Main Street

Main Street Staff Bob Zeigler and Stacy Edwards

The city of Livingston has been selected by the Texas Historical Commission
to receive the official designation of the Texas Main Street City, 2005.

Highlights:

• Debbie Cooper served the remainder of Wanda Bobinger’s term on the Main Street Advisory Board; Debbie Clack resigned as Main Street Manager, succeeded by Bob Zeigler.
   

• Marilyn Sutton, Jay Dickson, Debbie Cooper and Pat Cook were appointed to the Livingston Main Street Advisory Board for terms ending in December 2009.
   

• To avoid trash being deposited on the streets over the weekend, collection of trash in the downtown area was changed from Monday to Tuesday.
   

• New plants and planters were placed throughout the Main Street District and are being maintained by the Polk County Garden Club.
   

• An amendment to the existing sign ordinance specifically pertaining to the Main Street District was passed to maintain historic themes in the Main Street District in the coming years.
   

• Main Street worked with the Polk County Facility Committee to help develop plans for the new Judicial Center to be built in the Main Street District.
   

• In 2007, Main Street paid out more than $8,300 in sign, facade restoration and paint grants. This money was raised by donations and various fundraisers held during the year.
   

• The Red, White and Blue Parade and Kid FunFest were once again held on July 4th in Anniversary Park.
   

• The First Annual Main Street Downtown Garage Sale was held in November under the First State Bank covered lot. Over 30 spaces were rented, with much merchandise sold.
   

• The Livingston Hometown Christmas event was moved to Jackson Street near City Hall and featured live entertainment throughout the day, a free petting zoo, pony rides, carriage rides, car show, quilt show, car raffle, train village and over 50 vendors selling arts, crafts, gifts and food.
   

• The Livingston Drug Building (Out to Lunch Café) was a finalist for the Best Restoration category in the Texas Downtown Association’s annual competition. The Ward Jones Building received honorable mention in the Best Rehabilitation category.

  The Following is a list of services our community will receive as a Texas Main Street City:

• Program Manager Training
  Specialists in the areas of organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring will provide training and technical assistance to our Main Street managers.
  
  THC shall provide at least five training opportunities.  As an Official Main Street City, we will send our Main Street manager to at least two of these training sessions each year:
  
  Basic Training and Continuing Education/Development (January and February);
  Texas Historical Commission Annual Conference in the spring;
  Main Street Summer Workshop; and
  Texas Downtown Association / Main Street Annual Conference in the fall.
  Another training opportunity is the National Main Streets Conference in the spring.
   

• Resource Team Visit
  A team of consultants in such fields as architecture, urban design, economic development, marketing, and tourism will be determined and assembled to our community's needs.  The three-day evaluation provides the community with short term and long term recommendations for the revitalization of downtown.  A resource team workbook will be provided to the community.
   

• On-Site Visits
  The city of Livingston will receive on-site visits in the areas of design, board training, strategic planning, merchandising and economic development.  These visits are requested and coordinated by the Main Street manager.
   

• Main Street Program Network
  The Monthly Update, the Main Street communiqué will be sent each month to all Texas Main Street cities.  In addition, the Main Street manager is subscribed to the Main Street list serve, and email network available only to official Main Street cities.
   

• Reporting
  As an official Main Street City, the Main Street manager of the city of Livingston will submit monthly reports by the 10th of the following month.  Quarterly reinvestment figures will be submitted for the months of January, April, July and October.  A Ten Criteria survey submitted to the Texas Main Street Center will also be required by August 12, 2005.  Letters of Agreement will not be renewed without receipt of the Ten Criteria survey.
   

• Design Assistance
  The Texas Main Street building design staff will be available to assist property owners and businesses in rehabilitating storefronts and buildings, selecting signs and conducting adequate maintenance.  The building design staff can help the city with suggestions of streetscape, public improvement design, design review and design guidelines.

The Texas Main Street program is a partnership effort combining the time and expertise, both public and private, available at the local and state levels.  The State's role and commitment is to bring training and guidance to the local program in the form of services as specified above.

Main Street Advisory Board Members

1. Marilyn Sutton, City Manager, City of Livingston
    

2. Debbie Cooper, downtown property owner. Antique store and gift shop owner. Debbie has invested significant funds to restore and rehabilitate two downtown properties.
    

3. Jay Dickson, Executive Director, Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce: committed to coordination between the Chamber and Main Street on Main Street projects, Jay looks forward to the downtown area becoming a focal point for tourists.
    

4. Richard C. (Dick) Grant, Interested citizen.  Dick's background is in engineering, which will be a plus for the program.  He is a semi-retired; therefore he will have the time available.  He is a member of the Lions Club and serves on the Lakeside Village Board on special projects.
    

5. Mary Sack Dodd, downtown property owner:  a Livingston native and a proud owner of a downtown building, Mary will bring her enthusiasm, sales, marketing and fundraising experience to benefit the Main Street program.
    

6. Jim Wright, Attorney.  Jim will be essential in the formation of the Main Street Advisory Board with his expertise in the legal field.
    

7. Molly Anderson, President, Polk County Heritage Society.  Molly, as a lifelong resident of Livingston, has always been interested in keeping our history alive.  Her knowledge of the planning, research, grant writing and process necessary for restoration will be invaluable to this board.
    

8. Tony Taylor, Vice-President, First State Bank.  Tony is a commercial loan officer and with 20 plus years experience in banking, he is interested in keeping downtown commercial viable, while maintaining its Hometown atmosphere.
    

9. Dee Dee West, Officer, First National Bank.  Recommended by John Slocomb to represent FNB, Chamber ambassador, LISD mentor, Habitat for Humanity resource committee member.  Dee Dee is active in community affairs and is excited to be a part of this team.

SUGGESTED GOALS FOR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

First Year

• Form a Main Street Advisory Committee.

• Organize the downtown revitalization network.

• Organize (or reorganize) a downtown association.

• Promote the downtown revitalization program and downtown area.

• Complete a comprehensive downtown survey.

• Initiate building improvements.

• Study the downtown parking and traffic situation.

• Contract for a market analysis and shopper survey.

Second Year

• Strengthen organization throughout the downtown.

• Continue promoting downtown.

• Increase building improvements.

• Organize a retail recruitment team and develop a recruitment plan.

• Initiate solutions to downtown parking and traffic problems.

Third Year

• Begin the process of transferring sponsorship of the program from the public sector to the private sector.

• Keep downtown organization strong.

• Continue promoting downtown.

• Continue building improvements.

• Explore the possibility of public improvement projects such as sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping.

• Increase retail recruitment activities.

• Initiate a tourist development program

Main Street is a step-by-step process that brings about gradual improvement throughout the downtown.  Just as downtown did not decline overnight, it is unrealistic to expect downtown to be revitalized all at once.  City after city has proven that the step-by-step process works.