One of our own, Main Street Wooster was recently featured in Ohio Magazine, as one of Ohio's best hometowns.
Founded in 1985, Main Street Wooster has led the way in Ohio's revitalization movement and is the longest running Main Street community in the state.
Today, Main Street Wooster continues to bring attention to the revitalization movement and the importance of Ohio's traditional downtown centers.
Under the leadership of Executive Director, Sandra Hull, the community had witnessed approximately $50
million of public and private reinvestment, the interior and exterior
rehabilitation of 87 buildings, a net gain of 57 new businesses, and the
retention and expansion of 36 businesses with less than 6% vacancy in its
downtown street storefronts.
Download Article Here
EXCERPT
November 2006 Issue
Author: Christine Coolick
No matter what the challenge, citizens support each other.
Wooster, the community will begin to sound less like a town and more like a co-op. Talk of citizens coming together to help one another, rallying in the face of adversity and embracing life together is commonplace.
"Wooster is a community that will identify an issue, decide a plan of action, implement the plan, then continue to refine that plan and celebrate its success," says Sandra Hull, executive director of Main Street Wooster, Inc. She should know. Her organization, with much support from the community, turned a floundering downtown into the heart of the community. Through the organization's efforts, the vacancy of the downtown storefronts went from 42 percent in 1987 to less than five percent today.
The downtown businesses represent just a part of Wooster's commerce. Home to local, regional, national and international businesses, Wooster has grown beyond - but never forgotten - its agricultural roots. Family dairy farms exist within miles of a high-tech titanium-parts production facility.
Even when a business fails, the community of Wooster always manages to support its citizens.>>
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The Heritage Ohio Board of Trustees honored Sen. Kirk Schuring in Columbus on January 24th, recognizing his leadership in passing the new Ohio Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.
Yolita Rausche, a member for the Board of Trustees, from Chagrin Falls, and a member of the Akron- based architectural firm of Chambers Murphy and Burge Restoration Architects, presented the proclamation recognizing the Senator as “a catalyst for effective change in Ohio.”
The new credit will be a 25% refund on eligible certified historic rehabilitations. This legislation offers incentives for the redevelopment of historic under-utilized and abandoned properties in an effort to revitalize communities both large and small.
First Row: David Monder, Sen. Schuring’s legislative aide; Yolita Rausche, Heritage Ohio Board of Trustee; Sen. J. Kirk Schuring, John Moore, Jr., Heritage Ohio Board of Trustee; Joyce Barrett, Heritage Ohio staff
Back Row: Gene Krebs, Executive Director, Greater Ohio; Pauline Eaton, Heritage Ohio staff; Curtis Burris, Heritage Ohio staff; Franco Ruffini, Ohio Historic Preservation Office; Frank Quinn, Heritage Ohio staff
Heritage Ohio is seeking nominations for the 2007 Annual Awards Program.
All Ohio communities are invited to submit nominations for consideration. The spirit of these awards is in recognizing preservation and revitalization achievements across the state. View last year's award winners here.
Nomination Deadline: March 29, 2007
Click here to request a brochure.
Please join history advocates and professionals from across Ohio on Thursday, March 1, 2007 for Statehood Day, an advocacy event to help celebrate the importance of Ohio history. Statehood Day is a fitting occasion to connect Ohio’s history and preservation community to the state’s history and to state legislators. Help make sure your state legislators understand that History Works for Ohio and in your local community by having your voice heard at the Ohio Statehouse!
Statehood Day is a joint effort among the Ohio Historical Society, Heritage Ohio, the Ohio Archaeological Council, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board, Preservation Ohio, the Ohio Genealogical Society and the Society of Ohio Archivists.
Statehood Day activities provide Ohio’s history community with an opportunity to learn from other organizations and to effectively communicate to Ohio legislators that Ohioans care deeply about their history and how our appreciation of history helps shape a brighter future.
Each year, Heritage Ohio hosts what is known as Main Street Institute. This year the training will take place February 5-6 in Columbus.
The training takes place over a two day period and provides intensive coverage of the 4-Point Approach. Main Street Insitute also provides training on advanced subjects for mature programs.
Main Street Institute is a benefit offered to official programs in the Heritage Ohio Main Street Program. Click here for a list of official Main Street Programs.
Speakers
Bill Grunkemeyer
Jerry Driggs
Ted Berry
Jim Currie
Dave Gobey
Melanie Baker
Todd Barman
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Joyce Barrett
Glenn Harper
Jeff Darbee
Rod Garrison
Frank Quinn
Pauline Eaton |
To learn more about the Main Street Program, please contact Pauline Eaton or visit its webpage.
Join Heritage Ohio May 16-17th in downtown Cincinnati for the year's best opportunity to share, network and learn!
As always, Heritage Ohio provides expert speakers to prepare you for the many challenges that come up in your local and regional efforts.
Who should attend?
Preservationists, architects, city and regional planners, community leaders, landmark commissioners, historians, archeologists, state/local officials, educators, students, owners of old properties, Main Street managers, certified local governments, developers, contractors, craftsman, advocates of historic preservation and revitalization, heritage travelers and YOU!
