In 1986, Burlington became one of the first Main Street communities in Iowa. The Main Street program, created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, encourages economic growth and development within the context of historic preservation in ways appropriate to today's culture and marketplace.
Downtown Partners is a non-profit Main Street organization that is a division of the Greater Burlington Partnership.
As a Main Street organization, Downtown Partners undergoes an annual accreditation review by Main Street Iowa, the statewide coordinating organization under the Iowa Economic Development Authority. In turn, Main Street Iowa provides professional training, consulting, and design services to the Downtown community. The Main Street model uses what is known as the Four Point Approach to Downtown revitalization – organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.
Organization
The strategy is to identify common goals and get the entire community to work together to achieve these goals. The Downtown Partners Board of Directors supervise the operations the organization.
Promotion
Fostering a positive image of the Downtown Burlington inspires new ideas and bolsters its significance to the community. The Marketing & Promotions committee supports revitalization by presenting special events spearheading image campaigns.
Design
It’s necessary to enhance the physical attribute of the Downtown area – historic locations, streetscape elements, signage, painting, and public art. The Downtown Partners Design committee focuses on improving the appearance of the city center.
Economic Restructuring
The Business Development committee of Downtown Partners works to stimulate economic development through municipal, commercial, residential, and recreational investment to strengthen the value of Downtown Burlington.
If you have any questions about the Main Street approach or want to get involved, contact Downtown Partners at 319-752-6365.
