The Mississippi Main Street Blog

2008 Annual Awards a Big Success!

The 2008 Annual Awards Luncheon was held Friday, May 16 at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson. A crowd of 140 people from all over Mississippi gathered to celebrate and honor the achievements of the individuals and  businesses that have contributed to Main Street programs and their communities.

After a delicious seafood lunch, attendees were delighted to see our surprise guest...Former Executive Director Beverly Meng! Beverly presented the first Charles O. Beasley Awards in honor of "Charlie" who was a longtime supporter of MS Main Street. Charlie's wife, Paula, and children Allison, Carla and Charlie were recognized at the ceremony and are pictured with Director Bob Wilson and 2008 and 2009 Charles O. Beasley Award Winners, Reba Beebe of Picayune and Brian Goff of Hernando.

"Charlie was a dear friend and fiercely loyal to Main Street," Meng said.

Keynote Speaker, Gray Swoope, stressed the importance of Main Street as a cornerstone of the economic development strategy in Mississippi.

"Mississippi is blessed with great communities," Swoope said. "We want to continue to have places people want to live."

Gray said a good motto to live by is "Change lives, change minds" as Mississippi strives to improve outside perceptions about our state by making our communities places people want to live.

Check out more pictures from the 2008 Awards Luncheon, including all Award winners, on the left tab bar.

Check out New Town Albums!

"March Madness" has been the catch phrase denoting Mississippi Main Street's three town designations this month. Check out the newly published photo albums from each designation. Mississippi Main Street is proud to welcome Carthage, Holly Springs and Laurel into the Main Street family.

New Manager Training

MS Main Street recently held New Manager Training at the University Club in Jackson. MS Main Street staff - Bob Wilson, Sam Agnew, Jan Miller and Stacy Pair (shown standing) - made presentations and led managers through the New Manager's Manual.

If you were not there, you missed out! Be sure you catch our quarterly training and workshops. Here's a sampling of great words heard:

"A Downtown is a reflection of how the community sees itself." New Manager's Manual
"If you work the program, it will work for you."  Bob Wilson quoting board member Billy Wiseman
"When picking a diverse board, look under the table (at their shoes)." Stacy Pair quoting Beverly Meng
"A sense of place is what makes your downtown special." Stacy Pair
"People do not give money to causes; they give money to people." Jan Miller on fundraising
"Main Street cannot be all things to all people." Sam Agnew on need for manager delegation
"Successful organizations can explain their purpose and what they are trying to accomplish." Sam Agnew

Beverly Meng Tour Pics

National Trust President Richard Moe to receive award

Dear Friends of the National Trust,

 

It brings considerable pleasure to report that National Trust President Richard Moe will be the recipient of the ninth Vincent J. Scully Prize from the National Building Museum in Washington on Thursday, December 13^th. This is wonderful recognition for Dick’s extraordinary work in the field of historic preservation and is also an opportunity for the architecture and design community to hear of the role preservation plays in the revitalization and livability of America’s cities and towns.

 

The Vincent J. Scully Prize and endowment was established by the National Building Museum in 1999 to recognize exemplary practice, scholarship, or criticism in architecture, historic preservation, and urban design.  The award recognizes Dick’s leadership in moving historic preservation into the mainstream of American life and expanding the public’s understanding of the importance of protecting and celebrating our heritage.  National Trust Trustees Carolyn Brody and Paul Goldberger, along with National Trust Chairman Emeritus William Hart, will provide opening remarks. After the prize ceremony, Dick will give a presentation on how preservation is making a difference in the economic vitality and livability of communities by supporting smart growth and sustainability.

 

I hope that Trust staff, trustees, advisors and other friends who will be in the Washington area on December 13^th will attend the ceremony and lecture.  The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the National Building Museum, and tickets are available through the museum.

 

The Vincent J. Scully Prize was instituted in honor of Vincent J. Scully, the Sterling Professor Emeritus of the history of art at Yale University and a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Miami. For more than four decades his teaching and scholarship have profoundly influenced prominent architects and urban planners. Past recipients of the Scully prize include Vincent J. Scully, Jane Jacobs, Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, His Highness The Aga Khan, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Phyllis Lambert, and Witold Rybczynski.

 

An article from this morning’s Washington Post announcing the award can be found at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102901730.html

I know you will join me in congratulating Dick on this extraordinary recognition.  If you have questions about the event, feel free to contact Tabitha Almquist (202-588-6116; Tabitha_Almquist@nthp.org) or David Brown (202-588-6227; David_Brown@nthp.org).

 

Sincerely,

 

Cliff Hudson

Certification Institute Qualifications & Deadline Extension

Over the past few weeks we have received a few questions on the professional experience needed to qualify for the Certification Institute. We have determined that the 3 years experience required should be inclusive of all relevant community revitalization work, with a minimum of  2 years  in commercial district revitalization.

 

While the official deadline has passed for submission, we are offering a brief extension on the deadline to accommodate those who may have not submitted due this 3 year rule. So if you have managers in this situation, please pass along the new deadline of Tuesday, November 6.

 

Since coordinating programs are the largest source of certification applicants and in order to not cause great confusion, we are only promoting this through the coordinators. However, all future applications will have the new professional experience requirement.

 

Admission Criteria

Interested professionals must meet the criteria outlined below (Part I) and complete and pass the admissions exam at the end of this document (Part II).

1. Professional experience—The Certification in Professional Main Street™ Management Institute is designed to certify a professional’s ability to manage the revitalization of commercial districts using the Main Street Four Point Approach™. We require that applicants have direct field experience managing a commercial district revitalization effort.

Applicants must have a minimum of two-years experience either:

a. managing a commercial district revitalization organization or an initiative. The organization could be a Main Street program or another entity that is using a community-driven, comprehensive approach to revitalizing a commercial district; OR

b. managing other economic or community development organizations or initiatives. The National Trust Main Street Center will consider these applicants on a case-by-case basis.

The two-years of experience does not have to be consecutive or with one organization or initiative. However, professional experiences with multiple employers, when considered in total, must be on a managerial level and be comprehensive (i.e., involves work around all four points of the Main Street Approach).

2. Prior training in the Main Street Approach™ - The Certification Institute trainers assume that applicants have a basic, if not intermediate, understanding of the Main Street Approach. Participants who do not have command of the basics will find it difficult to participate in the training and pass the unit exams required for graduation. Prior to admission to the Certification Institute, applicants must have:

a. Successfully completed the Main Street Basic Training offered by the National Trust Main Street Center or by a

b. Completed similar training offered by a Main Street coordinating program.

Main Street Managers Rock the Boat

Sam Agnew, Polly Rosenblatt, Sharon Smith and Kay Miller prepare to cruise the Mississippi Sound.

Main Street Managers from all over the state converged on Biloxi Mississippi for the Mississippi Main Street Association’s fall Manager’s Training.  Following a day of engaging training sessions, the managers met for a networking reception at the Biloxi Schooner Complex.  In keeping with the spirit of historic preservation, the group braved the cool evening air to take a ride on one of the historic Biloxi Schooners- the “Glenn L. Swetman”.  These sailing vessels once were plentiful along the coast in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.  However, the introduction of marine engines has made them all but extinct.

The Schooners operate year round and are in great demand for business retreats, receptions and social events of all kinds.  There are also walk on tours available to the general public.  For information about the Schooners contact the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi MS at 228-435-6320.

Save the Date: August Manager's Training

It's gonna be that great! You don't want to miss the Manager's Training coming up on August 16-17, 2007 inn Jackson. The event will be held at the Cabot Lodge - Millsaps on State Street in Jackson, Miss.

It's a jam-packed two-day schedule starting at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday and ending at noon on Friday. Experts who will be on site the entire time not just teaching but networking with you individually. The line-up includes John Baltuch on developing municipal wireless systems, Tripp and Ben Muldrow of ArnettMuldrow in South Carolina. Also, Marianna Hayes and Andy Chapman will be on hand from HALO Business Advisors to answer questions. Marianna will participate in a marketing/branding session with Ben and Tripp on Thursday afternoon as well.

Watch for the full schedule on our web site and via our MMSA email newsletter.

BenWalt Hotel in Philadelphia

Jan Miller, Central District Director, Sam Kaye, AIA, Director of Design Services and Principal in Luke, Peterson & Kaye Architects and I recently met with Developers Ratibu Jacocks and Amina Carter about the BenWalt Hotel in Philadelphia, Miss. We also met with Mississippi Department of Archives representatives Brenda Crook and Jennifer Baughn and Mayor Rayburn Waddell and David Vowell, Director, Community Development Foundation.

Jacocks and Carter are from California, but they have family ties to Neshoba County. They are pursuing plans to purchase and renovate the historic hotel. Final details have not been released; however, the historic hotel will house a museum, cultural center, retail and residential units. Officials with Archives & History believe that once some inappropriate additions have been removed, the project will be able to pursue federal and state rehab tax credits. The final sale is in the works and several foundations are being set up to finance the sale and renovation and provide on-going management for the facility.

Mississippi Main Street representatives have met with the developers on many occasions over the past year as negotiations on the project moved forward. Along with Main Street, MDA, and MDAH, representatives from Congressman Chip Pickering’s office have been involved in the discussions.

Great Things are Happening in Biloxi

On Thursday, July 13, I toured Biloxi following the Public Meeting to announce the MMSA effort in the Katrina affected counties of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Along with Stacy Pair and Kay Miller, Manager of Biloxi Main Street, we attended the opening reception of the Dukate Room at Bancorp South in downtown Biloxi. Bancorp South, also damaged by Katrina is open, and has renovated the Dukate Room. The Dukate family of Biloxi financed the renovation of the Dukate Room to provide meeting space for bank and community events. Mississippi Main Street will hold a Quarterly Managers Training at the Dukate Room in October – details to follow on our web site. (Pictured Star Ransonet, Bancorp South, Bob Wilson and Kay Miller)
 

Kay Miller and I also toured the progress at the Bond Grant Home, the future home of Biloxi Main Street. Here, we are shown with a group of volunteers from Chicago, Ill. that are assisting Biloxi in their reconstruction and recovery efforts. These kids have never experienced the humidity of the Gulf Coast while working tirelessly in an un-air conditioned space. Their dedication to helping the victims of Katrina is impressive and inspiring.

Here is another photo of the Bond Grant Home in Progress.

For updates on this project, visit http://www.mainstreetbiloxi.com/Features/Bond-Grant_House.asp