DEP Receives 2018 National Main Street Accreditation

The Downtown Excelsior Partnership has been designated as an accredited Main Street American program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center.  Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street American programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.

“We are thrilled to honor this year’s 829 national accredited Main Street American programs for their commitment to preservation-based economic development and the revitalization of their commercial districts,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center.  “The power of Main Street shines across the country through these vibrant communities, who have all worked to generate impressive economic returns, preserve community character, and celebrate local history.”

In 2017 alone, Main Street American programs generated $4.48 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,211 net new businesses, generated 30, 294 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,737 historic buildings, and clocked 2.7 million volunteer hours.

The Downtown Excelsior Partnership’s performance is annually evaluated by the Missouri Main Street Connection, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet ten national 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.

DEP Executive Director, Lyndsey Baxter, stated, “We are ecstatic to receive this recognition for the second year in a row.  There have been significant volunteer hours dedicated to ensuring this program is successful here in Downtown Excelsior Springs and we would not be able to receive this honor without the commitment and dedication of many individuals that want to see Downtown thrive.  We truly had a record breaking year in 2017 and we already have so many amazing developments underway for 2018!  This recognition is so meaningful to our organization because it truly exemplifies that we are working in the right direction as a team.  We are honored to be amongst one of the seven Missouri communities that receive this National and State distinction of Accreditation.  We thank each and every individual who assists in making this distinction possible.”