Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) is honored to recognize the 28 Pennsylvania downtowns earning national Accreditation status, the top tier of recognition by Main Street America™. This exclusive designation signifies a demonstrated commitment to comprehensive community revitalization and a proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street Approach™. We also congratulate the ten downtowns who have achieved the Affiliate status indicating that these programs are on the pathway to achieving meaningful economic, social, physical, and organizational improvements in their downtowns and commercial districts.

“We are thrilled to acknowledge this year’s Accredited and Affiliate programs and their dedication to advancing economic opportunity and quality of life in their downtowns,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of Main Street America. “During an incredibly challenging year, these programs have demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to champion small businesses, drive recovery efforts, and lift up their communities. I am inspired by their efforts and know that these Main Street programs will continue to help their districts flourish in the next stages of recovery.

In 2020, Main Street America programs in Pennsylvania generated over $ 41.1 million in local reinvestment, helped open 167 net new businesses, generated 243 net new full time and 152 net part time jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 118 historic buildings, and clocked over 18,000 volunteer hours.  

“During a year of continuous change, our Pennsylvania Main Street programs have been a constant reminder of dedicated and committed service to maintaining thriving local businesses and vibrant communities. These programs have been part of the recovery efforts from the very beginning of the pandemic, and they continue to be the boots on the ground resource that their business districts have come to rely on,” says Julie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Downtown Center. “As we are emerging from the effects of the pandemic, many of our communities are looking at ways to reinvent themselves with a creative, resourceful, and inventive approach, and Main Street gives them the tools to do so.”

Pennsylvania Main Street programs are the lifeblood of our local communities and both state and national reinvestment statistics continue to indicate their critical importance. Since the early 1980’s, Pennsylvania’s Main Street program participants have provided crucial on-the-ground support for local businesses, particularly those in smaller and more rural communities—attracting more than $1.75 billion in public and private investment, creating over 24,000 net new jobs and over 7,300 net new businesses.

Accredited Main Street programs are evaluated annually by their coordinating program. PDC, the coordinating program of Main Street America™ programs in Pennsylvania, is proud to see these downtowns acknowledged for their determination to meet Main Street principles. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively rehabilitating historic buildings. Learn more.

Pennsylvania Programs

Main Street America Accredited™

PA DCED South East Region

• Ardmore Initiative
• Lansdowne Economic Development Corp.
• Main Street Mount Joy
• Quakertown Alive!
• Venture Lititz

PA DCED North East Region

• Danville Business Alliance
• Diamond City Partnership (Wilkes-Barre)
• Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress
• Downtown Shenandoah Inc.

PA DCED Lehigh Valley Region

• Building A Better Boyertown
• Easton Main Street Initiative
• Our Town Foundation (Hamburg)

PA DCED Central Region

• Downtown Bellefonte Inc.
• Downtown Lewistown Inc.
• Lewisburg Downtown Partnership
• Lewisburg Neighborhoods Corp.
• Main Street Gettysburg
• Main Street Hanover

PA DCED South West Region

• Castle Shannon Revitalization Corp
• Downtown Bedford Inc.
• Downtown Washington BDA
• Ebensburg Main Street Partnership
• Mount Lebanon Partnership
• Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful

PA DCED North West Region

• City of Bradford
• Clearfield Revitalization Corp.
• Erie Downtown Partnership
• Oil City Main Street Program

Pennsylvania Programs

Main Street America Affiliates™

• City of Pittston
• Downtown Carlisle Association
• Downtown Chambersburg Inc.
• Downtown Lebanon
• Downtown State College
• Mainstreet Waynesboro
• Somerset Inc.
• Scranton Tomorrow
• West Chester BID
• West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation

About Pennsylvania Downtown Center

Founded in 1987, the mission of Pennsylvania Downtown Center is to build and support the capacity of local nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and individuals to enhance the overall well-being and sustainability of Pennsylvania’s communities. PDC accomplishes this mission by engaging local community leaders and volunteers, and educating them, to advance the sense of place, quality of life and economic vitality of the Commonwealth’s downtowns, traditional neighborhood business districts and nearby residential areas.