Main Street
The place to learn about the Main Street Program, find Business Aids & Information, and Commercial Properties available for your business in Snow Hill!
Now available, the Downtown Snow Hill Inc. 2022 Annual Report.
Downtown Snow Hill Inc
Downtown Snow Hill Inc is a not-for-profit, community-based organization working on downtown Snow Hill revitalization. The Downtown Snow Hill Inc group is made up of downtown business owners, property owners, government and local organization representatives, residents, and other interested parties. Downtown Snow Hill Inc has choosen to follow the Main Street America model for revitalization efforts. The Downtown Snow Hill Inc organization is designated as a 501(c3) organization by the IRS, making it eligible for many grant opportunities as well as tax exempt contributions.
Downtown Snow Hill is set up to follow the Main Street America approach, organized into four teams:
The State of Maryland requires that Main Street groups focus on a single, contiguous, downtown historic commercial district. The designated Main Street area is the B-1 downtown commercial district (red line). They also require a paid Main Street facilitator.
Main Street also recommends taking small steps and focusing on a small area to start revitalization (retail area, yellow line).
Main Street District Map (yellow line) with initial area of focus marked (red line)
Downtown Snow Hill Inc. – Mission, Vision, Goals, & Strategies
MISSION
The Downtown Snow Hill Inc. mission is to revitalize downtown Snow Hill by following the Main Street Maryland approach – filling vacant buildings, removing blight, and creating a downtown community center where citizens can live, work, and play.
VISION
Our vision is to see hundreds of people walking in downtown Snow Hill every day.
GOALS
Fill empty spaces.
Be open for business.
Be relevant to our residents, workers and visitors.
STRATEGIES
Make downtown events more attractive to participants.
Move towards downtown activities rather than adding more events.
Jointly promote Snow Hill with other organizations.
Develop vacant spaces downtown.
Make downtown Snow Hill more attractive, comfortable, and welcoming to residents, workers and visitors.
Work with downtown business owners to encourage longer hours, attractive facades and display windows, and engaging events, activities and sales.
Focus on a core shopping area initially (Washington, Green, & Pearl Streets) then, as successful, expand to the whole B-1 Commercial District.
Leverage the arts, the river, and our heritage as a community to build downtown.
PLAN
The 2022-2023 Downtown Snow Hill Plan is a living document that is updated electronically as progress is made. It sometimes refers to more detailed plans done by individual teams, such as the Downtown Snow Hill Streetscape Plan, done by the Design Team.
What is Main Street?
Main Street is a national approach for revitalizing downtown historic commercial districts. It is sanctioned and supported by the State of Maryland.
Main Street America is the national organization that supports communities working on downtown revitalization. They are the leading voice for preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country. Main Street America was formed in 1980 and went through a major renewal effort in 2015. More information, as well as videos about Main Street America, can be found at http://mainstreet.org. Main Street America methods are viewed nationally as an approach that works. The Main Street Approach is a time-tested framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization.
Main Street Maryland is the coordinating program for Main Street initiatives in the State of Maryland. It is managed by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The State Main Street Coordinator is Christine McPherson, 2 N. Charles Street, Suite 450, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The Main Street Maryland web site is http://mainstreetmaryland.org. There you will find information on all Main Street Designated communities in Maryland.
Snow Hill is a Main Street Allifiate[1]. That is a community that is approved by the State to work on Main Street Designation but has not yet achieved that status. Main Street Maryland oversees and awards grants to Main Street efforts such as Snow Hill’s.
What are the Benefits of Main Street?