In 1983, South Carolina established its Main Street program to help revitalize South Carolina's historic downtowns. As a program of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, Main Street SC offers comprehensive technical assistance, expert training, and a supportive network to transform our state's historic commercial districts into vibrant economic and cultural hubs.
In the 40 years since 1983, Main Street SC has helped over 70 communities. Today, we proudly serve 33 local Main Street programs, guiding strategic planning and downtown revitalization management. By building local capacity, we help communities leverage their unique assets, driving sustainable economic growth and preserving the state's invaluable historic fabric.
Read more about this work statewide in the 40th Anniversary Impact Report.
Main Street South Carolina empowers residents with the knowledge, skills, tools and organizational structure necessary to revitalize their downtowns, neighborhood commercial districts and cities/towns into vibrant centers of commerce and community.
What is Main Street South Carolina?
Main Street South Carolina is a technical assistance program that empowers communities as they revitalize their historic downtowns, encouraging economic development and historic preservation.
Since 1983, Main Street South Carolina has helped communities build up the business and image of their downtown commercial districts by using the successful Main Street Four-Point Approach®. This comprehensive, incremental approach to revitalization focuses on a community's unique heritage and existing assets as well as coordinating efforts. Local resources and local initiative drive revitalization efforts while the state program helps the communities develop their own strategies for stimulating long-term downtown economic growth. The time-tested approach reminds stakeholders that a healthy downtown is a key part of sustainable economic development.
Why Main Street?
- It creates jobs – A revitalized district attracts new industry and strengthens service and retail job markets.
- It saves tax dollars – Revitalization stabilizes and improves a downtown's tax base while also protecting existing investments.
- It preserves a community's historic resources – In an economically healthy downtown, property owners maintain their historic buildings and preserve an important part of their community's heritage and identity.
- It builds community pride – Main Street provides a public space for community members to come together, create new partnerships and celebrate their downtown.
Become a Main Street South Carolina member
- Municipal statement of support
Main Street South Carolina is a service of the Municipal Association of South Carolina and is accredited by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.