Transformation Strategies

Community Transformation Strategies are designed to serve as the backbone for what drives a Main Street Program. They are intended to function as an overarching theme to rally volunteers, inspire investors, and serve to act as a catalyst for growth over a period of three to five years.

Identifying a Community Transformation Strategy that best serves your downtown should be a multifaceted process involving feedback and support from the community at large, the downtown businesses and the Main Street Program’s board members and staff.

Now it’s time to select a Transformation Strategy, and the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership would like the input from community members. The Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership board of directors has voted on three main Transformation Strategies to decide from.

Arts & Entertainment

This Community Transformation Strategy was created to support an arts or entertainment focused environment within the downtown district. This strategy should seek to grow existing creative initiatives and to build upon foundational policies and ordinances to support original and innovative projects and programming.

KEY DESCRIPTORS

Nightlife, galleries, public art, maker spaces, music, culture, history, museums, venues, public spaces, connectivity, educational institutions, film, performing arts, patrons, murals, artists in residence, poetry, and dance.

Beautification Initiatives & Design

This Community Transformation Strategy is for Main Street programs who want to improve the visual appeal of the residential and commercial historic district. This strategy should seek to support and to develop ordinances, policies, projects, and programs to address the visual attributes of the buildings and the downtown’s built environment.

KEY DESCRIPTORS

Clean, organized, safe, welcoming, design standards, codes enforcement, aesthetic enhancements, art, partners, plant palettes, developing an aesthetic, color palettes, design guidelines, façade grants, design incentive programs, property owner relations, murals, preservations, user experience, environment enhancers, atmosphere enhancers, pride in public buildings and storefront window merchandising.

Business Activation & Development

This Community Transformation Strategy is for Main Street districts wishing either to activate currently vacant sectors of the downtown or to support the growth and development of already established businesses. Business Activation& Development are separate approaches to downtown revitalization and should be treated as such. Incentives created for new businesses should be crafted in a unique way to address the needs of the district while incentives for existing businesses should be designed to support the specific needs of those merchants.

KEY DESCRIPTORS

Recruitment and retention, niche markets, small business workshops, growth, expansion, incentives, resources, relationship building, promotions, welcome packets, open for business, community building, networking, and training.