MARCH UPDATE: "Eyes On the Ball!" (But which one?)

This month there has been a lot of discussion, introspection, listening, learning, and figuring out how to best apply Main Street principles in our community in a way that maximizes the work already being done by dedicated groups and individuals.

The more training and brainstorming sessions we have with our state partners, and the more we talk with community members, the more the following truths are burned into our minds: 

There's a lot to know. There's a lot to do. There's a lot already being done.

I write a lot in these blog posts about downtown's promising future, the one our community will shape and make together by learning and applying Main Street principles to our community. But I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment (many moments, in fact!) to publicly appreciate the work that has been done downtown in the last many years, and the work that continues to this day.

We're in the stage of the Main Street process where we've chosen our Transformation Strategies. The next step is looking at who is already working in the arenas that our community has deemed most important. (Remember, you deemed them important through your sharing at the Town Hall and from our Fall 2021 survey... and stay tuned for more opportunities to weigh in!)

We get a lot of questions from community members on the differences between the all of the Downtown organizations. "Why are there so many?" And, "What does each one do?" And, "How is Main Street any different than what already exists or has existed in the past?" These are all valid and important questions, and they're ones we are continually asking ourselves, too. 

The sports analogy of "keeping your eye on the ball," is a common term that summarizes the roadmap for success. "Just keep your eye on the ball and you'll be successful!" Easy, right? But this analogy implies there's only one ball to keep track of in order to be successful. If I were to adapt this analogy for downtown revitalization, I would suggest that we think of downtown as a colorful "ball pit." Each ball needs its own team to plan, manage, and grow it. And it's not any one ball that brings success; it's the collection of balls combined that makes an exciting downtown experience. The success of downtown doesn't rely on one group; Rather, the best success comes from having them all working together at the same time! 

And so, as we ponder all of the things that require attention and care in our downtown, I thought I'd take a moment to talk about each of the important organizations that works hard every day to make our downtown community a vibrant place. 

If you want to learn what each org does, the best answers will come from asking each organization directly about their mission, vision and the work they do; I'm sure they'll be excited to talk to you about all they've accomplished! And while I can't possibly list all of the amazing things being done by each group and individual downtown, I want to illustrate that while we all do have our eyes focused in different but related areas, we're all pointed in the same direction of wanting to see downtown grow and prosper.

Allied Arts Council - This group works hard each year to create quality programming for our community that brings people downtown to appreciate the arts in all its forms. The results from our community survey last fall indicated that one of your most favorite annual events downtown is the Sculpture Walk by Allied Arts! And so, we thank them for bringing this annual, wonderful experience into existence each year, among many others.

The Downtown Association - Hundreds of visitors flock to downtown each summer for the Summer Concert Series, planned, sponsored and largely coordinated by the Downtown Association. These music events bring life to our downtown in the summer and help our citizens to create positive memories downtown. Thanks to the Downtown Association for continuing their valuable work on live music downtown, along with many other community projects.

Community Improvement District (CID) - The CID has a dedicated board of directors that serve as stewards of Downtown tax dollars and decide where those funds should be allocated. From sponsoring events, to public structures, to plants and gardening in public spaces, and even grants to building owners for property improvements, the CID plays a crucial role in funding many of the projects that get completed downtown.

Downtown First - Disbanded in late 2020, Downtown First was the organization that brought you the Murder-Mystery Drink Walks, the Art & Wine Walks, Booze Cruise, and several special events for Halloween and the Winter Holidays. We thank Downtown First for all of the memories they helped us to create-- as individuals and families-- as we explored downtown and learned with each event,  about all downtown has to offer around every corner. 

On top of the aforementioned orgs, the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors' Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, individual downtown businesses, and organizations throughout the city choose downtown to host their events and fundraisers because they've seen the positive impact of creating positive experiences downtown for our citizens and visitors alike. 

Every event that is held and every positive moment that is experienced downtown contributes to the bigger goal of improving the quality of life for our friends and neighbors, and helping us create a better place to live, work and play.

Coming back to the ball analogy...You can see that it takes many of us, each focused on one ball at a time, to create the colorful and mesmerizing "ball pit" that is Downtown St. Joseph. 

So where does Main Street Saint Joseph fit into this picture, you ask? 

Main Street Saint Joseph is tasked with learning the Main Street 4-Point Approach to revitalizing historic districts and applying those proven principles in our community. The "ball" we have our eye on is: 

1. Becoming the best subject matter experts we can be on Main Street methodologies
2. Telling as many people as we can about the data-driven Main Street process and finding ways to implement it together.
3. Pulling people together: building community, getting input and creating engagement with the Main Street process
4. Advocating for setting shared goals and meeting them together. ("Together," includes all of the other downtown orgs... and a large amount of community support!)

Lots more to come! Thanks for staying tuned and for your continued support.

Dana Massin
President, Main Street Saint Joseph