The Lake Champlain Lake George Regional Planning Board (LCLGRPB) developed the North Country Main Street Reinvestment Program to work with communities to create and implement economic development initiatives centered around the region’s main streets and hamlets. The program provides support and guidance to local communities to identify and support Main Street development and enhancement projects that build upon individual community assets and characteristics while incorporating placemaking and community building techniques into their existing Main Street corridors and hamlet areas.
Main Streets, community hubs and downtowns matter for economic sustainability, community pride, and regional development.
In 2023, the LCLGRPB worked with three Essex County communities to develop their own Main Street Revitalization plans. The Towns of Crown Point, Essex, and Westport and their Main Streets are all located on the shores of Lake Champlain, and represent a unique opportunity to utilize existing community characteristics including historic architecture, walkability, waterfront location, and historic and agricultural heritage to create opportunities for growth and economic development.
The LCLGRPB is working with the Town of Moriah to prepare a Main Street Revitalization Plan for the Port Henry area.
Take our Moriah Main Street Survey to help inform the Plan!
The Lake Champlain Lake George Regional Planning Board Main Street Toolkit provides support and guidance to local communities to identify and support Main Street development and enhancement projects that build upon individual community assets and characteristics while incorporating placemaking and complete street techniques into their existing Main Street corridors.
Traditional Main Streets and downtowns are found in communities throughout the LCLG Region, and they serve as the economic engines of our region. Strategic investments in these areas provide new opportunities for community development like attracting and retaining small businesses, providing achievable housing, and improving economic opportunities for residents.
This Toolkit can be used by communities to identify, organize, and begin implementing strategies to reinvigorate their Main Streets. The Toolkit provides visualizations of best management practices for Main Streets Design, a checklist that can be used to inventory existing conditions within your own Main Street corridor and resources for implementation and funding.
Recommendations in this Toolkit are organized around five foundational elements, however, there may be some elements that are unique to your street and your community that must be considered when developing a community vision.
Support for this work is from Generous Acts at Adirondack Foundation - a force for good that pools gifts from generous donors who love the Adirondacks and care about our communities. Adirondack Foundation enhances the lives of the people in the Adirondacks through philanthropy. To learn more, visit adirondackfoundation.org/Gen
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