Keep up with all of the exciting progress happening in downtowns across CT.
On The Cover
A long exposure of pedestrians at a crosswalk perfectly captures the essence of our year at Connecticut Main Street Center — representing the increased vibrancy we’re achieving in so many downtowns, and symbolizing the speed at which we’ve witnessed productive growth among our members, programs and services.
Design: Map Agency
Printing: Minuteman Press
New members, more resources, and insightful assessment results — we accomplished quite a bit over the past year. It’s time to take a look back, reflect, and also celebrate! In this 2023-2024 Year in Review, we’ll cover some of the impressive impact numbers we achieved with our members, and take the time to shine a light on the collaborations that helped to innovate and accelerate change for so many Main Streets across Connecticut.
Photo: The Recinos Company
Board of Directors Staff
Michael Andreana Attorney Pullman & Comley
Kelvin Ayala Principal, Director of Real Estate Development Led By Us
Ryan Bingham, Immediate Past Board Chair Senior Government Relations Manager Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
Glenn Davis Vice President Community Development/CRA Officer Liberty Bank
Susan S. Decina, MPA Office of Business Development CT Dept of Economic & Community Development
Matthew Kaufman, Treasurer Regional VP of Operations, East Region Hartford Healthcare
Amanda E. Kennedy, AICP, Governance Chair Executive Director Southeastern CT Council of Governments Savannah Blantz Programs Coordinator
Jennifer Hunter Events & Professional Affiliates Manager
Kristen Lopez Education & Training Director
Michelle McCabe Executive Director
Alyssa Kent Senior Development Manager and Design Director Spinnaker Real Estate Partners
Ken Livingston, AICP, Vice Chair Principal/Vice President FHI Studio
Kathy Nanowski, CPSM, Secretary VP | Director of Marketing & Business Development Fuss & O’Neill
Allan Pagnotta
Executive Managing Director, Head of Credit Risk Review Webster Bank
Cierra Patrick Economic & Community Director City of Groton
Laura Pirie, Chair Principal Pirie Associates
Jeff Pugliese Director of Community Relations CT Eversource
George Rafael Associate Deputy Director Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Carl Rosa Field Services Director
Christine Schilke Communications & Strategy Director
Judith Stahl Business Operations Manager
Kennedy Winslow Field Services Coordinator
Our Mission
Advancing communities across Connecticut to establish and maintain vibrant Main Streets.
Recognizing our downtowns serve as the social and economic heart of the community, we help others understand the significant impact thriving Main Streets have on our economy and quality of life. At the local level, we work with our members — dedicated stakeholders including downtown professionals, municipal employees, business owners and even volunteers - to help them strategically cultivate the key ingredients of an inviting, vibrant downtown. At the state level, we advocate for programs and policies that advance the Main Street way of life.
The CT Main Street Approach
CMSC is a member of Main Street America and serves as the Statewide Coordinating Program for Connecticut. We espouse Main Street America’s Four Point Approach to Main Street Management, a model that focuses on the pillars of Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization (represented on the inner ring of the graphic). This model has been proven effective both nationally and locally with our members over our 25+ year history.
The Four Point Approach serves as the basis of our comprehensive Main Street Management Assessment tool that measures over 80 key downtown data points. Through our education, training, and technical assistance offerings, we guide our members to create incremental action plans that continuously enhance their downtowns and commercial corridors. Using the Four Point Approach framework to implement CMSC’s tailored recommendations, our members are able to cultivate the six key qualities of a vibrant downtown (represented on the graphic’s outer ring), resulting in dynamic and prosperous Main Streets all across the state.
Our Members
Our member network stretches corner-to-corner across the state.
CT Main Street Communities
1. Berlin
2. Canton/ Collinsville 3. Cheshire 4. Coventry
5. Derby 6. Durham
7. East Haddam
8. East Hartford
9. Enfield/ Thompsonville
10. Fairfield
11. Farmington
12. Georgetown
13. City of Groton
14. Haddam
15. Hamden
16. Hebron 17. Meriden
18. Naugatuck
19. New London
20. New Milford
21. Newtown/ Sandy Hook
22. Niantic
23. Norwich
24. Old Saybrook
Professionally Managed CT Main Street Programs
a. Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District
b. City Center Danbury
c. Manchester Downtown Special Services District
d. Middletown Downtown Business District
e. New Britain Downtown District
f. Simsbury Main Street Partnership
g. Downtown Storrs/Mansfield
h. Upper Albany Main Street (Hartford)
i. Wallingford Center, Inc.
j. Main Street Waterbury
k. Westville Village Renaissance Alliance & City of New Haven
l. Windsor
Putnam
Ridgefield 29. Rockville/ Vernon
Seymour
Suffield
Thomaston
Torrington
25. Plainville 26. Plymouth
Trumbull 35. Watertown
Westbrook 37. Windham/ Willimantic
38. Windsor Locks
Regional Affiliate Members
i. Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer)
ii. Northwest Hills Council of Governments
Multi-District Members
★ City of Bridgeport - Black Rock NRZ
★ City of New Haven
In The Field
Over the last year, CMSC conducted:
Sizing Up Success
CMSC’s new Main Street Management Assessment tool is helping members do more of what’s working, and change course on what’s not.
A thriving main street requires ongoing management — comprehensive work that juggles competing priorities and convenes community stakeholders around a unifying vision.
To strengthen and support our members in this work, CMSC launched a new annual Main Street Management Assessment in January 2023, breaking down the main street management process into over 80 concrete, incremental action items derived from national best practices and incorporating Connecticut’s unique character. As a result, the Assessment is centered on cultivating vibrant communities — regardless of urban, suburban, or rural context.
In FY24, CMSC performed 49 Assessments, providing our members across the state with a way to measure the success of their initiatives, benchmark their downtown management efforts, and utilize our customized recommendations and resources for strengthening key areas as needed.
Of the assessments performed, ten were in communities receiving them for a second year, offering valuable insights on year-over-year improvements. We’re happy to note that all ten communities scored higher in their overall score, most notably in the “Fundamental” section, meaning communities went back to basics to bolster the foundation of their main street program.
CMSC’s Impact Expands as Membership Grows
As word spreads about the effectiveness of our annual Main Street Management Assessment and the many resources available to our members, demand continues to grow. We’re thrilled to report that CMSC welcomed eight new members to our network over the last year:
City of Bridgeport
Black Rock NRZ (Bridgeport)
Town of Durham
• Town of East Hartford
• Georgetown Village Restoration, Inc.
• Town of Hamden
• City of New Haven
Town of Westbrook
24/7 Access to Resources
This past year, CMSC launched a new Community Platform for its members. Available online through CMSC’s website, the Community Platform gives members exclusive access to resources specifically tied to their Assessment results, as well as detailed information on CMSC’s Professional Affiliates, in-depth recaps of CMSC webinars with summary overviews and additional resources, and a forum for communicating with other CMSC members. The Community Platform also has a searchable Downtown Resource Library where members can filter information by Four Point category, resource type or topic.
Education and Training
We teach professionals how to create great downtowns using the nationally proven Four Point Approach to Main Street Management, bringing local and national best practices to CT’s downtowns.
Main Street Accelerator Program
CMSC launched its new Main Street Accelerator program in fall 2023, taking on our first cohort of six teams from communities across the state.
This action-oriented leadership development program focuses on helping communities better their downtown by implementing a specific project, such as launching a new initiative, or addressing a challenge. During the 6-month program, participants learn national best practices in main street management; sustainable and inclusive development practices; project management; and community engagement.
Meet Our First Accelerator Cohort
Teams from six Connecticut communities were chosen for the inaugural class of CMSC’s new Main Street Accelerator program, representing a diverse array of geographies and projects.
Learn more about our Main Street Accelerator program. Applications open September 2024.
East Side NRZ (Bridgeport)
Representatives from the NRZ and the City of Bridgeport worked on creating a strong network of the district’s businesses.
Georgetown Village Restoration, Inc.
GVR team members examined how to increase exposure and foot traffic in Georgetown to help support businesses and the community.
Downtown Windsor
A local business owner and Windsor’s First Town Downtown director reimagined the ground floor VFW ballroom into a retail space-sharing facility.
Town of Haddam
Municipal economic development commissioners, the town’s selectwoman, and local business owners worked together to improve signage, mapping, and the overall visual appeal between the town’s two village centers.
Norwich Community Development Corporation
Planners and local development organizations collaborated on how to change the perception of downtown Norwich by enticing tourists through cooperative marketing and events with local groups.
Town of Thomaston
Municipal officials and downtown volunteers worked collaboratively to create signage with a historically recognizable visual theme throughout Thomaston.
Webinars
Our webinars are held throughout the year and focus on issues that are relevant to the communities we serve, often on topics resulting from member feedback.
This year’s topics included:
• Main Street Management 101
• 7 Steps to Succesfully Hire a Main Street Executive
How To: Fundraising Basics
• Main Street Accelerator Information Session
Constructing Downtown –Storrs Center 20 Year Update
• 2024 Legislative Session Roundtable for CMSC Members
• CT Humanities –Grant Funding for Main Street Management
• Funding Main Street Management – 3 Models
• DOT & Downtown: An Update on CT’s Complete Streets & Other Programs
Parking Requirements: A Roundtable Discussion
In total, we held 10 webinars with 510 registrants:
224 were CMSC members; 283 were non-members
• 122 were repeat attendees
• Top roles in attendance were: Municipal Economic Development (32%) and Planner (26%)
• 79% of attendees said that webinar topics introduced new concepts or deepened earlier understanding
New CMSC Program Attracts Federal Attention
Main Street Accelerator Cohorts Share Updates, Experience With Congressman Joe Courtney
It was an exciting day for the Norwich and Haddam teams when they met with Congressman Courtney in his Norwich office.
The teams enthusiastically described the challenges they’re addressing, how they’re formulating what they’re learning into actionable steps, and what they hope to accomplish as a result. The teams also shared how the program has taken their CMSC membership to a new level by learning new ways to collaborate, tackle a community issue, and apply it to future scenarios.
Special Events
CMSC takes pride in offering events that showcase practical real-world solutions to common challenges facing our downtowns. The genesis of these events increasingly comes from our Main Street Management Assessments, as we’re able to use the findings to pinpoint both trending obstacles and local successes, which are then shared through our dynamic in-person programs.
Spotlight on Main
During our Spotlight on Main events, a CMSC member community shares what makes their downtown unique, including how they have addressed obstacles and achieved success through collaboration, economic, and community development. Held twice a year in the spring and fall, attendees enjoy an insider’s view of the downtown, with an overview presentation from local officials, a guided walking tour, and a reception at a local establishment.
Spotlight on Main: Windsor
Presented by Windsor Federal
Brimming with possibility and conveniently situated between Hartford and Springfield, MA, our attendees saw firsthand how Windsor residents enjoy easy access to public transportation and commuter rails. Many development projects are underway in Windsor, with entertainment venues and residential buildings bringing new life to the center. Our visit demonstrated the proximity of Windsor’s downtown to the Windsor Center River Trail, a paved 1-mile loop trail connecting downtown and the historic district alongside the Connecticut River. Attendees also experienced Windsor Arts Center’s growing arts scene and the vibrant town green.
Spotlight on Main: Bridgeport
Presented by Sacred Heart University Office of Community Engagement
Fueled by creatives, arts and entertainment, dining and nightlife, Downtown Bridgeport shines as an inclusive, affordable and multicultural Downtown. Our attendees learned how it’s connected to highways, trains and buses, and is easily accessed by car or foot. Once vacant daytime office buildings are being converted into residential units, encouraging even more dining and nightlife in the city center. Downtown Bridgeport’s historic amenities are being brought to life through adaptive reuse and mixed-use projects. Attendees were particularly impressed by the abundant public art on display bringing vibrancy and engaging creativity in public spaces.
“I just realized how many good things are happening and the revitalization is amazing!” –CMSC Attendee
73 People from 20 Connecticut towns joined us to explore Windsor’s historic downtown.
Over 70 people from 15 Connecticut towns joined us in downtown Bridgeport.
Summits
New this year, our spring and fall Summit events feature local expertise, case studies, and engaging dialogues for a half-day of inspired learning and information-sharing.
Fall Summit: Positioning CT Main Streets in the Social Media Landscape
Presented by Intuition Media Group
During our fall summit we dove into the everevolving relationship between marketing and Main Streets, exploring the pivotal role social media plays in influencing residents and visitors, and how online audiences can be converted into real-life customers. This event featured two case study panels featuring local Main Street professionals and social media influencers and a conversation about the state’s new Make It Here campaign.
With thanks to our speakers & presenters:
Anthony Anthony, CT Chief Marketing Officer
• Laura Budd, New Canaan Chamber of Commerce and New Canaan Tourism & Economic Development Advisory
Bev Canepari, Unlocking Connecticut®
Alex Dakoulas, Owner, Strange Ways and Westville General
• Lizzy Donius, Executive Director, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
• Melissa Gonzales, Owner, Vintanthro Modern and Vintage
• Mistina Hascom, Owner, Lotta Studio and West River Arts
• Lora Karam, Unlocking Connecticut®
“I thought the overall vibe was excellent and I learned a lot.” –CMSC Summit
Attendee
Spring Summit: Addressing Blight & Vacancy on Main Street
Presented by Liberty Bank
Main streets are the face of the community that welcome visitors and provide residents and community members with a sense of identity. A blighted or vacant property can be incredibly detrimental to their vibrancy. Our spring summit featured two engaging panels of local officials, industry experts and downtown professionals discussing the incentives and deterrents they’re using to address empty storefronts and blighted properties.
With thanks to our speakers & presenters:
• Michael Andreana, Pullman & Comley
• Sarah Bodley, reSET
• Kevin Brown, Norwich Community Development Corporation
Julie Carmelich, State Historic Preservation Office
• Jonathan Delgado, City of Bridgeport
• Chris Edge, Town of Berlin
Kevin Gremse, Grow America
Dan Pesce, Main Street Waterbury
Peter Ludwig, CT Green Bank
• Rista Malanca, Northwest Hills Council of Governments
Brian McCann, Pullman & Comley
Yvonne Zhao, City of Hartford
Special Projects and Programs
Over the last year, CMSC launched two new initiatives, a multi-district assessment with the City of New Haven and Diversity on Main. These projects utilize CMSC’s unique strength as the state’s only comprehensive downtown resource specializing in all aspects of downtown management. As a result, we’re able to provide customized, in-depth guidance to these communities.
Diversity on Main
Diversity on Main brings together CMSC’s expertise as the state’s premier resource for developing and sustaining vibrant downtowns with the Black Business Alliance’s comprehensive resources for Black-owned businesses, including education, capacity building, and technical assistance, in order to tackle the problem of vacant storefronts. The aim of Diversity on Main is to advance equity while contributing to thriving and inclusive main streets by establishing opportunities for minority-owned businesses to occupy and own main street storefronts and properties.
Diversity on Main is launching its inaugural collaboration with the City of New London, creating a matchmaking framework that will place minority-business owners in main street storefronts and support downtown revitalization efforts. CMSC and BBA are committed to a two-year presence in the community to collect baseline data, convene stakeholders, train and vet entrepreneurs, build a collaborative framework, and activate storefronts. Recognizing the potential impact of this program, the M&T Charitable
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, awarded $150,000 to CMSC for its new Diversity on Main program in partnership with the Black Business Alliance. The funds are being distributed over a two-year term beginning in 2024.
This program is supported by M&T Bank and Liberty Bank.
City of New Haven Neighborhood Commercial Districts
CMSC joined the team of Pirie Associates to assist the City of New Haven to establish and serve a network of Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NCD’s) in the City. New Haven recognizes the value in having a main street entity as a partner in ensuring that every neighborhood with a commercial district is supported equitably in developing a thriving corridor. CMSC brought our newly developed Main Street Management Assessment tool to guide both the City and the NCD’s in their efforts.
CMSC utilized its Assessment tool to undertake a comprehensive examination of how the NCD’s are being managed by assessing 80+ downtown action items for thirteen distinct NCD’s.
Through the Assessments, CMSC pinpointed and recommended next steps for the City of New Haven and its NCD’s to improve their respective commercial areas. The City also joined CMSC as a multi-district member, so each of the NCD’s can enjoy access to CMSC’s comprehensive resources as they work to address the action items.
Connecticut Main Street Center
Awards of Excellence
Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence
CMSC bestowed its 2024 Awards of Excellence to individuals and communities for their outstanding contributions to downtown vibrancy. Three of the awards honor individuals for their leadership in effectuating positive change in Connecticut’s downtowns, while another honors the City of New Haven for its efforts to spur vibrancy across its many distinct neighborhoods.
Award of Excellence
City of New Haven
This award honors a CMSC member community whose exceptional efforts are contributing to thriving downtowns in Connecticut.
New Haven is being recognized for undertaking the Neighborhood Commercial District initiative to support its vibrant tapestry of communities, each with a unique vision for its commercial area. The initiative stands as a model approach for Connecticut’s multi-district municipalities by supporting multiple neighborhood “main streets”, simultaneously embracing their individual qualities while providing each with support and investment.
The Quentin Williams Downtown Hero Award
Cynthia van Zelm
This award honors the legacy of state Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams. Q was extremely supportive of CMSC’s work and a terrific champion for all of Connecticut’s downtowns.
Cynthia was recognized for her extraordinary efforts in the development of Downtown Storrs as Executive Director of the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. Downtown Storrs is a remarkable example of a Connecticut downtown that was built from the ground up, requiring years of planning, dedicated effort, coordinated development, and endless collaboration.
The Jack Shannahan Award for Public Service
Rep. Eleni Kavros Degraw, House District 17, Avon & Canton
This award recognizes public and private sector individuals and organizations that exemplify a high standard of leadership with a deep commitment to the success of Connecticut’s Main Streets.
Eleni was chosen for her tireless leadership, focus, and innovation in addressing Connecticut’s blight and vacancy problems that has led to consequential changes in State statute. As Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, she helped ensure our municipalities have more tools than ever to address this pressing issue.
CMSC Founder’s Award, presented by Eversource
Michael Andreana, Pullman & Comley
This award is presented in recognition of individuals and organizations who dedicate themselves to promoting an awareness of the necessity of a comprehensive management approach to the revitalization of Connecticut’s historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
Mike was recognized for his nearly ten years of dedicated service on the CMSC Board of Directors, strong advocacy of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) legislation and subsequent guidance and education, and work with Connecticut municipalities in establishing TIF Districts.
In The News
Over the past year, CMSC’s programming, services, member network, and staff all garnered attention for our efforts and successes revitalizing Connecticut’s downtowns and main streets.
Main Street Accelerator
Participants Attract Interest
Our new Main Street Accelerator program welcomed teams from across the state to learn and practice main street management best practices and apply them to a local initiative, attracting the attention of the Redding Sentinel and RepublicanAmerican, as well as Congressman Joe Courtney in the process.
Spotlight on Main Highlights Successes Across Community Boundaries
This long-standing event remains one of our most popular for good reason. With an often sold-out crowd of downtown professionals, municipal officials and real estate developers, this year’s events in Windsor and Bridgeport also attracted coverage in the Hartford Courant and DoingItLocal.com, a citizen-led news site with over one hundred thousand Facebook followers.
CMSC Award Winner Stories Shared on Air
Our annual Award of Excellence winners demonstrate the best of Connecticut’s main streets, so we were thrilled to share their stories on the awardwinning For the People radio show.
CMSC is routinely asked to speak on a variety of topics. This year CMSC staff presented at the following events:
• CT Conference of Municipalities Annual Convention
Grow Smart RI Main Street Forum
• AdvanceCT Partners Meeting
Fairfield County Talks
Housing hosted by Fairfield County’s Center for Housing Opportunity
• Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee Breakfast
• Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce
Connecticut Economic Development Association / AdvanceCT Legislative Policy Recap
CT Mirror Highlights Positive Impact of Downtown Investment
In April, the CT Mirror published an in-depth article featuring several CMSC members who are using ARPA funds to breathe new life into their downtowns through a wide array of activities that are improving infrastructure, spurring development, bolstering entrepreneurs, and catalyzing placemaking initiatives on Connecticut’s main streets.
The article detailed efforts underway to reinvigorate the downtowns of CMSC members Bridgeport, Fairfield, Middletown, New London, Norwich, Waterbury, Windham and Windsor.
This article was re-published in the Hartford Courant, RepublicanAmerican, and in Construction Equipment Guide, a regional paper spanning ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, Washington D.C., DE, WV and northern VA.
Photo: Shahrzad Rasekh / CT Mirror
Advocacy
CMSC is a fierce champion for Connecticut’s downtowns and main streets’ ability to address the most pressing issues facing our communities.
Your Voice Was Heard
CMSC offered many opportunities for members to share the concerns of main streets with our State legislators, from our FY24 Advocacy Survey, our Legislative Roundtable and Policy Subcommittee, to our Field Visits with member communities.
Moreover, Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets are supported by the Main Street Working Group of the legislature, led by Representative Jennifer Leeper (Fairfield and Southport) and Representative Anthony Nolan (New London), with whom CMSC shares a long-standing productive and open collaboration.
Addressing Blight and Vacancy in Downtowns
Gathering feedback via the channels listed above, the issue of addressing blight and vacancy emerged as the most pressing obstacle facing our downtowns. Through our March Summit, we shared new tools and explored future options, exchanging valuable information with our sold-out audience of downtown professionals, municipal and economic development officials, and local stakeholders.
We supported H.B. 5478, which would have introduced a land-value tax pilot program and funding for façade improvement and commercial space build out. A land value tax is a levy on the value of unimproved land intended to encourage development and discourage speculative land investment. It’s well suited to building new mixed-use infill projects where high taxes on improvements
More Residents = More Feet, Less Traffic
With hybrid and remote work as the new normal, downtowns rely more than ever on their residents to support the restaurants, businesses, and arts and culture venues located there. Yet, these very same businesses are struggling to find and retain the workers they need to stay open. Investment in main street housing is therefore a practical necessity to keep these important centers of community life vibrant and thriving by allowing people of all income levels to live where they work. In pursuit of this development, CMSC supported H.B. 5390 – also known as Live, Work, Ride – to incentivize expanded options in downtown housing.
discourage new development. While the legislation did not pass, it launched important conversations that will inform next session’s efforts.
Arts, Culture and Tourism— an Economic and Quality of Life Investment
Many of our arts and culture organizations are situated on a main street or in a downtown and serve as anchor institutions for the community. Theatre performances, public art projects, outdoor concert series, historical walking tours, and many other assets and activities bring life and economic activity to main street. They build community on the main streets that serve as everyone’s neighborhood, create jobs, increase foot traffic for restaurants and retail, and help us to reimagine the new downtown environment as workplace and shopping habits change. Tourism augments this sense of community, sharing Connecticut’s main street experience to the broader world. This critical sector is still reeling from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and needs continued and equitable support to regain its footing.
Acknowledging this, CMSC supported H.B. 5048, which would have invested much needed funding to artists, arts and humanities organizations, and tourism marketing.
Connecticut Main Street Center
Check out H.B. 5478.
A Look Ahead
We’re already gearing up to have an even larger impact in FY2025!
In the coming year, CMSC will continue to expand its programming and events, growing to meet the demands of our members and Connecticut’s Main Streets. Below is a preview of what we have in store.
Main Street Accelerator Program Continues into Year 2
In the coming year, we’ll welcome a new cohort of community teams aiming to better their downtowns by applying what they learn about the Four Point Approach to Main Street Management to a local community challenge, working with their fellow classmates to come up with practical, achievable solutions.
Diversity on Main Takes Root in New London
Diversity on Main brings together CMSC’s expertise as the state’s premier resource for developing and sustaining vibrant downtowns with the Black Business Alliance’s comprehensive resources for Black-owned businesses, including education, capacity building, and technical assistance, in order to tackle the problem of vacant storefronts. The aim of the program is to advance equity while contributing to thriving and inclusive main streets by establishing opportunities for minority-owned businesses to occupy and own main street storefronts and properties.
In the coming year, we’ll dig into stakeholder engagement and collecting baseline data in our pilot community, New London, working with local businesses and the city to inventory vacancies, identify ideal new businesses, and support small business owners in moving to main street locations.
Training & Events that Inspire Confidence and Action
Planning is already underway for a full slate of informative, in-person, and virtual events designed to share best practices, brainstorm new solutions, and highlight Connecticut’s vibrant main streets.
• Spotlight On Main: Our highly popular events will explore two CMSC member communities with a presentation from local officials, downtown walking tour, and closing reception:
- Fall 2024 Spotlight on Main: Georgetown
- Spring 2025 Spotlight on Main: New Britain
Main Street Summit: Local experts, municipal officials and downtown professionals will gather to discuss the latest trends in main street management and economic development.
- Spring 2025 Transit Oriented Development Summit in partnership with Capitol Region Council of Government
• Webinars: Our virtual events are held throughout the year and offer thoughtful discussions and practical guidance on common issues faced by our downtowns. Some of our upcoming topics include:
- Main Street Management 101
- Attracting EV’s to Your Downtown with Charge Deals
- Wayfinding
Join us at one of our upcoming events.
Professional Affiliates
CMSC’s Professional Affiliates provide our communities with specialized expertise relevant to downtown revitalization, preservation, economic and community development, land use, transportation and more.
CMSC is proud to have a wide array of experts that connect with our member communities via our educational programs, Annual Assessment tool, networking events and more.
Advocacy & Government Relations
• Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
Attorneys
• Pullman & Comley
Architecture, Landscape & Design
• BL Companies
• Crosskey Architects LLC
• Pirie Associates
• TSKP Studio
Downtown Design Services
• Downtown Decorations, Inc.
• Speclines
Digital, Web & IT Services
• CivicLift
• Vancord
Economic Development
• Goman + York
• Storrs Associates
Marketing, Branding & Photography
• Shire Lyons Ads
Planning, Engineering & Construction
• BFJ Planning
• Colliers Engineering & Design
• FHI Studio
• Fuss & O’Neill
• Good Earth Advisors
• M&J Engineering
Utility Companies
• UI/Avangrid
Sponsors Funders
Every year, CMSC hosts a full slate of events designed to provide local and national expertise on topics related to successfully managing a main street, and showcasing how that’s being implemented on-the-ground in our member communities.
CMSC events – which are attended by economic development professionals, municipal leaders, businesses that engage with main streets and municipalities, chamber members, and other professionals – are supported by generous sponsors who understand and encourage the positive impact Connecticut’s downtowns have on our communities.
We graciously thank our many sponsors for their support of our events this year.
Presenting Sponsors
• Liberty Bank
• Intuition Media Group
Sacred Heart University, Office of Community Engagement
• Windsor Federal
Partners
Bridgeport Regional Business Council
CEDAS
CT DEEP
Fairfield University Center for Social Impact
Key Bank
LISC
• M&T Bank
• Penn Globe
• Rakoczy Photography
• The Recinos Company
• Seth Duke
• Shire Lyon Ads
• Windsor Chamber of Commerce
Supporters
• CT State Community College Led By Us
The Loomis Chaffee School
Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce
PC Development Group
Pullman & Comley
Windsor Historical Society
• VHB
Annual Sponsors
• FHI Studio
• Fuss & O’Neill
In Kind Sponsors
• Dewey’s Barrels
• Likkle Patty Shop
Moneta Moments
The Bean @ 126
Windsor Art Center
CMSC is extremely grateful to its funders for their support.
The breadth of services CMSC provides would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and investors.
