The Main Street Four-Point Approach^® is a community-driven, comprehensive strategy that encourages economic development through historic preservation in ways that are appropriate for today’s marketplace. The four points include:

Design
Enhancing the downtown’s physical environment by capitalizing on its best assets including historic buildings, and creating an inviting atmosphere through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, streetscapes and landscaping. The Main Street Program also focuses on instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the physical appearance of the district by rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems and integrating long-term planning.

Economic Restructuring
Strengthening a community’s existing economic base while also expanding and diversifying it. By helping existing businesses expand and recruiting new businesses to respond to today’s market, the Main Street program helps convert unused spaces into productive properties and sharpens the competitiveness of business enterprises.

Promotion
Marketing a downtown’s unique characteristics to residents, visitors, investors and business owners. The Main Street program develops a positive, promotional strategy through advertising, retail activities, special events and marketing campaigns to encourage commercial activity and investment in the area.

Organization
Involving all of the community's stakeholders, getting everyone working toward a common goal and driving the volunteer-based Main Street Program. The fundamental organizational structure consists of a governing board and four standing committees. Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a paid program director or Main Street manager. This structure not only divides the workload and clearly delineates responsibilities, it builds consensus and cooperation among the various stakeholders.