Patrick McMahon, Connecticut Main Street, Meets With Bristol Business Owners

On May 31, 2019, FHB brought Patrick McMahon, the CEO of the statewide Connecticut Main Street Center, to Bristol to meet with business owners at the Portside Tavern. The Connecticut Main Street Center (https://ctmainstreet.org) serves as the catalyst that ignites Connecticut’s Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities. There are currently 80 Main Street communities in Connecticut.

Patrick stated that Rhode Island had a statewide Main Street America program 20 years ago and urged FHB and its partner Grow Smart RI to move forward in re-instituting the program as a proven method for revitalizing local economies. He recommended the return of RI’s Historic Tax Credit program and adaptive repurposing of existing downtown buildings as transformational strategies that yield a high return on investment. Currently 40 of the 50 states in the US have Main Street America programs.

Representatives from Discover Newport, Grow Smart RI, East Bay Chamber of Commerce, and Bristol business owners attended the FHB event.

For best practices in economic development and the 2019 Vibrant Main Streets award communities in Connecticut, see https://ctmainstreet.org/2019-vibrant-main-streets-awards-celebration-to-be-held-in-downtown-willimantic