A strong business sector can promote growth, attract new investments, reduce crime, and enhance the physical structure and value of residential and commercial buildings. As the housing community becomes increasingly aware of the role that commerce can play in combating distress in our inner cities, more and more practitioners are looking for ways to bring life to decaying commercial centers.

First introduced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the 1970s, the Main Street model of urban renewal emphasizes design, organization, promotional activities, and economic restructuring as the key elements of a commercial makeover. This new guide builds on the original model and offers concrete advice about how to improve public safety and secure services from complex, often fragmented city governments.

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied, distributed or publicly displayed.