THE DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION RECEIVES 2022 MAIN STREET AMERICA ACCREDITATION
Recognition Marks DFA’s 39th Consecutive Year With Accreditation
FRANKLIN, TN (June 27, 2022) – The Downtown Franklin Association has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
“We are extremely proud to recognize this year’s 863 nationally Accredited Main Street America 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 another incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of their communities. I am inspired by their steadfast leadership and innovative solutions to drive essential local recovery efforts, support small businesses, and nurture vibrant downtown districts.”
In 2021, Main Street America programs generated $5.76 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,601 net new businesses, generated 30,402 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,595 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,427,729 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $19.34 of new investment back into Main Street communities.
The Downtown Franklin Association’s performance is annually evaluated by the Tennessee Main Street America coordinating program, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building meaningful and sustainable revitalization programs and include standards such as, fostering strong public-private partnerships, supporting small and locally owned businesses, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.
“We are thrilled to once again be named an Accredited Main Street America™ program,” shares Heidi Hood, Managing Director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “This accreditation guides all of our programming and our ability to continue adding value at the highest level as we fulfill our mission to ensure downtown Franklin remains one of America’s favorite historic districts.”
2022 marks the DFA’s 39th consecutive year to receive the Main Street America accreditation. In 1983, Main Street America™ dubbed Downtown Franklin “America’s Favorite Main Street”, a moniker that it celebrates to this day. For more information, visit www.DowntownFranklinTN.com.
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ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,200 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 $95.33 billion in new public and private investment, generated 161,036 net new businesses and 717,723 net new jobs, and rehabilitated more than 314,431 buildings. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION
Established in 1984, the Downtown Franklin Association is the merchants’ association division of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN. It was created to aid in historic preservation and community vibrancy and helped spearhead the revitalization of Franklin’s historic downtown core. Using the Four-Pillar approach set forth by the National Main Street Center, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and in partnership with property owners, city and county government, local businesses and merchants in the Franklin, TN historic retail district, the DFA has helped create one of the nation’s Main Street success stories. For more information, visit www.downtownfranklintn.com.
ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic, and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield and the Old, Old Jail. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, Pumpkinfest and Dickens of a Christmas bring hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, the Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and the newest project: The History & Culture Center of Williamson County. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
