Downtown Ferndale was named winner of the Great American Main Street Award at the National Main Street Conference held last month. Each year the National Trust Main Street Center recognizes exceptional Main Street communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive commercial district revitalization.
In winning the award, the judges noted Downtown Ferndale's remarkable rate of reinvestment of $35 million over the past nine years, and its turnaround vacancy rate, from 30 percent ten years ago to 6 percent today. And, the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority was lauded for its continued commitment to the trademark Main Street approach to economic development.
Ferndale's award is proof once again of the good things going on in communtiies across our state. The League's Community Excellence Awards along with our Center for 21st Century Communities are working together to show that investing in our downtowns and communities is the only way to revitalize our state.
Arnold Weinfeld is director of strategic initiatives for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reched at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.
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