Historic Downtown Program
2010 comprehensive Work Plan
Estblished in 1996, the Historic Downtown Program is a member of the National Trust Main Street Program and the Indiana Main Street Program whose common goals involve the empowerment of people, organizations, and communities to achieve ongoing downtown district revitalization. Downtown improvements are accomplished through a comprehensive and cooperative four-point approach: organization, promotions, economic restructuring and design.
The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Historic Downtown Program.
Promotions Committee: Promotion takes many forms, but the goal is to create a positive imagine in order to increase community pride. Promotion seeks to improve retail sales events and festivals and to create a positive public image of downtown in order to attract investors, developers, and new businesses. Promotion creates community pride through the following: Summer Serenades, Rising Sun Biggest Loser, Geocaching Contest, Road Rallie tours that can be downloaded, marketing weddings in Rising Sun, and Home for the Holidays.
Economic Restructuring Committee: Economic Restructuring strengthens downtown’s existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base. This is accomplished by retaining and expanding existing businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix, converting unused or underutilized space into productive property, sharpening the competitiveness and merchandising skills of downtown business people, and attracting new businesses that the market can support.
Design Committee: Design takes advantage of the visual opportunities inherent in a downtown by directing attention to all of its physical elements: public and private buildings, storefronts, signs, public spaces, landscaping, merchandising, displays, and promotional materials. Its aim is to stress the importance of design quality in all of these areas, to educate people about design quality, and to expedite improvements downtown.
Design works in tandem with Redevelopment to create aesthetic guidelines for the Historic District. This is aided by the sign grant, the Rebuild America grant, RECAP grant, plus paint and awning grants.
Organization Committee: Organization establishes consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups that have a stake in the downtown. This will allow the Main Street revitalization program to provide effective, ongoing management and advocacy of downtown.
Organization also involves program infrastructure, Development of by-laws, mission/vision statements, and selection and recruitment of Officers and committee volunteers.
The Historic Downtown Program has a full-time director, Amy Hoffman. Amy serves as a liaison to the Board of Directors and the four subcommittees, working jointly with members and other parties to further enhance the goals and objectives of each in accordance with the overall mission and vision of the Program. Amy also serves as primary media contact and contact person to city, state, county and national officials. She administers educational programs in order to improve awareness and appreciation of the downtown historical and social importance.
In January 2003, the City of Rising Sun created a full-time assistant position to assist with the daily operations of the Business Development Center. Assistant Karrah Miller serves as the liasion between the Rising Sun Chamber of Commerce, Rising Sun/Ohio County First, Inc., the City of Rising Sun, and the Historic Downtown Program.