About Norway Downtown
Norway Downtown is a non-profit organization working with local people to build on the assets of a unique and treasured Main Street.
In 2002, Norway was designated an official Main Street Maine community by the Maine Downtown Center and the National Main Street Center. This program, administered by the Maine Development Foundation, was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in response to increasing threats to the health and survival of surviving downtowns. Over the last 20 years, the program has grown to include over 1,700 communities nationwide. This affiliation with the program provides significant resources and training for Norway Downtown.
As a partnership-based group, our strength is rooted in the relationships we form with state and local government and public and private investors. We initiate and support projects to improve Main Street, addressing changes with a comprehensive approach aimed at:
- Introducing people to the Main Street Maine program
- Getting Main Street into the best physical shape possible
- Celebrating and protecting historic features
- Introducing new ideas about downtown development
- Bringing people to Main Street
- Creating an atmosphere conducive to business
Norway Downtown plays a significant role in building on Main Street’s current assets and its cultural strengths. The group works towards improving the health of the downtown community through four committees, each directed by one of the key areas of work emphasized in the Main Street Program. These committees work cooperatively with residents, businesses, and town and state officials to address the interrelated issues affecting downtown communities. The committees correspond to the four vital forces of community value: social, physical, political and economic.
Organization (Social)
- Recruits and manages volunteers
- Promotes the Main Street Program
- Manages finances and fundraising
- Partners with organizations to benefit the downtown community
Design (Physical)
- Identifies, promotes and enhances physical assets
- Promotes and provides education about design and historic preservation
- Works to improve Main Street gateways
Promotion (Political)
- Sells the image and promise of Main Street to residents and visitors
- Works with the Town of Norway and merchants to collectively promote downtown Norway
Economic Restructuring (Economic)
- Identifies current economic strengths and opportunities
- Encourages appropriate new businesses and helps strengthen existing businesses
- Stimulates investment in downtown properties
The nature of this comprehensive program allows the organization to initiate ideas, to partner with like-minded organizations, to explore ideas and initiate projects that benefit Norway’s Main Street.
Norway Downtown continues to work with the town to improve the presentation and gateways of Main Street and to bring and retain businesses to meet the community’s needs, and also to attract visitors who would enjoy a remarkable Main Street experience.
Community Benefits
- Annual events, including seasonal festivals
- Constant upgrades to the appearance of the downtown district
- Promotional materials, including a map and guide, website and newsletters to broadcast the community’s many merits and opportunities
- Successful advocacy leading to grants, loans, and designations
- Support for existing businesses, institutions and organizations
- Encouragement of investment in new trends for economic survival
- More than $3 million in new public and private downtown investment
- For every $1 invested in the Norway Downtown program, an additional $4 have been invested in downtown Norway
As Norway Downtown works to support Main Street we invite you to join us. Please contact us with any questions you have about how to become involved.
Current Board Members
- Andrea Burns, President, Norway Resident
- Barbara Allen, Vice-President, Stephens Memorial Hospital/Maine Health
- Brian Fleming, Secretary, New Balance
- Bruce Cook, Treasurer, Norway Selectman
- Scott Berk, Café Nomad
- Dennis Gray, United Way
- Darci Hamm, Norway Savings Bank
- Rod Hodge, Dead River
- Erica Jed, Books N Things
- Katie Latourneau, Norway Savings Bank
- Brenda Melhus, Norway Resident
- Tony Morra, Bisco Properties
- Ken Morse, Healthy Oxford Hills
- Ed Snook, Sun Journal/Advertiser-Democrat
- Ex-officio members
- David Holt, Town of Norway
- Debra Partridge, Town of Norway
- Ann Siekman, Norway Memorial Library
