Downtown Racine Corporation 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 designated programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
In 2023, the Main Street America programs generated $5.68 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,630 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 35,162 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,556 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,664,763 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $18.03 of new investment back into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.
“We are incredibly excited to celebrate this year’s 800 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their remarkable efforts to reenergize their local economies and public spaces,” said Main Street America President and CEO Erin Barnes. “Main Street leaders are visionaries that see things that no one else can see and create the future world we all want to live in. The size and impact of our network demonstrates that great things happen when visions are realized through strategic, grassroots collaboration.”
Downtown Racine Corporation’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and Wisconsin Main Street, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.
These standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America’s top designation tier—communities must demonstrate a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.
In the past year, DRC has achieved significant milestones, including winning Best Retail Event in the state for First Fridays and Best Marketing in the state for the “I Love Racine” campaign, both awarded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Their efforts have led to a remarkable 20% increase in total traffic for all events in 2023 compared to 2022. Additionally, they organized over 80 programmed event dates in 2023, showcasing a dedication to fostering vibrant community engagement and economic growth.
“A dynamic downtown is not only crucial for economic growth but also fosters a deep sense of community pride. By creating engaging events and enhancing our downtown area, we are building a stronger, more connected community where businesses can flourish and residents can take pride in their city,” stated Kelly Kruse, executive director of the Downtown Racine Corporation.
