Downtown Design Guide (2024)

deCoding Downtown

This guide from Main Street Alabama identifies the ways that municipal regulations can be used to support downtown transformation efforts with an emphasis on zoning and building codes.

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Older, Smaller, Better

This study, from the Preservation Green Lab at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, demonstrates the unique and valuable role that older, smaller buildings play in the development of sustainable cities.

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Anatomy of aMain Street Building

This slideshow provides an introductory overview of the history of Main Street buildings, common architectural features, signage, and preservation guidelines. Published by Indiana Main Street.

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Preserving African American Historic Places

Creating a welcoming and inclusive downtown means you need to understand the rich cultural histories of your historic assets. This guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation explores strategies to preserve sites of African American history

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The Greenest Building

This groundbreaking study concludes that building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demolition and new construction.

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Fire Safety in Historic Buildings

As you work with property owners to develop historic structures for retail, housing, and other uses, it is important to understand the necessary fire safety upgrades you need to make. Handbook published by National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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A Layperson’s Guide to Historic Preservation Law

This guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides an overview of the laws you need to understand to support the historic buildings in your downtown district.

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Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

Main Street communities can use these guidelines to increase the flood resiliency of their historic downtown assets. Published by National Park Service.

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Main Street Facades

It is important for Main Streets to understanding the architectural features of their historic assets. This hand-out provides an introductory overview of different façade elements like windows, transoms, columns, and awnings. Published by Nebraska Main Street Network.

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Tax Credits 101

National Trust for Historic Preservation experts share how non-profits can use tax credits to protect historic buildings and community assets.

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The Main Street Approach Design Handbook

A handbook on how urban design principles can be used to improve economic development, placemaking, safety, and community.

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A look at the connection between the wellbeing of residents and the vitality of communities and explore the wide range of design elements and tools available that will lead to more active, accessible and connected Main Streets. Published in State of Main.

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Storytelling and Main Street

Explore the ways that the Sweet Auburn district in Atlanta, Georgia has used storytelling and history to preserve their culture and advance their downtown revitalization efforts. Published in Main Street Now Journal.

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Movies onMain

When the film industry made the switch from film to digital media, many small-town theaters struggled able to afford the switch. New Mexico MainStreet stepped in to work with local programs to save small-town theaters throughout the state. Published in Main Street Now Journal. Written by Elma Baco.

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From Vision to Reality

Learn about Sweet Auburn in Atlanta, which was just starting its journey back to prosperity, and H Street Main Street in DC, which has become a national success story. Published in Main Street Now Journal. Written by Teresa Lynch.

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On the ​“Flip” Side of Historic Preservation

Learn how a Main Street turned a historic preservation problem into an real estate opportunity and learned how to acquire, rehab, and save historic buildings while bringing in critical income. Published in main Street Now Journal.

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Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

Guidelines to assist Main Streets as they include sustainability upgrades in their building rehabilitation projects.

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Doing Away with Demolition-by-Neglect

Find out what can be done to ensure that our historic buildings withstand the test of time. Published in Main Street Now Journal.

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Beyond Farmers’ Markets

Local food system trends and a case study of Detroit’s historic Eastern Market and its efforts to change the city’s food system as well as revitalize adjacent neighborhoods.

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From Nightmare to FairyTale

Learn how the rehabilitation of a 100+ year old house in Jacksonville, Illinois, became the catalyst for the positive transformation of an entire district.

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Green Streets inIowa

Learn about Iowa’s exciting sustainability initiative and the ways two small towns are becoming more green. Published in Main Street Now Journal.

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Visualizing Your Community with Google Earth and Google SketchUp

Learn about Google Earth and Google SketchUp and see how these tools are facilitating community vision and historic preservation.

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Integrating Historic Property and Cultural Resource Considerations into Hazard Mitigation Planning

Hazard mitigation planning is an important process to protect your historic assets. This guide will take you through the processes of organizing your resources, assessing risks, developing your plan, and implementing your plan.

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Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

A copy of the NPS guidelines for historic building rehabilitation for use in downtown historic preservation.

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