About the National Trust

The National Trust for Historic Preservation MainStreet Program

Since 1980, the National Main Street Center in Washington, D.C. has been working with communities across the nation such as Oceanside to revitalize their historic or traditional commercial areas. Rooted in historic preservation, the Main Street approach was developed to save historic commercial architecture and the fabric of American communities. As America adopted sprawl culture and cities became more identical, we were losing a very important part of our American heritage: the unique identity of downtown and the character of towns and cities across the country.

The Main Street program is designed to improve all aspects of the downtown business district, producing both tangible and intangible benefits. Improving economic management, strengthening public participation, and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to Main Street’s future as recruiting new businesses, rehabilitating buildings and expanding parking. Building on our downtown’s inherent assets – rich architecture, personal service, traditional values and, most of all, a sense of place – the Main Street approach has rekindled entrepreneurship, downtown cooperation and civic concern. And because it is a locally driven program, all intiative stems from local issues and concerns.

What happened to Main Street?

Main Street’s problems are a result of profound changes in the retailing industry over the past four decades—changes which are the result of transportation and land use patterns as well as an unprecedented boom in commercial overbuilding. Dramatic suburban commercial growth and the development of major discount retailers on the periphery of communities have drawn customers and investors away from the central business district. A vast oversupply of retail space in general has undermined Main Street’s traditional role as a retail center. Tremendous stocks of high-quality historic commercial buildings need financing to make them safer in earthquakes. Local permit processes need revamping to encourage entrepreneurial investment in building rehabilitations and business ventures. Outmoded business practices of long-term merchants and inexperience of new small business owners have constrained traditional business districts from reaching their full market potential.

Why is Main Street important?

The California Economic Strategy Panel found that quality of life was one of the key public policy areas which profoundly affect the capacity and prospects of California’s businesses to prosper and the economy to grow. A thriving downtown or neighborhood commercial district is a paramount component of each community’s quality of life. It provides a central gathering place for entertainment, civic life and commerce. It supplies a focal point for community identity and pride. It offers a sense of place, connectivity, integration and cohesion for residents. It attracts visitors and projects a healthy community image upon which industrial investors rely in part to make their location decisions. It provides small business ownership opportunities, jobs, retail sales and property tax revenues.

What is the Main Street Approach to Revitalization?

The Main Street Approach to downtown and neighborhood commercial district revitalization was developed by the National Main Street Center, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The approach is based on four points and relies on eight principles to produce fundamental change in traditional commercial business districts.