Cookeville, McMinnville among 23 communities included in year-end data
NASHVILLE – Twenty-three Tennessee Main Street communities, including Cookeville and McMinnville, generated more than $59 million of public/private investment in 2013, the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development said Wednesday. Based on economic impact and reinvestment statistics, the data accounts for activities occurring between Jan. 1, 2013-Dec. 31, 2013.
Other reinvestment statistics from the designated Main Street communities reporting include:
Net new jobs: 646
Net new businesses: 182
Building rehabilitation projects: 273
Public improvement projects: 126
Net new housing units: 173
Volunteer hours contributed: 88,036
Total public/private investment: $59,807,753
“Tennessee’s Main Street communities are some of the state’s most valuable and treasured resources,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “These job growth and investment numbers reinforce the importance of our Main Street program in bolstering economic growth while allowing communities to develop productive initiatives that support job creation, downtown revitalization and the long-term success of our state.”
Tennessee Main Street provides technical assistance and training for communities in developing real-world solutions to make downtowns safe, appealing, vibrant places where folks want to shop, work, live, invest and make memories.
There are currently 26 designated Main Street program communities across Tennessee. The following 23 were included in these reinvestment statistics: Bristol, Cleveland, Collierville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dandridge, Dayton, Dyersburg, Fayetteville, Franklin, Gallatin, Greeneville, Jackson, Kingsport, Lawrenceburg, McMinnville, Morristown, Murfreesboro, Ripley, Rogersville, Savannah, Tiptonville and Union City. The remaining three communities – Jonesborough, Lebanon and Sweetwater – were not included, because newly designated programs are recommended to receive accreditation from the National Main Street Center after successfully completing one full year of participation.
For more information about the Tennessee Main Street Program, visit www.tennesseemainstreet.org. For more on the National Main Street Center, visit www.mainstreet.org.
