By Paul Williams
President, Sanford Main Street
First Things First
When I tell people I’m the president of Sanford Main Street Inc., they’re sometimes confused.
“You’re changing the name of 1st Street?” they’ll ask with a puzzled look.
Rest assured, 1st Street is not changing names. Sanford Main Street is an organization, not a street name.
Sanford Main Street is part of Main Street America (MSA), a national program focused on strengthening historic downtown districts through preservation-based economic development. The program has been successfully implemented in communities across America to support small businesses, enhance public spaces, and encourage sustainable economic growth.
Successful Main Street districts follow MSA’s Four-Point Approach:
- Economic Vitality: Supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones to build a strong local economy. Sanford Main Street alerts businesses within the district about training and grant opportunities. We’re also developing an inventory of all properties within downtown to help recruit new businesses.
- Design: Enhancing the physical appearance of downtown through preservation and improvements. The city of Sanford does a good job with the way things look in downtown, and Sanford Main Street works with city officials to address issues as they arise and spearhead enhancements.
- Promotion: Marketing the district through events and campaigns that highlight what downtown Sanford has to offer. Reviving the #sanfording online campaign and creating events like the Sanford Sweet Stroll to get people moving throughout downtown are just a few of the many new promotions Sanford Main Street has planned.
- Organization: Building partnerships, managing resources, and supporting volunteers to sustain long-term efforts. The first three principals will not be as effective if a Main Street organization does not bui;d a strong organization.
A major reason the Main Street approach has been so successful is because these four principals work in conjunction with a community’s unique history, charm and assets. What makes downtown Sanford special is different from what makes other Main Street cities like Deland and Plant City so great. The goal isn’t to be “like Mt. Dora,” as I hear sometimes. The goal is to be the BEST SANFORD using proven best practices.
Sanford Main Street operates within a defined district that includes Sanford Avenue to the east, U.S. Highway 17-92 to the west, the waterfront to the north, and 3rd Street to the south, with an extension along Sanford Avenue up to 6th Street.
Sanford Main Street is led by a volunteer board and supported by Executive Director Dan Ping. As a nonprofit organization, its work is driven by collaboration with local businesses, property owners, and community partners like the city of Sanford and Seminole County.
As President of Sanford Main Street, I’m proud of the work being done and the momentum we’re building. In the months ahead, this column will serve as a way to share updates on projects, initiatives, and ongoing efforts across each of these focus areas.
I’m also proud to be working with Kenneth Bentley and the Historic Goldsboro community, which recently started a Main Street program to help with their transformation. Sanford Main Street and Historic Goldsboro Main Street are working together to help each other thrive.
Our goal is to keep the community informed while continuing to ensure our historic communities become economically strong and true to the character that makes Sanford unique.
For more information Paul Williams at [email protected]
