Rockland Main Street, Inc.,has been designated as an accredited Main Street Americ program for meeting performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the NMSC and its Coordinating Program partners announce Main Street America programs that demonstrate commitment to preservation-based economic and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.

The local organization’s board president, Sierra Dietz, said that continued national accreditation validates the efforts of Rockland Main Street, Inc., which was incorporated in 2009.

“With a board of directors and four standing committees comprised entirely of volunteers, Rockland Main Street, Inc., has been keeping our downtown a vibrant and important destination through organization and design considerations, economic vitality efforts, and promotions”, said Dietz, in a news release.

The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by the Maine Downtown Center, a division of the Maine Development Foundation, which works in partnership with the NMSC to identify the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and promote historic preservation.

RMSI executive director, Gordon Page, said  the city is enjoying a sudden wave of positive notoriety that has been decades in the making.

“What to some has seemed like an overnight sensation is actually the result of many years of independent successes by enlightened residents, entrepreneurs, organizations, artists, musicians, boaters, foodies, investors, small and large businesses, municipal leaders, and other ‘Rocklandphiles’, that have been linked over time to create a wonderfully inspiring story,” said Page.  

“Once again, we are thrilled to recognize this year’s nationally accredited Main Street America communities for their outstanding work,” said Patrice Frey, President and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “We are experiencing an exciting era for America’s cities and towns, with a growing recognition of the importance of strong local enterprise, distinctive character, engaged residents, and sense of place. These are things that Main Street America programs have been working to protect and advance for years, strengthening the economic, social, and cultural fabric of communities across the country.”

Rockland is one of only 10 Main Street communities in the state of Maine. The others are Augusta, Bath, Belfast, Biddeford, Brunswick, Gardiner, Saco, Skowhegan and Waterville.

Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,000 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $65.6 billion in new public and private investment, generated 556,960 net new jobs and 126,476 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 260,000 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.