[Source: Casa Grande Valley Newspapers] -- The efforts of the Florence Main Street Program over the past year has earned it recognition for commercial district revitalization by meeting standards for performance set by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. The Florence Main Street Program joins 625 other Main Street revitalization programs nationally recognized as 2006 Accredited National Main Street Programs. "The National Accreditation mean the Main Street program is meeting our national standards of performance for what a Main Street program should be doing," said Doug Loescher, Director of the National Trust's Main Street Center. "The organizations we name each year as National Main Street programs are those that have demonstrated the skills needed to succeed in Main Street revitalization."The annual accreditation process evaluates commercial district revitalization programs based on criteria ranging from having an active board of directors and paid professional manager to tracking economic progress and preserving historic Main Street buildings. "Rebuilding a district's economic health and maintaining that success requires broad-based community involvement, active support from both the public and private sectors, and sound management," said Loescher. "Having a solid organization at the foundation of that revitalization effort is so important to long term success." [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
