Main Street group kicks off quarterly seminar
Kelsey Howard, director of Main Street Siloam Springs, shared the organization’s future goals and past accomplishments with a group of business owners and non-profit leaders during the first Invigorate Seminar of the year.
The seminar, which had a theme of “What Main Street can do for you,” was held Thursday morning at the Siloam Springs Public Library. The seminars are held quarterly to support business owners and encourage collaboration.
During the event, Howard gave an overview of Main Street Siloam Springs functions and the scope of its services. She also shared the downtown calender for the upcoming year, which includes a total of 22 events.
Main Street Siloam Springs is part of the larger Main Street Arkansas and national Main Street America organizations. It has three employees, including Howard, farmers market coordinator Stacy Hester, and events and marketing coordinator Calli Turner, and an 11-member board.
Howard explained that Main Street Siloam Springs technically
includes the boundaries of the historic downtown district, although the organization cares about the entire surrounding community.
“There’s something about the uniqueness of Siloam Springs that comes through in the architecture, people and atmosphere of downtown,” Howard said.
Main Street works closely with the Chamber of Commerce, and sometimes refers businesses outside of the downtown district to the Chamber of Commerce, she said.
The organization’s goals include enhancing the physical elements of downtown buildings and historic architecture, promoting the downtown area and working to foster a buy local mentality.
Last year, Main Street saw $7.46 million reinvested into downtown Siloam Springs, including money invested in facade restoration, building rehabilitation and properties sold, Howard said. During the year, five businesses and nonprofits were opened, and eight more are on the way, she said.
In addition, more than 1,500 volunteer hours were donated to Main Street Siloam Springs in 2016, and the organization’s social media video advocating for the Master Plan received 20,000 hits. The organization also facilitated the painting of three new murals in the downtown area by artist Jason Jones and received a $3,800 grant for two little libraries.
The farmers market increased the diversification of produce and fruit offered, and more than $9,000 worth of produce was distributed to SNAP recipients and seniors, she said.
Numerous public improvements were also accomplished in the downtown area in 2016, including the completion of the new Siloam Springs Library, the Mt. Olive Street diet and landscaping and the Broadway Street tree beautification and sidewalk rehabilitation. A grant was also awarded to fund the design of the site surrounding the new library, which will extend past the future amphitheater toward Broadway Street.
“From this list of highlights, you can see that the impact of Main Street Siloam Springs continues to dramatically increase in our community year after year,” Howard said. “We operate on a tight and accountable budget that is 100 percent funded by donations, and the staff and Board of Directors work very hard to use every dollar strategically and transparently.”
The organization continues to work on the Master Plan it developed with the city of Siloam Springs.
Main Street offers many benefits to local businesses, including no cost exterior and interior design consultations through Main Street Arkansas, grant-funding opportunities, invitations to be a part of promotional events and help with preserving local architecture, Howard said. The organization also offers a connection to downtown news.
“By being a part of Main Street, you are supporting a machine driving the economic character of our downtown,” Howard said.
The next Invigorate Seminar is planned for May 11.
The impact of Main Street Siloam Springs continues to dramatically increase in our community year after year. We operate on a tight and accountable budget that is 100 percent funded by donations, and the staff and Board of Directors work very hard to use every dollar strategically and transparently. Kelsey Howard Executive Director of Main Street Siloam Springs