Contacts:
Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor,
608-261-2156
Program Will Assist Community as it Revitalizes its Historic Downtown
STEVENS POINT – Governor Jim Doyle today announced that
Stevens Point has been selected for the Main Street Program, which provides
technical assistance to local downtown revitalization efforts. The Governor
made the announcement at a ceremony at the Stevens Point Farmers’ Market.
“My Grow Wisconsin plan calls for fostering downtown
development,” Governor Doyle said. “I applaud Stevens Point for its efforts
to revitalize its downtown. The community has demonstrated strong
grass-roots and city government support for joining the Main Street
Program.”
Governor Doyle noted that since the program’s inception in
1988, the state’s Main Street communities have attracted 2,403 new
businesses, 11,924 new jobs, and $519 million in new investment to their
downtowns.
Stevens Point (pop. 24,551) includes the Mathias Mitchell
Public Square-Main Street Historic District, which encompasses the entire
central Main Street shopping district. More than 80 percent of the downtown
buildings were built before 1920. The community’s Main Street initiative has
strong support from the City of Stevens Point and important ties with
UW-Stevens Point. Goals include attracting people to shop, work, and live in
the downtown area; creating a pedestrian-friendly environment; and
facilitating partnerships among business owners, organizations, neighbors,
and governments for the benefit of the downtown.
The Wisconsin Main Street Program in the Department of
Commerce provides technical assistance to local downtown redevelopment
initiatives using a four-point approach: design, organization, economic
restructuring, and promotion.
Main Street communities include: Algoma, Beloit, Black River
Falls, Blanchardville, Chippewa Falls, Columbus, Crandon, Darlington, De
Pere, Eagle River, Gillet, Green Bay, Lincoln Village (Milwaukee),
Marshfield, Mishicot, Osceola, Pewaukee, Platteville, Portage, Rice Lake,
Richland Center, Ripon, Sharon, Sheboygan Falls, Sturgeon Bay, Tigerton, Two
Rivers, Viroqua, Watertown, Waupaca, Wausau, West Allis, and West Bend.
For more information on the state’s Main Street Program,
contact Jim Engle at the Department of Commerce at 608-267-0766.
