A team of experts in downtown revitalization will visit Texas’ Oldest Town July 12-13 to help the City of Nacogdoches and its 13 year old Main Street Program with continuing efforts to enhance the community’s real and unique history and its special historic places. Through the visit, guidance will be provided for enhancing local downtown revitalization efforts and historic preservation activities. “It has been 13 years since our initial assessment was done when we entered into the Main Street Program, this invaluable opportunity will showcase what we have done, and where we need to go from here,” said Main Street Manager Sarah O’Brien.
The visit, which will include several opportunities for public input, is a result of a Preserve America assessment grant provided to the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Texas Main Street Program (TMSP) by the National Park Service. “This opportunity provided to us by this grant, is priceless,” said O’Brien, “These experts will be able to guide is in the right direction at no cost to the City.” Preserve America is a federal initiative that supports community efforts to preserve cultural and natural heritage. Nacogdoches is receiving one of these assessments because it holds designations as both an official Texas Main Street program and a Preserve America community.
Nacogdoches has been an official Texas Main Street community since 1998 and was one of the first cities in the country to receive Preserve America designation in 2003, the year of the debut of the national initiative.
The team of national and state consultants will begin the visit at 2 p.m. on July 12 with a public meeting of Main Street stakeholders. This includes Main Street board and committee members, downtown property and business owners and city officials. Team members will provide a snapshot presentation of their findings at a community meeting on July 13 at 1 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public and will take place in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 202 E. Pilar Street. A comprehensive workbook of findings based upon the assessment visit will be provided to the community at a later date. “Anyone who has contributed to the Main Street Program or is interested in the downtown revitalization process is encouraged to attend these meetings,” said Main Street Manager Sarah O’Brien.
