ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Why Revitalize Downtown El Dorado?

Our downtown is the most visible indicator of our community pride, along with its economic and social health. It is an asset in the effort to recruit new residents, new businesses and industries, retirees, tourists, and others to our community and to keep those we already have.

Quality of life is what separates successful cities and towns from declining communities. Our downtown or neighborhood commercial district is the visual representation for our community's heritage. The architecture of our commercial district is a physical expression of our community's history. El Dorado Main Street’s approach to historical preservation encourages forward-thinking economic development in an historic preservation context so this community asset and legacy can be passed on to future generations.

Because preservation-based commercial district revitalization entails the participation of so many people and entities in the community, a wide range of people also benefit. Downtown El Dorado has become a tourist attraction due to the quality of the museums, sculptures, art galleries, and unique shopping located within the area. But, keep in mind, the tourists would not bother to stop and browse through our downtown if it were not for the dedicated merchants, gallery owners, museum directors, volunteers and property owners who have invested their future into their product and the total visual presentation of their buildings through historic preservation.

Downtowns don’t deteriorate overnight. And it won't be totally revitalized quickly either. Using the guidelines from El Dorado Main Street is hard work, but it can substantially improve the health of our commercial district by giving us an effective framework for our revitalization efforts.

Main Street represents a significant portion of the community's tax base.   If the district declines, property values drop, placing more of a tax burden on other parts of town. A healthy Main Street core also protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Some change will be needed. Most traditional commercial districts will never again be able to provide the range of goods and services they offered decades ago. To support the rehabilitation and maintenance of commercial areas in today's market, we must aggressively expand Main Street's business mix and its market area.

We can make this happen. Thousands of concerned citizens and business owners make a difference in revitalizing their downtowns and commercial districts just by stepping up to help, regardless of experience or background. El Dorado Main Street can provide the tools to help merchants and property owners revitalize our downtown district.

Revitalization won't happen overnight. It is a gradual process that begins with small steps, eventually building capacity to tackle larger, more complicated revitalization projects and problems. "Big fix" solutions to commercial district revitalization almost always fail to bring the kind of lasting, positive change that they promise. Even traditional commercial districts, like shopping malls or industrial parks, require full-time, professional management and ongoing attention to details. Independent businesses owners can't do it alone.  A collaborative effort, combining the unique skills and vantage points of public and private sectors, is essential for success.

If you want to join the revitalization of Downtown El Dorado or would like more information, please contact the El Dorado Main Street office,
316.321.3088 or eldo.mainst@sbcglobal.net.