Abbeville among 25 Louisiana Main Street Communities to earn 2021 National accreditation

BATON ROUGE – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Louisiana Main Street are proud to announce the 25 Louisiana communities earning 2021 National Accreditation through the Main Street American program.
Abbeville is among those communities.
“Since its inception in August of 1994 the Abbeville Main Street program has been very successful with the support of the Mayor and City Council,” Abbeville Main Street Manager Charlene Beckett said. “The relationships built over the years and the countless volunteer hours have contributed to the strength of the program. Because of these efforts, Main Street has been awarded numerous grants, such as façade grants, arts grants, tourism grants, and Keep Louisiana Beautiful grants. The program is also responsible for the creation of The Christmas Stroll, If Headstones Could Talk, a Cemetery Tour, the Sam Guarino Blacksmith Shop Museum, and in partnership with the Vermilion chamber The Daylily Festival and Garden Show.
“It’s an honor to be a Louisiana Main Street community and one of many representing the State of Louisiana.”
These communities have met rigorous performance standards over the past year, recognized for their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
“Louisiana’s Main Street communities persevered through one of the toughest economic years they have ever faced. Now that we are on the road to recovery, our Main Street communities will be needed now more than ever. They are the heartbeat of many of our smaller towns and communities. It’s an honor to be able to recognize these 25 Louisiana Main Street communities for remaining vigilant during tough times and showing they are Louisiana Strong,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

Louisiana’s 2021 Nationally Accredited Main Street communities are:

Abbeville Main Street; Vermilion Parish
Columbia Main Street; Caldwell Parish
Crowley Main Street; Acadia Parish
Denham Springs Main Street; Livingston Parish
DeRidder Main Street; Beauregard Parish
Donaldsonville Downtown Development District; Ascension Parish
Franklin Main Street; St. Mary Parish
Hammond Downtown Development District; Tangipahoa Parish
Main Street Homer; Claiborne Parish
Houma Downtown Development Corporation; Terrebonne Parish
Leesville Main Street; Vernon Parish
Minden Main Street; Webster Parish
Morgan City Main Street; St. Mary Parish
Natchitoches Main Street; Natchitoches Parish
New Iberia Main Street; Iberia Parish
New Roads Main Street; Pointe Coupee Parish
Old Algiers Main Street Corporation; Orleans Parish
Opelousas Main Street; St. Landry Parish
Plaquemine Main Street; Iberville Parish
Ruston Main Street; Lincoln Parish
Olde Towne Slidell Main Street; St. Tammany Parish
St. Francisville Main Street; West Feliciana Parish
St. Martinville Main Street; St. Martin Parish
Thibodaux Main Street, Inc.; Lafourche Parish
Winnsboro Main Street; Franklin Parish

“We are proud to recognize this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs that have worked tirelessly to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of Main Street America. “During an incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to drive impressive local recovery efforts, champion small businesses, and foster vibrant downtown districts. I am inspired by their hard work and confident that these accredited communities will continue to help their downtowns flourish in the next stages of recovery.”

Nationally in 2020 alone, Main Street America programs generated $4.14 billion in local reinvestment; opened 4,356 net new businesses; created 14,988 net new jobs; rehabilitated 8,488 historic buildings; and, clocked 983,702 volunteer hours.

Overall, Louisiana’s Main Street communities have seen:

$956 million in Total Investment
$460 million in Private Investment
$496 million in New Construction and Rehabilitation
9,600+ Net New Jobs
2,000+ Net New Businesses
171,000+ Volunteers since 2004

Louisiana Main Street, in partnership with the National Main Street Center, annually evaluates each local organization’s performance to identify those local programs meeting ten national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings.

Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 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 $89.57 billion in new public and private investment, generated 687,321 net new jobs and 154,435 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 303,836 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.