Main Streets initiative - update

[Steve Fontana]

October 9, 2014

Dear Friends,

 

As you know, Mayor Harp has placed a high priority on economically reinvigorating New Haven’s neighborhoods.  This past winter, she invited consultants from the CT Main Street Center to meet with businesses, community groups, political leaders, and ordinary citizens throughout the city to assess our ability to launch our own “Main Street” commercial revitalization program.  Thanks to your efforts, and those of many people in our community, the consultants gained a thorough perspective on the tremendous strengths of our city and its people.

 

In May, those consultants issued a report confirming that, in their opinion, New Haven has the tools to implement a “Main Street” program, particularly, and at least initially, in districts with substantial commercial and/or residential bases such as Grand, Dixwell, and Whalley Avenues.

 

Since then, we’ve been working on the next steps: recruiting people who want to help implement the “Main Street” approach in their neighborhoods, and training those volunteers, myself included, as to how to do it successfully.

 

Therefore, I’d like to invite you, your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow city residents to consider joining this important initiative, whether you live in one of those three specific neighborhoods or not, for its next stage.  To prepare people for it, we’ve scheduled two events:

 

• On Tuesday, October 14, at 6:30 PM on the 2^nd floor of City Hall in Meeting Room #2, a public information session on how the “Main Street” approach works.  Refreshments will be served.
• From Friday, November 7, at 7 PM, to Sunday, November 9 at 5 PM, in Room G-2 (basement) of 200 Orange Street, a two-day training session with National Main Street Center trainers on how to use the “Main Street” approach to begin revitalizing our neighborhoods.  Refreshments will be served to participants.

 

We welcome your involvement, and look forward to your active, ongoing participation in this project.  Please feel free to circulate this email to anyone whom you think might be interested in learning more about being a part of this exciting initiative.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [e-mail], or to call me at 203-946-5891.

 

Sincerely,

 

Steve Fontana

Deputy Director, Economic Development

[Diane Panasci]

Hello Thomas, I am new to CSNA and just moving to the neighborhood next month.
I will be at the sessions this weekend. Hope to be part of what looks like an incredible opportunity.
Look forward to.seeing you there.

[Thomas Burwell]

Does any1 want to join me for training? Grand Ave. can benefit with multiple trainees.

[Thomas Burwell]

Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-5 are the weekend times