Main Street revitalization gains speed
Main Street McMinnville has announced the 2001 Downtown Reinvestment Statistics, which clearly show a revival of fortunes is under way in McMinnville’s historic commercial district.
The statistics are kept on an annual basis and reported to the National Main Street Center as part of the National Main Street Certification process. There was a net gain of 16 new jobs in 2001, which brings the cumulative total for the last two years to 21 jobs gained.
There was a net gain of eight new downtown businesses in 2001, which brings the cumulative total of new businesses to 12 since the program began. These businesses are in the retail and professional sectors and it shows us businesses are making their way back downtown.
The value of all the private investment downtown for 2001 was $705,637, of which $440,387 was invested through the Main Street Low-Interest Loan Program and Interest-Free Loan Program. The total value of all private investment downtown over the last two calendar years was $1.03 million. During that time period the total value of public investment was $349,800. The total of all public and private investments combined during the last two years was $1.38 million.
These figures send a strong message downtown McMinnville is a place where businesses and individuals are willing to invest their money. One of the most encouraging statistics is that our storefront vacancy rate has dropped from 30 percent at the beginning of 2000, to 18 percent at the end of 2001.
This statistic includes all ground-floor storefront spaces in the downtown area and it is apparent that gradually our buildings are being occupied again. This is in part due to the number of building rehabilitation projects that have been undertaken, which makes usable space available for new businesses to move downtown and thus reduces the number of empty buildings.
In the last six months, there has been a lot of business activity. Pengo, Inc., moved their corporate offices from California to downtown McMinnville last fall and they have located in the Union Planters Bank building. Gaither Generations, which operates several residential care facilities, established an office in the Professional Building on W. Court Square.
The Treasure Chest has occupied part of the Amesbury building. The owner of the business, Linda Holland, has moved from N. Chancery Street where the business outgrew its location. The Treasure Chest sells gifts, candles, flower arrangements and does custom framing. The Smoky Mountain Teddy Bear Factory will soon move into the building formerly occupied by Touch O’ Klas.
In November, Monty Wanamaker opened his new Southern Museum and Galleries next to his existing business on Morford Street. I would recommend anyone who has not yet seen the museum should pay a visit. It is a true asset to downtown McMinnville and the community.
Also in November, Seibers DME and Oxygen occupied the building at the corner of Main Street and Spring Street. Jimmy Seibers sells medical supplies and also operates a gift store from this business at 131 E. Main Street.
Peg Stewart, a local attorney, has moved her office to S. Court Square, to fill the space that was formerly occupied by Travel Trams. The Fraley’s building has been occupied for some time by Second Chance Antiques and I see another antique dealer has taken the only remaining space in the Amesbury building.
With the Master Plan Phase 1 ready to proceed within the next two years, it seems only a matter of time before downtown McMinnville is well and truly back on its feet.
(Dan Gray is McMinnville’s Main Street director. He can be reached at 506-5335.)