Main Street Iowa hosted the annual Main Street Iowa Development Awards celebration on Friday evening, April 19 in Des Moines. The program honors local leaders’ efforts to revitalize Iowa’s downtowns and Main Street districts.
The City of Lansing and Main Street Lansing received the Comprehensive Placemaking Effort Award at that April 19 celebration for its Bridges to Renewal – Lansing Iowa Vision Plan.
Bridges to Renewal is a vision plan for the community of Lansing focused on four main areas, including Recreational & Community Activity Enhancements; Community Development; Arts & Culture, Historic Preservation & Beautification; and Economic & Housing Development. Developed through wide-ranging engagement with community members, the vision plan has a focus of Lansing being “a growing, thriving and welcoming community with high quality services, amenities, recreation opportunities, small town charm, education, community organizations and businesses that honor our history and commit to growth and progress for future generations.”
The complete Bridges to Renewal – Lansing Iowa Vision Plan can be found online at https://www.lansingiowa.com/documents/.
The Main Street Iowa program is one of the best in the nation, recognized for its award-winning work in areas like building rehab, business support, facade upgrades, housing, placemaking, and events.
“Seeing the impactful efforts of local Main Street program staff, volunteers, and communities is inspiring,” said Coordinator Wagler. “With significant growth in businesses, jobs, and investments across communities of all sizes, these districts serve as inspiring examples of what’s achievable for Iowa’s downtowns.”
Main Street Iowa was established in 1985 and operates as a part of the IEDA’s Downtown Resource Center. Since its inception, the Main Street Iowa program has had a significant impact on Iowa’s economy, including more than $2.7 billion in private investments, more than 3.8 million volunteer hours, more than 5,500 new businesses created and more than 16,600 jobs.
