The Colorado Main Street Program is a program to revitalize traditional downtown districts within the context of historic preservation. The program uses an approach that advocates a return to community self-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of central business districts based on their traditional assets of unique architecture, personal service, local ownership, and a sense of community.

The Colorado Main Street program provides technical assistance and services in the four areas of the Main Street Approach™ economic restructuring, design, organization and promotion) to competitively selected communities that are working in historically relevant business district settings and that meet certain threshold criteria. Main Street's Eight Guiding Principles provide a comprehensive approach to district and downtown revitalization.

Downtown Colorado, Inc. requires all candidats to submit a Letter of Intent to Apply. The DCI selection committee will review all letters of intent and request a full application from those communities who are strong candidates for the program. Click here for more details on submitting letter of intent and the selection process.Applications are accepted and reviewed twice annually in March and October. Applications will be reviewed first by the DCI staff and then by the Main Street Review Committee. DCI staff will contact applicants if information is missing or clarification is needed.

Concerned about continuing threats to Main Street's commercial architecture and aware of the need to stimulate economic activity in small-city downtowns, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (Link to www.nationaltrust.org ) launched a community demonstration project (1977-1980) that resulted in the creation of the Main Street Four Point Approach TM and establishment of the National Main Street Center in Washington, D.C.

Nationally, the Main Street Program has proven to be incredibly successful, making it one of the most powerful economic development tools in the nation. Today, the Main Street approach has been implemented in 44 states and more than 1,600 communities.

Colorado was selected by the National Main Street Center for a state pilot Main Street project in 1980 – 1983. Delta, Durango, Grand Junction, Manitou Springs and Sterling were Colorado's Main Street communities in the initial program. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) administered this three year pilot program. Although the Main Street approach to downtown revitalization proved very successful in Colorado, the state discontinued the program after completing the three-year pilot project. In 2000, DCI restarted the Colorado Main Street program with a grant from the State Historical Fund of The Colorado Historical Society.

Because of the emphasis on historic preservation and the impact the program has had in revitalizing Colorado’s downtowns, the State Historical Fund continues to generously support the Colorado Main Street Program.

Learn more about Colorado Main Street Historic Preservation.
Downtown Colorado, Inc. is proud of the revitalization efforts of all of our Main Street Communities.

2001 Brush, 970-842-2666
2001 Greeley*, 970-356-6775
2002 Arvada, 303-420-6100
2003 Berthoud, 970-532-5199
2005 Lake City, 970-944-DIRT (3478)
2006 Monte Vista, 719-852-2692
2006 Steamboat Springs , 970-879-4555
2008 Granby, 970-887-2858

In 2009, Downtown Colorado, Inc. launched the Colorado Main Street Candidate program to provide a new level of services to communities who want support in preparing to apply for full Colorado Main Street membership. Our candidate communities include:

2009 Lamar, 719-336-4376
2009 Rifle , 970- 625-6265
2010 Lyons, 303-823-5215

If you would like a brief program description, please download the Main Street Program Fact Sheet PDF. Learn more about the Colorado Main Street Program Impacts, Application and Selection Criteria, Main Street Training Institute, and Important Program Dates. The Colorado Main Street Program is funded by the State Historical Fund of the Colorado Historical Society.

*Denotes past Colorado Main Street Community

The Main Street methodology addresses the following four areas and combines activities in these areas to develop a community’s individual strategy for strengthening and redeveloping its central business district. The four points are:

 (1) Organization – Establishing consensus and cooperation by building effective partnerships among all downtown stakeholders. The Main Street approach to central business district revitalization requires the effort of the entire community. The merchants, property owners, local government officials, and civic leaders must agree to support common goals for revitalization and join together in a partnership. Successful Main Street programs are usually structured as nonprofits guided by an active working board. The board will create four standing committees (design, organization, economic restructuring and promotion) that will develop projects and work plans for implementation. Local programs hire a paid program manager to coordinate the efforts of volunteers in implementing the program.

(2) Promotion – Creating and marketing a positive image based on the unique attributes of the downtown. The promotions of the central business district as a single, unified commercial area – in the same way that a major shopping mall is promoted – will help attract customers and strengthen Main Street’s role as a viable business center. The Main Street organization can coordinate an aggressive promotion and marketing campaign that includes a program of special events, retail promotions, image promotion and on-going public relations.

(3) Design – Enhancing the unique visual quality of downtown by addressing all design elements to create an appealing environment. Good design is essential to all aspects of downtown revitalization. The Main Street design philosophy is rooted in historic preservation and seeks to use and enhance those elements of quality design that remain in our communities. Neglect and misguided improvements may have taken a toll on the appearance of downtown, affecting its perceived economic potential. Renovated facades and creative merchandising displays, appropriate landscaping and public improvements are all part of downtown’s long-lasting visual appeal and a well-functioning physical environment.

(4) Economic Restructuring – Strengthening downtown’s existing economic assets and fulfilling its broadest market potential. In the twentieth century the retail environment changed profoundly. To become competitive, downtown must reposition itself. With a thorough understanding of today’s market, downtown can develop strategies to enhance the competitiveness of existing merchants, recruit new businesses, create new anchors and convert unused space into new uses.

Real estate appraisal theory holds that, for a commodity to have value, it must have four elements: scarcity, purchasing power, desire (for the object) and utility. If a commodity has these qualities, it has value. These criteria do not exist in a vacuum, though; they are affected by social, political, economic and physical forces. Value, therefore, is not a fixed state – it fluctuates within the market. If a downtown has lost value through declining sales (desire); market erosion (purchasing power); lack of maintenance, traffic and parking (utility); and the proliferation of other commercial centers (scarcity), it makes sense that, through the following steps, it can create an image of value again.

Organization: Bring together the groups necessary to make changes happen.

Design: Create better access, public improvements and building maintenance.

Promotion: Target the most appropriate markets for promoting the downtown and the goods and services it offers.

Economic Restructuring: Strengthen existing businesses while recruiting new one.

Historic Preservation: Capitalize on the unique historic assets that create a scarce commodity.

The image created through the Main Street program’s comprehensive approach reinforces the sense of scarcity that exists with an historic area; the desire that people have to shop and spend time in a downtown or central area; and utility through increased access to and design of buildings and public improvements. Through a Main Street program, the downtown’s image will again become one of worth and value in the marketplace – the essence of historic preservation and economic revitalization.