In 2019 the City of Thomasville’s Main Street Program continued its positive impact for economic development, according to the organization’s latest 2019 Community Impact Report. The 2019 report boasts an impressive $5.3 million in public and private investments for Thomasville’s downtown.
“Public investment in infrastructure and streetscape spurs private investment and we’ve seen that with our impact numbers each year,” says April Norton, City of Thomasville Main Street and Business Development Director. “The Creative District Vision Plan, including the West Jackson Streetscape project, is a prime example to this formula of success.”
Over the past year, Downtown Thomasville welcomed a net growth of eight new businesses representing 34 net new jobs to the community. Norton believes that these new business and job statistics fall in line with the overall vision of the Main Street Program and has helped create incremental growth for Thomasville. “Our goal is to spur economic development while preserving history and architectural design. In return, you see activated storefronts, successful small businesses and new jobs created.”
As of December of 2018, $78.98 billion dollars have been reinvested into Main Street communities across the country since the 1980 inception of the Main Street America program. “The impact of the Main Street approach nationally has proven, dollar for dollar, that it is one of the most impactful, cost effective community revitalization models and is, a framework that Thomasville has exemplified,” said Norton. “In 2019, downtown saw eleven building rehabilitation projects and 43 public improvement projects.”
Downtown economic growth has been a contributing factor to the sky rocketing growth of promotional events for the downtown area. After hosting 979 events in 2017, downtown played host to 3,137 events in 2019, bringing more than 162,600 people to the Main Street area. It is this community support that Norton said helps set Thomasville’s main street program apart. “Event figures illustrate not only the support we receive from our community, but also the importance of downtown as an economic engine for our local economy.”
“As a GEMS (Georgia Exceptional Main Street) City, we have a commitment to placemaking and to building a stronger community through preservation-based economic development,” said Norton. “The commitment of our entire community to the main street approach has been crucial to downtown’s impact on our local economy.”
For more information on Thomasville’s Main Street program, please contact the City of Thomasville’s Main Street office at 229-227-7020.
Pictured above: Thomasville Main Street Program 2019 Community Impact Statistical Report