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Renton Downtown Partnership Receives 2023 Washington Main Street Community Designation

SEATTLE – Following selection committee recommendation, Renton Downtown Partnership will become a designated Washington Main Street Community, effective January 1, 2023. Including Renton, the Washington State Main Street Program’s (WSMSP) network represents 69 towns and cities utilizing the nationally proven Main Street Four-Point Approach™ to revitalize their historic downtown districts across the state.

“We have accomplished a years-long goal of achieving this honored position of designation through the Washington State Main Street Program,” said Christian Switzer, Executive Director of Renton Downtown Partnership. “Now the exciting work of an organized Main Street is ahead as we work to build the downtown core into a thriving district.”

Since 1984, the WSMSP has been helping communities revitalize the economy, appearance, and image of their downtown commercial districts in Washington. The WSMSP is a program of the Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, managed under contract by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. The program network includes two tiers – Affiliate and Main Street Community. The purpose of the Main Street Community level is to provide access to tools, networking opportunities, training and advanced resources to cities that have an independent 501c3 or 501c6 nonprofit organization dedicated solely to downtown revitalization. These organizations must prove they committed the necessary time and training toward community support, financial and human resources, and are implementing the Main Street Approach.
“Renton Downtown Partnership has developed programs that serve businesses and local stakeholders,” said Breanne Durham, Washington Main Street Director with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. “Their hard work paid off in this designation, but more importantly it’s brought people and progress to their historic commercial district.”
WSMSP represents a diversity of small towns and major cities across the state. According to a 2019 study conducted by Jon Stover & Associates, one in four people live within five miles of a Washington Main Street Community. That equates to 1.9 million Washingtonians who are able to benefit from welcoming historic neighborhoods and thriving commercial districts in the places they call home.
Photo of downtown Renton with a sunset and the silhouette of Seattle

Photo by Christain Jones

For more information, please contact Breanne Durham, Washington Main Street Director, at the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation at [email protected] or 206-624-9449.

Local Contact: Christian Switzer, Renton Downtown Partnership Executive Director, at 650-466-8393 or [email protected].