Chapter 6 Exercise:
Rivertown Tomorrow

The following is information that can be used for the Rivertown Tomorrow (Main Street Program) exercise, found on page 96 of the book, Planning and Community Development, (Tyler and Ward, 2011).

The following illustrates examples of activities that could be proposed for each of the four points of the Main Street Program's 4-Point Approach process. Students may have other activities that would also be appropriate.

Point #1: Organization
Establish a downtown-focused group, including representatives of city government, merchants, the Chamber of Commerce and/or promotional agency, lending institutions, and the public.

Point #2: Promotion
Develop a new logo for the downtown to be used by all downtown businesses and organizations as part of their advertising and promotional materials.

Point #3: Economic Restructuring
Establish a tax increment financing (TIF) program for the downtown district. Alternative: Have local banks support a revolving loan fund for downtown businesses.

Point #4: Design
Use a retail design consultant to offer advice to local merchants on better store-window displays.

There are other sites online describing Main Street programs across the country. In-depth information can be found at the National Main Street Center's Home Page. Rivertownsim.com/2014 has a web site on the Main Street Program with additional information.