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FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO – Montevallo Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards.

Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.

“We are extremely proud to recognize this year’s 863 nationally Accredited Main Street America programs that have worked tirelessly to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, president and CEO of Main Street America. “During another incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of their communities. I am inspired by their steadfast leadership and innovative solutions to drive essential local recovery efforts, support small businesses and nurture vibrant downtown districts.”

In 2021, Main Street America programs generated $5.76 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,601 net new businesses, generated 30,402 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,595 historic buildings and leveraged 1,427,729 volunteer hours.

On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $19.34 of new investment back into Main Street communities.

Montevallo Main Street’s performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Alabama, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards.

Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building meaningful and sustainable revitalization programs and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships; supporting small and locally owned businesses; and actively preserving historic places, spaces and cultural assets.

“We have been thrilled to welcome 10 new businesses to our Main Street District since June of last year,” said Courtney Bennett, executive director of Montevallo Main Street. “Being an Accredited Main Street Community has made a huge impact on our city since we were first designated in June 2016. Our awesome volunteers have shared over 2,600 hours of their time making Montevallo a better place over the past year. We look forward to continuing our work of promoting and revitalizing downtown through supporting our businesses, promoting the arts, hosting special events like Spring Fling and Friday Nights at the Cove, and making Main Street beautiful through our photo spots and banner programs—especially our Veteran Banner program.”