The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today named Albia and Monticello as the newest Main Street Iowa communities. Main Street is a proven strategy for downtown revitalization, a network of communities and a national support program. The elite designation follows a rigorous application process.
Albia and Monticello join only 53 other Main Street Iowa communities across the state. IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham introduced the two communities at the Iowa Downtown Conference in Pella.
“Albia and Monticello are rural communities with strong legacies and leaders who understand the connection between a vibrant downtown and economic growth and quality of life,” Durham said. “When you create good jobs and a place where people want to live, success follows.”
Monticello’s is a comeback story, with the Jones County town of 4,000 rallying after falling short of the Main Street designation in 2019. Leaders strengthened local partnerships and leveraged the Iowa Downtown Resource Center’s downtown assessment visit to refine their revitalization efforts, which include preserving architecture, supporting small businesses and boosting the local economy and quality of life. Supporters include young adults who are returning to Monticello to live, work and help ensure a strong future for their hometown.
“I’m so proud of the community members in all the time they spent to achieve this major accomplishment,” said Dave Goedken, the mayor of Monticello. “Now the real work begins, and I look forward to getting businesses involved and, most importantly, seeing Monticello grow.”
Albia’s story is one of preserving the past while looking to the future. Leaders in the Monroe County seat, population 3,700, spent decades restoring historic buildings on the downtown square to their original beauty and building the area’s manufacturing footprint. Today’s leaders want to maintain that legacy and secure a strong future for their hometown through leadership development, support for small businesses, upper-story housing development, and a strategic focus on downtown revitalization.
“We are excited to partner with Main Street Iowa to help Albia thrive, taking historic renovation, inspiration, and vision to grow our economy,” said Laura Teno, Albia Main Street’s executive director.
Main Street Iowa accepts a limited number of new communities every two years. Applicants must demonstrate local support and investment, a downtown district with the potential for growth, and readiness to implement the time-tested Main Street Approach™ to revitalization and economic development.
“Albia and Monticello understand the spirit of Main Street,” said Michael Wagler, Main Street Iowa program coordinator. “Main Street Iowa is a powerful economic development tool that has stood the test of time since its introduction in 1985. We continue to see significant growth in business, jobs and investment in communities of all sizes because of the program.”
Since its inception, the Main Street Iowa program has generated more than $2.4 billion in private investment, more than 5,000 new businesses and nearly 15,800 jobs.
Main Street Iowa is one of 40 programs in the Main Street America network and is often held up as an example of how to successfully leverage the Main Street Approach™ to revitalize downtowns and inspire economic growth.
For more information about Main Street Iowa and how all Iowa communities can access commercial revitalization assistance, visit iowaeda.com/downtown-resource-center, call Michael Wagler at 515.348.6184 or email michael.wagler@iowaeda.com.
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