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Main Street Iowa Awards Celebration Honors Outstanding Achievements
Main Street Iowa Awards Celebration Honors Outstanding Achievements
Award Winning Projects, Entrepreneurs and Volunteers Honored
Main Street Iowa hosted the 31st annual Main Street Iowa Awards Celebration on Friday, April 7, 2017 at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines. The program honored the efforts of those who work day in and day out in downtown revitalization in Iowa. The event was attended by approximately 550 individuals representing communities across the state.
Uptown Marion received the following state awards and special recognitions:
David Martin, with Martin Gardner Architecture, received the Leadership Award for outstanding efforts to make a positive impact on the local Uptown Main Street Program. Dave Martin’s architectural firm has restored hundreds of buildings throughout Iowa. His professional experience and positive attitude have made him an extremely valuable volunteer and community leader. He co-owns the historic First National Bank building and his working on his fourth Downtown Revitalization Project. As an Uptown Marion Advisory Board member and Design Committee co-chair, Dave has shard solutions for the issues face by other building owners over the years.
The Linn County Main Street Programs Regional Partnership received the award for Best Outstanding Partners which includes Central City Mainstreet, Czech Village – New Bohemia, Mount Vernon – Lisbon Community Development Group, and Uptown Marion. This award recognized the collaborative efforts of the 4 Linn County Main Streets through a joint marketing project developed through Linn County funding.
Brooke Prouty (Uptown Director), Jill Ackerman (Chamber President), and Karen Hoyt (Board Member) represented the Uptown Marion Main Street at the awards ceremony.
Main Street Iowa has annually presented awards honoring outstanding accomplishments, activities and people that are making a difference in Iowa’s Main Street districts. Projects large and small are recognized and serve as outstanding examples of what historic commercial district revitalization is all about.
Fifteen projects and activities occurring in local Main Street communities were selected to be recognized from the 160 competitive nominations submitted. The honors were presented by Governor Terry E. Branstad, Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA).
“The Main Street Iowa program has stood the test of time since its introduction in 1985. The program continues to bring businesses, jobs, investment and vitality to our states’ communities, both big and small,” stated Branstad. “The Main Street Approach works, and Main Street Iowa has been a national model because we are creative, we embrace change, we demand local initiative and action, while holding strong to our roots as an historic preservation program.”
“Healthy, historic commercial districts are a key deciding factor for industrial and business recruitment,” said Reynolds. “Since 1986, local Main Street programs have made a significant impact on Iowa’s economy with 4,514 new businesses and a net gain of 13,402 jobs. More than 740 building projects have been reported with an investment in those rehabs of over $2 billion. Last year alone, the Main Street Iowa network surpassed 156,135 total documented hours of human capital invested into Iowa’s downtown revitalization efforts. This demonstrates a tremendous commitment to Iowa’s Main Streets.”
During the event, 10 communities were recognized for reaching significant benchmarks based on private dollar investments made in the purchase and revitalization of properties within their respective commercial districts. Centerville and Lansing were recognized for reaching the $1 million benchmark in the last year and Ft. Madison was honored for $2 million in local investment. Ames and Guthrie Center were recognized for achieving the $5 million level. Des Moines 6th Avenue, Chariton, Corning, State Center and Ottumwa all attained $10 million in local investment since being designated as local Main Street programs. Four communities were recognized for significant anniversaries. Osceola was recognized for 20 years of participation as a designated Main Street community. Cedar Falls, Spencer and West Des Moines were recognized for 30 year anniversaries.
Two special awards were presented as well. James Walsh received the Spirit of Main Street Award, an honor that recognizes the person, organization, community or project which best demonstrates the true meaning and spirit of “Main Street at Work.” The community of Oskaloosa was honored with a Signature Project Award for their inspiring and innovative place-making efforts in beautification, promotion and partnership.
In 1985, the Iowa Legislature adopted the National Main Street Center’s Four Point Approach® to district revitalization by establishing Main Street Iowa within the agency that is now the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Since its inception, the state program and its communities have been considered examples of excellence in the national effort to revitalize historic commercial districts across the country.
For more information about Main Street Iowa and how all Iowa communities can access commercial revitalization assistance through the Iowa Downtown Resource Center, visit iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/MainStreetIowa, e-mail [email protected] or call 515.725.3051.
A list of the awards presented during the ceremony follows. Photographs will be posted at
iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/MainStreetIowa after April 17.
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WINNING AWARD RECIPIENTS
Local Main Street Program Award Category Winning Award Recipient
6th Avenue Corridor – Des Moines Best Exterior Rehabilitation Franklin Apartments
Community Main Street – Cedar Falls Best Interior Rehabilitation Historic Post Office
Main Street Manning – Manning Best Interior Rehabiliation The Market Place
Downtown Partners, Inc. – Burlington Best New / Infill Construction Project Hopefully Yours
Downtown Partners, Inc. – Burlington Best Total Building Rehabilitation Burlington Bent River Brewing Co.
Hamilton Hometowns – Hamilton County Excellent Event or Promotion Hamilton Hometowns Hoopla
Chamber – Main Street – Sac City Excellent Event or Promotion Moonlight Madness
Jefferson Matters: Main Street – Jefferson Greatest Game Changer Empty Building Tour
Downtown Partners, Inc. – Burlington Outstanding Beautification Project Burlington Lightscape Project
Main Street Cultural District – Ames Outstanding Business Café Diem
Jefferson Matters: Main Street – Jefferson Outstanding Business Home State Bank
Main Street Mount Pleasant – Mount Pleasant Outstanding Fundraiser Pints in the Park
Main Street Corning – Corning Outstanding Partner Southwest Valley Schools
Main Street Programs – Cedar Rapids, Outstanding Partner Linn County Main Street Programs
Central City, Marion and Mount Vernon Regional Partnership
Main Street Manning – Manning Superior Marketing Efforts Manning It’s Refreshing Campaign
NEW MILLION DOLLAR BENCHMARKS REACHED IN 2016
Private dollars invested in commercial district rehabiltation and property acquistion in the designated Main Street districts since the programs’ inception.
$10 Million – Chariton, Corning, and Des Moines (6th Avenue Corridor), Ottumwa and State Center
$5 Million – Ames and Guthrie Center
$2 Million – Fort Madison
$1 Million – Centerville and Lansing
SIGNATURE PROJECT
Special award honoring an outstanding nomination that rises above the traditional award categories in regards to impact and significance.
Community of Oskaloosa
SPIRIT OF MAIN STREET
Special award presented to a community or individual(s) that truly demonstrates the spirit of “Main Street at Work” in Iowa through innovation, support and commitment to economic development within the context of historic preservation.
James Walsh, JSA Development LLC, Waterloo
LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS
Special award that recognizes inspirational leadership and volunteers who make significant contributions to the local Main Street programs’ downtown revitalization mission.
Community Local Main Street Program Leadership Award Recipient
Ames Main Street Cultural District Stan & Tammy Hyer
Avoca Avoca Main Street Brent Hansen
Belle Plaine Belle Plaine Community Development Corporation Dave Kramer
Bloomfield Bloomfield Main Street Sabrina Lindley
Burlington Downtown Partners, Inc. Gretchen Walls
Cedar Falls Community Main Street Ty Kimble
Cedar Rapids Czech Village – New Bohemia Phillip Platz
Centerville Main Street Centerville Ryan Stober
Chariton Chariton Area Chamber / Main Street Jena Wiley
Charles City Community Revitalization Christopher Anthony
Colfax Colfax Main Street Joe Dvorak
Conrad Conrad Chamber – Main Street Betty Haker
Corning Main Street Corning Nancy Turner
Davenport Hilltop Campus Village Kelly Wallace
Des Moines 6th Avenue Corridor Bill Gray
Dubuque Dubuque Main Street Gary Carner
Dunlap Dunlap Comm Development Corporation Sue Nemitz
Elkader Main Street Elkader Keith & Kathy Garms
Fort Madison Fort Madison Main Street Conrad Hellman
Greenfield Greenfield Chamber / Main Street Carol Woosley
Grundy Center Main Street Grundy Center Kristy Sawyer
Hamilton County Hamilton Hometowns Bruce Johnson
Hampton Greater Franklin County Area Chamber of Commerce Charlane Janssen
Iowa Falls Iowa Falls Chamber / Main Street Casey McNeal
Jefferson Jefferson Matters: Main Street Nick Sorensen
Keokuk Main Street Keokuk, Inc. Dan Long & Mike Klauser
Lansing Main Street Matters Jana Schoh
Le Mars Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Jenny Kayser
Manning Main Street Manning Jean Voege
Marion Uptown Marion David Martin
Marshalltown Marshalltown Central Business District Vic & Gayle Hellberg
Mason City Main Street Mason City Lindsey James
Mount Pleasant Main Street Mount Pleasant Ashley Lohmann
Mount Vernon Mount Vernon / Lisbon Community Development Sonia Redmond
New Hampton New Horizons Chamber Dustin Lewis
Newton Newton Main Street Danielle Rogers
Osceola Osceola Chamber – Main Street Victoria Manu
Oskaloosa Main Street Oskaloosa Sherry Vavra
Ottumwa Main Street Ottumwa Tricia Smith
Sac City Chamber – Main Street Scott Bundt
Spencer Spencer Main Street Lisa Petersen
State Center State Center Development Association Buffi Honeck
Story City Story City Greater Chamber Connection Shannon Hayden
Washington Main Street Washington Karen Kuhlman
Waterloo Main Street Waterloo Nick Hedrick
Waverly Waverly Chamber of Commerce Ryan Frerichs
West Branch West Branch Community Development Group Mike Quinlan
West Des Moines Historic Valley Junction Foundation Ila & Paula Plasencia
West Union Main Street West Union Jane Blumhagen
Woodbine Woodbine Main Street, Inc. Kathy Waite
MAIN STREET HERO RECOGNITIONS (posthumous award)
Special award that recognizes inspirational leadership and volunteers who have made significant contibutions to the local Main Street programs’ downtown revitalization mission.
Community Local Main Street Program Hero Recognition
Jefferson Jefferson Matters: Main Street Kathy Hankel
Story City Story City Greater Chamber Connection Rich Olive
West Branch West Branch Community Development Group Mary Jensen
Woodbine Woodbine Main Street, Inc. Reid Clark
