From Old Town to Downtown

What is Main Street?

McAlester Main Street works to preserve and revitalize Old Town and Downtown McAlester. Our program is a public-private partnership with the City of McAlester, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We operate with a board of directors, a full-time director, and committees of volunteers. The Main Street Approach, as explained below, has succeeded in communities throughout the nation.

The Four Point Approach

Organization – Organization gathers the resources to revitalize our historic districts. The Organization Committee is responsible for coordinating fundraising activities and for building relationships with members and volunteers.
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Promotion – ​Promotion draws people to use our historic districts. The Promotion Committee is responsible for branding and promoting the districts through marketing and events.

Design – Design preserves sense of place in our historic districts. The Design Committee is responsible for stimulating the preservation of historic architecture and improving the streetscape in the districts.

Economic Restructuring – Economic Restructuring strengthens the economic base of our historic districts. The Economic Restructuring Committee is responsible for assisting existing businesses toward increased profits and increasing the reuse of vacant space.

Main Street’s 8 Guiding Principles

  • Comprehensive

    No single focus – streetscape, events or business recruitment – can sustain revitalization.

  • Incremental

    Revitalization begins with simple activities and works toward more ambitious projects.

  • Self-help

    Local leaders must mobilize local resources and talent.

  • Partnerships

    Both public and private sectors have a vital interest and a role to play.

  • Existing assets

    Districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique.

  • Quality

    Focusing on quality projects over quantity maintains a positive image.

  • Change

    Public perceptions and practices can shift to support and sustain the revitalization process.

  • Implementation

    Completing frequent, visible projects displays results.