Representatives from communities of all sizes attended the 2024 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference to discover solutions for addressing their community’s historic preservation and residential needs. Foundations to Futures presented the ties between historic preservation, upper-story housing, and historic commercial districts as a framework and mindset that generates greater revitalization for communities of all sizes. Attendees learned that Preserving History and Fostering Growth leads to thriving local economies and walkable neighborhoods by encouraging incremental, additive housing development through partnerships and preserving and promoting the culture of their historic commercial district.
Economic Development Credits Were Available!
Missouri Main Street Connection invited Certified Economic Development professionals seeking a unique and new perspective on economic development to Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference. For economic development professionals, this conference provided a time-tested approach to economic development through Historic Preservation, which is used as a catalyst to preserve heritage and boost the local economy. This was achieved by utilizing the Main Street Approach™ framework which unites people, preservation, and economic development. All of the conference sessions and educational tours counted towards their requirements for recertification as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).
The 2024 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference was recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a professional development event that counted toward the recertification of CEcD.
Attendees can access photos from the 2024 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference as part of their complimentary photo pass that came with each registration. Click the link below to view the pictures. If there are other pictures you think our photographer captured and are not included in the photo pass selection please contact Logan Breer at logan@momainstreet.org.
Please use these when reporting to your local Main Street board or promoting your attendance at our conference in your newsletter or social media posts.
Leading up to and following Missouir’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference, Missouri Main Street Connection published a series of blogs that highlighted the various things to do at the conference and a wrap up of the wonderful time attendees had:
- Foundations to Futures: Preserving History and Fostering Growth (March 25, 2024)
- Get to know Kansas City County Club Plaza (May 2, 2024)
- Investing in Your Community’s Future through Attending Conference Backed by Partnerships (June 14, 2024)
- Attending Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference’s Events (July 17, 2024)
You can access conference sessions’ handouts and slide decks in our Dropbox folder by clicking on the button.
Deep Dive: Bringing Down the Barriers on Historic Preservation
Held on Tuesday, July 30, attendees could heard from a panel of historic preservation aficionados. Dr. Steven Hoffman, Coordinator of the Historic Preservation Program at Southeast Missouri State University, and Dana Gould, Principal at SFS Architecture, shared their experience and distilled key concepts for historic preservation into an informative and comprehensive presentation with the help of their fellow panelist Randy Schilling, Thomas Walers, Garret Fischer, and Scott Rhodes. Attendees walked away with the ability to decipher the National Register for Historic Places process, harness the power of tax credits, and more from real projects the speakers had completed.
Deep Dive Sponsored By:
Urban Revitalization: Lessons from St. Louis Main Streets Forum
MMSC invited representatives from urban areas in Missouri to hear from board members and new executive directors of the St. Louis Main Streets programs: Dutchtown Main Streets, Laclede’s Landing Main Street, and Delmar Main Street regarding their journey as a Main Street program. They highlighted their organizations’ success in organizing together, utilizing the Main Street Approach™, studying the market, gathering demographic information, and adopting economic transition strategies. This session was available through invitation.
Main Street 5 & Dime
Attendees experienced shopping on Main Street even at the conference! The Missouri Main Street 5 & Dime offered a selection of locally-made, Missouri-sourced, and Main Street-themed items during breaks, between sessions, or at breakfast.
Main Street Clinic
The Main Street Clinic offered attendees an opportunity to talk with Main Street and historic preservation professionals and answer questions like: Do you need to develop an idea for your downtown or the organization? Do you need advice from Main Street professionals? There were no appointments needed!
3rd Annual Conference Raffle
During the conference, attendees could participate in the conference raffle to win a community nook or lots of other great prizes. Tickets were available for purchase at the Main Street 5 & Dime or from MMSC board members. Julie Turnipseed and Russ Volmert returned as team champions for the men’s and women’s teams leading to friendly competition. Tickets were available for $10 per ticket or 3/$25. Congratulations to Warrensburg Main Street for winning the community nook!
“Welcome Home” Evening Opening Reception – Grand Ballroom Foyer
The kick-off party for Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization was packed with historic preservation. With the unveiling of the “Welcome Home” Gallery and the Historic Architecture Puzzle, there was an exciting energy that filled the Grand Ballroom Foyer. Attendees enjoyed a stunning atmosphere full of ways to engage with each other and historic preservation. At the end of the evening, four winners received Christopher Elbow chocolates – winners were drawn from completed and correctly categorized puzzles.
Following the “Welcome Home” Evening Opening Reception, the “Welcome Home” Gallery was displayed in the Main Street Grill Foyer where attendees could vote for their favorite door and story. Learn more about the “Welcome Home” doors at www.momainstreet.org.
ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party – J. Rieger & Co. Distillery
The ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party was held at J. Rieger. Conference attendees listened to three finalists “pitch” their projects for the Creative Space Activation Grant and helped judges award $10,000 to Main Street Brookfield for its project. Following the Pitch Party, attendees were able to relax in the space, play shuffleboard, and slide down a 40-foot slide.
Pitch Party Sponsored by: Artificial Ice Events, LLC
ShowMe Bash Sponsored by: US Bank Impact Finance
Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony & Dinner
The annual Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Dinner provided an elegant opportunity for attendees to recognize and celebrate each other’s use of the Main Street Approach™ to revitalize traditional downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
Sponsored By Commerce Bank, William T. Kemper Foundation, and Greater St. Louis Inc.
This conference is a private and public partnership with the Department of Economic Development, the State of Missouri, USDA, Missouri Humanities, Missouri Arts Council, and MMSC.
