Ten Semifinalists Selected for Great American Main Street Awards

WASHINGTON, DC (January 12, 2005) — Ten 2005 Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA) semifinalist s have been selected from a nationwide pool of 31 applicants, and will now move to the final round. A national jury comprised of professionals from the fields of historic preservation, economic development , and community revitalization will further evaluate the semifinalists and select five winners.

The Great American Main Street Awards recognize exceptional accomplishments in revitalizing America’s historic and older M ain S treet commercial districts . The awards will be presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation at the opening session of the National Main Streets Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on May 9, 2005 (http://conference.mainstreet.org).

“The communities that have made it to the semifinal stage for the Great American Main Street Award have all worked very hard, over a long period of time, to bring about profound, positive transformation. They are true inspirations to communities throughout the country,” said Doug Loescher, executive director of the National Trust’s Community Revitalization department. “True revitalization happens incrementally and is sustained over a long period of time, with small improvements leading to bigger ones.”

The 2005 Great American Main Street Awards semifinalists are:

Each winning community will receive an award package worth $4,000, which includes a $2,500 cash prize to further its revitalization efforts, a bronze plaque commemorating its award, road signs, and a certificate.

Established in 1980, the National Trust National Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts. Active in over 1,700 downtowns and urban neighborhoods, the Main Street program has generated more than $18.3 billion in new investment.  Participating communities have created 244,543 net new jobs, 60,577 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 96,283 buildings, leveraging an average of $ 35.17 in new investment for every dollar spent on main street district revitalization effort.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust was founded in 1949 and provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize communities.  Its Washington, DC headquarters staff, six six regional offices and 25 historic sites work with the Trust’s 200,000 members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states.  For more information, visit the Trust’s web site at www.nationaltrust.org.