowns across the country. Main Street America programs operate at the local, city, and state-wide levels. They are united by a commitment to preserving and enhancing the built environment, celebrating local history and culture, and creating local economic opportunity through the framework of the Main Street Approach. Main Street America is a program of the National Main Street Center.

 

Guiding Principles:

1. Comprehensive. Downtown revitalization is a complex process and cannot be accomplished through a single project. For successful long-term revitalization, a comprehensive approach must be used.

2. Incremental. Small projects and simple activities lead to a more sophisticated understanding of the revitalization process and help to develop skills so that more complex problems can be addressed, and more ambitious projects undertaken.

3. Community Driven. Local leaders must have the desire and the will to make the project successful. The National Main Street Center and the state Main Street program provide direction, ideas, and training, but continued and long-term success depends upon the involvement and commitment of the community.

4. Public-Private Partnership. Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the economic health and physical viability of the downtown. Each sector has a role to play, and each must understand the other’s strengths and limitations so that an effective partnership can be forged.

5. Identifying and Capitalizing on Existing Assets. Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique. Every district has unique qualities – like distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization process.

6. Quality. Quality must be emphasized in every aspect of the revitalization program. This applies equally to each element of the program, from storefront design to promotional campaigns and to educational programs.

7. Change. Changes in attitude and practice are necessary to improve current economic conditions. Public support for change will build as the program grows.

8. Implementation-Oriented. Activity creates confidence in the program and ever-greater levels of participation. Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is under way. Small projects at the beginning of the program pave the way for larger activities as the revitalization effort matures.

 

Transformation Strategies & The Four Points

Main Street programs are required to have clear Transformation Strategies that are generated through meaningful community engagement and informed by an analysis of the district’s market position. These strategies help to guide a revitalization program’s work. An effective Transformation Strategy serves a particular customer segment, responds to an underserved market demand, or creates a differentiated destination.

Some "ready-to-use" strategies — called Catalyst Strategies — fall into two broad categories: those that are focused on a specific customer segment and those that are focused on an industry, product, or service segment.

Examples include:

• Workers and Residents

• Elder Friendly and Aging-in-Place

• Family-Friendly

• Agriculture Center

• Arts (performing and visual)

• College Town

• Convenience Goods & Services

• Entertainment & Nightlife

• Knowledge Economy

Transformation Strategies are implemented through comprehensive work in four broad areas, known as the Four Points.

1. Economic Vitality focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies.

2. Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.

3. Promotion positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.

4. Organization involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.

 

How is Downtown Bloomington involved?

Downtown Bloomington has been an accredited Main Street community for over 10 years. 

As a Main Street America™ & Illinois Main Street Accredited program, Downtown Bloomington is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by Main Street America.

Nationally recognized. Locally powered.

Main Street America™ has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Downtown Bloomington staff are involved in bi-weekly meetings to discuss all things Downtown with other Illinois Main Street program directors. Downtown Bloomington staff is able to build ideas off of other programs and downtown throughout the state and the country. Every year, there is a National Main Street Conference where Main Street Communities can come together to learn from each other. For Downtown Bloomington, being apart of the Illinois Main Street program opens a lot of doors to many opportunities for the future of Downtown Bloomington.

 

What is Downtown Bloomington's Transformation Strategy?

Identifiable Transformation Strategy: Economy, Dining & Entertainment, and Tourist & Tourism

Below is Downtown Bloomington's Transformation strategy which highlights and prioritizes the four main points the Main Street Program: Economic Vitality, Design, Organization, and Promotion.

 

Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 6, Pages 100-109  

Adopted: August 24, 2015 

Downtown 

Once the center for community and economic activity, Downtown Bloomington, like downtowns across the country, suffered the loss of retail and other business activities to shopping centers and commercial strips along Veterans Parkway. The vitality of a city’s downtown is an important element in a community’s overall economic health.  

In 2008-2009, the City retained the services of Farr Associates to create a redevelopment strategy for Downtown. That report concluded that Bloomington’s Downtown has immense potential that is yet to be realized. It also pointed out that revitalization of Downtown is threatened by failure of consensus on how to maintain, regulate, redevelop and generally manage this valuable and unique asset. The Downtown strategy report was officially adopted by the Council in 2014. While the City, in partnership with Downtown Bloomington Association and other key partners, is making inroads in Downtown redevelopment efforts, many recommended actions of that strategy are yet to be acted upon.  

This section of the Economic Development chapter begins with an examination of the goals and objectives of the aforementioned Downtown Strategy, to avoid duplication of effort.  

While efforts are currently underway by the Downtown Bloomington Association (DBA) and the City towards implementation of the adopted Downtown Strategy, many action items are yet to be addressed. This plan emphasizes the function of the Downtown as the core attraction for employment, specialty retail, innovative mixed uses, and cultural and entertainment should be preserved and expanded.  

In addition, the outreach process made it clear that there is no clear understanding in the community about the boundaries of Downtown. Goals and Objectives to address this short fall include unified marketing and branding for the Downtown district, creation of signage and wayfinding installations promoting the brand, and support for cultural, entertainment and commercial ventures.  

The Downtown district is particularly important as the core of historic Bloomington. The goals and objectives emphasize the need to maintain its historic features and character through careful preservation and thoughtful redevelopment where needed.  

The support and expansion of attractions in the Downtown district is complemented by goals for furthering the public perception of Downtown as a safe and clean place while also instituting practices to ensure safety. Improving access and convenience is addressed through objectives for parking options, as well as car and bicycle sharing programs, and access to public transportation.  

Downtown is a neighborhood as well as an economic center, and the plan guidance recognizes the interaction between these functions, and between the Downtown district and the adjacent neighborhoods. Developing and sustaining an active urban core that includes Downtown, Regeneration Area and the Preservation Area is vital to the long term success of the community. 

D-1. Continue to Build a Healthy Downtown that Offers a Range of Employment, Retail, Housing, Cultural, and Entertaining Opportunities for All 

D-1.1 Strengthen business recruitment and retention activities.  

 

D-1.2 Pursue catalyst projects that can serve as additional Downtown anchors.  

 

D-1.3 Reinvent the Warehouse District.  

 

D-1.4 Develop a wide variety of Downtown housing options.  

 

D-2 Market and Promote the Unique Brand and Image of Downtown Bloomington 

D-2.1 Identify and designate gateways to Downtown.  

 

D-2.2 Expand the Downtown Bloomington Association’s marketing efforts.  

 

D-2.3 Improve wayfinding Downtown.  

 

D-2.4 Develop and adopt a Downtown signage code appropriate to the area.  

 

D-2.5 Consolidate retail uses within in the Downtown core.  

 

D-2.6 Encourage commercial and corporate uses along the U.S. 51 corridor surrounding the Downtown core.  

 

D-2.7 Continue support and coordination efforts for the Farmers Market.  

 

D-3 Protect Downtown’s Historic Character and Encourage Appropriate New Development 

D-3.1 Protect the scale and character of historic Downtown and provide appropriate parameters for new development that complements its historic character.  

 

D-4. A clean and safe Downtown.  

D-4.1 Improve and promote Downtown as a clean and safe place.  

 

D-5. Continue to develop a multi-modal transportation network in Downtown.  

D-5.1 Improve parking conditions and access and encourage shared public and private parking supplies.  

 

D-5.2 Enhance the walkability and bikability within and to Downtown and facilitate access to car-sharing and bicycle sharing services in the Downtown district.  

 

D-5.3 Enhance the public transit access to Downtown.  

 

D-6. Reinforce the connections between Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.  

D-6.1 Encourage development on sites that will link Downtown with surrounding neighborhoods.  

 

D-6.2 Form organizational alliances between the DBA and organizations active in surrounding neighborhoods.  

 

D-6.3 Pursue public-private development opportunities with major employers seeking employee housing near offices.  

 

For the entire Comprehensive Plan, please see this link: comprehensive plan 

 

Downtown Bloomington Strategy 

Adopted: December 2013 

The Downtown Bloomington Strategy was adopted in December of 2013. Key areas of focus within the document include retail planning, land use recommendations, parking needs and mobility concerns, among others. The study area includes the area locally referred to as Downtown Bloomington, which is roughly bounded by Locust Street to the north, Prairie Street to the east down to Douglas Street, Gridley Street to the east from Douglas to Jackson Street, Jackson and Water Streets to the south, and Lee Street to the west.   

For the entire strategy, please see this like: Downtown Bloomington Strategy  

 

Historic Preservation Plan 

Adopted: September 27, 2021 

Historic Preservation is a link through which the history of a community is preserved and passed on to succeeding generations. Bloomington’s historic properties are a vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic and energy benefits that enrich future Bloomington generations. Bloomington has six local historic districts, and more than a dozen individual landmarks and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown Bloomington is one of the six historic districts listed in the register. 

To learn more about these key events, read the full text of "A Brief History of the City of Bloomington Historic Preservation Regulations and the Creation of the Historic Preservation Commission" online. 

Bloomington Historic Preservation Program and Commission 

In the spirit of preserving Bloomington’s historical assets, the City of Bloomington created a Historic Preservation Program in 1983. The program is administered by the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, which is a certified local government commission.  

The Commission is a volunteer citizen board dedicated to protecting the City's architectural, cultural, and historical resources. Seven mayoral appointed citizens form the commission. The commission consists of professionals specialized in architecture, construction, law, real estate and Bloomington’s heritage. The Historic Preservation Commission adheres to § 44-804 (S-4 Historic Preservation District) and § 44-17 (Administrative Procedures and Enforcement) of City Code. 

Bloomington Community Preservation Plan 
The Historic Preservation Commission adopted the Bloomington Community Preservation Plan in 2021. The plan provides guidance to the City and to individuals on historic preservation through the goals and recommendations provided in the plan. The plan also describes Bloomington’s historic districts and provides historic background on other scattered historic sites throughout Bloomington. 

For the entire Bloomington Community Preservation Plan, see this link: Preservation Plan  

 

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) 

Adopted: July 2022 

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law. The $1.9 trillion Fiscal Recovery Funds package is intended to support the response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including public health and economic impacts. The City of Bloomington received   $13.4 millions of these COVID-19 relief funds. In July of 2022, these funds were allocated by City Council into three buckets: Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Socioeconomic Development. The funding amounts were $9 million, $2.2 million, and $2.2 million respectively. Of the $2.2 million allocated to Economic Development, $750,000 were spent on the downtown Bloomington streetscape design, leaving $1.4 million for the Small Business Rehabilitation Grant Program.   

The Small Business Rehabilitation Grant Program was created to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This grant program will provide grants of up to $45,000 to qualifying small businesses to financially assist in the rehabilitation of brick & mortar stores in support of increased safety and accessibility. 

In 2023, City of Bloomington staff had an overwhelming response to the Small Business Rehabilitation Grant Program and all the funds were distributed to qualifying businesses. In Downtown Bloomington, 38 small businesses applied and received over $1.2 million to enhance their store fronts and improve the overall safety of their buildings.  

To read more about ARPA funds, please see this like: ARPA Funds 

 

Streetscape Plan for Downtown 

Adopted: August 24, 2022 

Why the Streetscape project? 

Investing in the downtown streetscape project is prudent and well-timed with the potential return that we here in Bloomington could derive from the project’s intentional, strategic, forward-looking planning. The return on our investment has strong potential to come in the form of additional economic activity from both private and public sectors. 

 

Maximizing Potential ROI for Our Community: 

Investing now in this downtown streetscape project is prudent and well-timed due to the potential return that we, as Bloomingtonians, could derive from the project’s intentional, strategic, forward-looking planning. The return on our investment has strong potential to come in the form of additional economic activity from both private and public sectors: 

 

Building Upon Our Community Assets: 

Intentional investment in the continued elevation of our downtown as a well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing area has strong potential to strengthen our united identity as Bloomingtonians and our shared pride in our beloved community. 

 

Demonstrated Results: 

Findings From Safer Streets, Stronger Economies: Complete Streets Project Outcomes From Across the Country Report by the National Complete Streets Coalition (2015) 

Background 

 

Results 

 

Significance 

 

What are the Primary Components of this project: 

 

The final plans for the Streetscape Project will be finalized in March of 2024. For more details regarding the program schedule and overall project, visit our website https://downtownforeveryone.com/  

 

Chapter 45 of City Code: Neighborhood Preservation and Vacant Commercial Buildings 

Adopted: February 13, 2023 

This chapter of the Bloomington, Illinois City Code highlights the importance of preserving and appreciating the district's historical buildings. As the code states, all vacant buildings have to be registered with the city in order to award ownership and instruct to properly preserve every building within Bloomington. This not only encourages business owners to fill their buildings, but to also take care of their buildings.  

To read through the entire code, see this link: City Code

 

 

 

Looking for educational opportunities to learn more about local economic development and how to enhance overall quality of life within a Downtown District? There might be an event coming up soon!

Check out the calendar below: