View a Presentation that Celebrates Downtown Successes in 2009. View Presentation
MISSION
Main Street Oregon City is a locally funded non-profit volunteer organization. As the voice of Downtown Oregon City, we work to facilitate, coordinate and as a catalyst to create an environment that generates a positive downtown image, preserves historic and cultural landmarks and stimulates economic vitality and investment in our downtown.
VISION
Downtown Oregon City is a thriving and vibrant mix of economically viable and unique businesses, activities, restaurants and housing that serves to attract local citizens and visitors and to entice future residents and businesses to relocate into the area. As the heart and soul of our historic community, it connects us with each other, to our rich heritage as the first city of the Oregon Territory and to the larger metropolitan area.
Here’s a short list of Downtown Successes:
- Established $24,000 downtown sign fund to help advertise downtown businesses.
- Advocated for and helped gather $2.5 million in streetscape improvement funding for 2011.
- Created three new events to draw visitors (customers) downtown (First Friday Art Walk, First City Celebration on July 30th, 2011, Downtown Car Show on September 17th 2011).
- 34 new businesses downtown since 2009.
- More than $1.2 million in building improvement each year for the last two years.
- Developed a $50,000 business recruitment campaign – “Blue Collar Creative”.
- Formed an Economic Improvement District to sustain downtown revitalization programs.
What is the Main Street Program?
The Main Street Approach is a comprehensive approach to downtown improvement that requires commitment and collaboration from the community to build a successful program.
Four Point Approach
The success of the Main Street Oregon City is based on its comprehensive nature. By fully integrating four points into a practical downtown management strategy, a local program makes fundamental changes in a community’s economic base:
1) Organization involves building a framework for downtown improvement that is well represented by business and property owners, citizens, public officials, and other local economic development organizations, with a focus on fund-raising and volunteer recruitment. Everyone must work together to renew downtown. A strong organization provides the stability to build long-term success.
2) Promotion creates excitement about downtown Oregon City. Street festivals, retail events, and image development campaigns are some of the ways we encourages people to visit downtown. Promotion involves marketing an enticing image to shoppers, investors, and visitors.
3) Design enhances the attractiveness of downtown Oregon City. Historic building rehabilitation, street and alley clean-up, colorful banners, landscaping, and lighting all improve the physical image of the downtown as a quality place to shop, work, walk, invest in, and live. Design improvements result in a reinvestment of public and private dollars to downtown.
4) Economic Restructuring involves analyzing current market forces to develop long-term solutions. Recruiting new businesses, creatively converting unused space for new uses, and sharpening the competitiveness of downtown’s traditional merchants are examples of economic restructuring activities.
Benefits of a Main Street Program:
o Improved image and community pride
o Increased occupancy rates
o Business retention, recruitment, expansion, and jobs
o Technical assistance, funding opportunities, finance assistance, and training
o New business and job opportunities
o Better relations between local government and private sector
o Promotion and marketing of community
o Increased variety of services
About our Meetings
Stakeholders and other interested parties are welcome to attend Main Street Oregon City Board meetings held the second Monday of every month beginning at noon. Meeting location is 900 Main Street, Suite 104 in the offices of Premier Choice Insurance Agency, LLC.
If you have any questions about the work we’re doing to make downtown a better place for your business, please contact one of the following volunteer board members.
2011 Volunteer Board of Directors
President Terri Powers, Owner – Premiere Choice Insurance
Vice President Robb Crocker – Property Owner and Owner of funnelbox motion picture studios.
Secretary Lynda Orzen Oregon City Resident
Board Members
Daphne Wuest
Sue Stein
Karin Morey
Elizabeth Fowler
Mike Wonser
Doug Neeley
Click here to see a PDF of the Downtown Oregon City Market Analysis and Business Development Strategy: Oregon City Report Final.
(Need a free PDF viewer? Click here.)
