Farmington wins Great American Main Street Award

FARMINGTON — Farmington has been a finalist in the Great American Main Street competition for a couple years, but this year is the first it’s been awarded the coveted title that recognizes excellence in preservation-based, commercial district revitalization and innovation.

The honors were presented at the Main Street Now Conference April 13-15 in Tulsa, Okla.

The program recognizes communities exemplifying the use of the “Main Street Approach” to revitalize commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has been focused on economic development efforts that preserve historic downtowns in communities across the U.S.

The group’s network spans more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities, both urban and rural. Main Street Farmington was selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a national jury of leaders in the economic development and historic preservation spheres.

Farmington was recognized for transforming a parking lot into Riley Park, which attracts more than 3 million visitors a year and is a notable green space. The area has sparked reinvestment into the district, marked by preservation and restoration of landmarks including the 1921 Farmington State Savings Bank, the 1939 Farmington Civic Theater, and the 1876 revitalization of Masonic Hall that ignited Masons Corner, a downtown hub. The building renovations were coupled with streetscape enhancements, and the city’s 2017 Public Art Blueprint has brought art that is seen throughout the community.

“Main Street Farmington demonstrates how bold placemaking and preservation can reshape a community’s trajectory,” said Erin Barnes, president and CEO of Main Street America, in a statement. “By reclaiming parking lots as gathering spaces, restoring landmark buildings and fostering an inclusive culture of entrepreneurship, Farmington has created a downtown where history fuels innovation.”

For Farmington, the work has been more than 20 years in the making, the city pivoting from commercial areas loaded with national retail chains to ones featuring a collaborative mix of independent retailers and entrepreneurs, according to Jess Westendorf, the executive director of Main Street Farmington Downtown Development Authority.

Main Street Farmington has created a conduit that turns temporary concepts into permanent businesses through popups, incubators, façade grants and state-supported programs. Inclusion is one focus area, which includes both “universally accessible” public spaces and marketing campaigns that celebrate diversity. These efforts have garnered more than 77,000 volunteer hours, showing widespread community support.

“We’re incredibly honored to receive the Great American Main Street Award and to have more than two decades of Main Street work recognized on a national stage,” Westendorf said. “By investing in thoughtful public spaces, supporting small businesses, and celebrating our historic character, we’ve shown how place-based development can create a vibrant and resilient downtown. It’s exciting to celebrate how far we’ve come and the momentum that will carry Downtown Farmington into its next chapter.”

Farmington Mayor Joseph LaRussa attended the conference and said he was elated to receive the award on the city’s behalf.

“I felt an immense sense of pride and gratitude because to reach this moment, it has been the result of a sustained effort and commitment by so many people, and lots of tough decision-making to revamp our downtown and turn it into the success it has become,” LaRussa said. “It’s not hard to go for something one time, but to reapply and have new things to talk about, I think that demonstrates how committed we were to make our downtown a Great American Main Street.”