New Iberia Named Semifinalists for National Main Street Award
New Iberia has been named a semifinalist for the 2005 Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA) sponsored by the National Main Street Center, Washington, D.C..
Selected from a nationwide pool of 31 applicants, New Iberia now moves to the final round. A national jury comprised of professionals from the fields of historic preservation, economic development, and community revitalization will further evaluate the semifinalists and select five winners.
The GAMSA Awards recognize exceptional accomplishments in revitalizing American’s historic and older main street commercial districts. The awards will be presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation at the opening session of the National Main Street Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on May 9 - May 11, 2005.
The 2005 Great American Main Street Awards semifinalists are:
Barracks Row, District of Columbia
Charles City, Iowa
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Dubuque, Iowa
Emporia, Kansas
Frederick, Maryland
Lynchburg, Virginia
New Iberia, Louisiana
Roslindale in Boston, Massachusetts
Washington Gateway in Boston, Massachusetts
Each winning community will receive an award package worth $4,000, which includes a $2,500 cash prize to further its revitalization efforts, a plaque commemorating its awards, road signs, and a certificate.
Louisiana Main Street is a comprehensive revitalization program designed to promote the historic and economic redevelopment of traditional commercial areas in rural Louisiana. The Main Street program improves all aspects downtown, producing both tangible and intangible benefits. Improving economic management, strengthening public participation, and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to Main Street's future as recruiting new businesses and rehabilitating buildings. There are currently twenty-five (25) Louisiana Main Street communities.
For more information on the Louisiana Main Street Program please visit www.crt.state.la.us/crt/ocd/hp/MainStreet/mainstreet.html. For more information on the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the 2005 Great American Main Street Awards, visit www.nationaltrust.org. For more information on the New Iberia Main Street program, contact Jane Braud, C.M.S.M. at (337)369-2330, by fax at (337) 373-3108 or by e-mail at jbraud@cityofnewiberia.com.
