Main Street Statesboro has been designated as a 2020 Accredited Main Street America™ program.  Accredited status is Main Street America’s top tier of recognition and signifies a demonstrated commitment to comprehensive commercial district revitalization and proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street Approach™.

“We are proud to recognize this year’s 860 Nationally Accredited Main Street America programs that have dedicated themselves to strengthening their communities,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “These Accredited Main Street programs have proven to be powerful engines for revitalization by sparking impressive economic returns and preserving the character of their communities. During these challenging times, these Main Street programs will be key to bringing economic vitality back to commercial districts and improving quality of life during the recovery process.”

In 2019 alone, $6.45 billion of public and private reinvestment was generated, 6,466 net new businesses were opened, 32,316 net new were jobs created, and 10,412 buildings were rehabilitated in Main Street America communities.

The Downtown Statesboro Development Authority/Main Street Statesboro’s performance is evaluated by the Georgia Main Street Program, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet ten rigorous performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings.

The Statesboro Main Street program 2019 Community Impact Report includes the program’s progress for the year.  In 2019 downtown Statesboro had 144 promotional events with an attendance of 52,500 and volunteers served 1,290 hours. The Downtown had 40 new businesses open. 19 rehabilitation projects were completed in the district that cost $2,869,057. The total amount of private and public reinvestment in the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority was $4,250,970.

Allen Muldrew, Executive Director for the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority stated,  “We are working together as a community and striving to keep people safe. “The time is right, businesses are relocating and investing on the Boro Blue Mile and in downtown Statesboro.”

ABOUT DOWNTOWN STATESBORO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Main Street Statesboro and the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority are committed to the economic development, historic preservation and beautification of Statesboro’s downtown area.  The purpose of Main Street Statesboro and Downtown Statesboro Development Authority is to revitalize downtown economically and socially within the context of historic preservation by increasing financial viability and ensuring the success of Businesses.

ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $85.43 billion in new public and private investment, generated 672,333 net new jobs and 150,079 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 295,348 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.