DC Main Streets is a comprehensive program that promotes the revitalization of business corridors in the District of Columbia. Through partnering with independent nonprofit organizations, DSLBD provides grants to create and grow neighborhood Main Street programs. Our Main Street program partners, by being the first point of contact for many local businesses, help busy retail business owners interface with the DC Government, connect with relevant resources, and share valuable information.  

DC Main Streets revitalizes communities by retaining and recruiting businesses, improving commercial properties and streetscapes, and attracting consumers. In addition, leaders in these neighborhood organizations assist businesses and coordinate sustainable community-driven revitalization efforts in their neighborhoods.

The DC Main Streets program has increased the number of new businesses and jobs in the district. Facade improvements and building rehabilitation projects have upgraded the image of the commercial corridors, while marketing and branding efforts have resulted in additional exposure and increased market share.

View our map of all current DC Main Street corridor boundaries

In the first half of FY24, DC Main Streets programs generated the following economic activity:

• Net Jobs Created: 298
• Net New Businesses: 36
• Rehabilitation Projects Completed: 32
• Volunteer Hours Engaged: 3,063
• Private Investment Attracted: $1.75 million

Since the DC Main Streets Program was created in 2002, over 600 businesses (net) and 7,500 jobs (net) have been created, and over $350 million have been invested in public improvements.

Current DC Main Street Corridors:

(Update coming soon)

Main Street/ Neighborhood	FY 2023 Annual Report	Main Street's Instagram
Barracks Row Main Street	Barracks Row FY23 Annual Report	@barracksrow
Bladensburg Road Main Street operated by DC Squared	DC Squared FY23 Annual Report	@bladensburgroad
Chevy Chase Main Street operated by District Bridges	Chevy Chase FY23 Annual Report	@chevychasemainstreet
Cleveland Park Main Street operated by District Bridges	Cleveland Park FY23 Annual Report	@cleparkmainstDC
Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant operated by District Bridges	Columbia Heights/ Mt. Pleasant FY 23 Annual Report	@columbiaheightsmainst @Mountpleasantmainst
Deanwood Heights Main Street Currently w/o an operator	N/A	N/A
Congress Heights Main Street	Congress Heights FY23 Annual Report	@destinationcongressheights
Eastern Market Main Street	Eastern Market FY23 Annual Report	@easternmarketms
Georgetown Main Street	Georgetown FY23 Annual Report	@georgetownmainst
Glover Park Main Street	Glover Park FY23 Annual Report	@welovegloverpark
Historic Dupont Circle Main Street	Dupont Circle FY23 Annual Report	@dupont_circle_main_streets
H Street Main Street		@hstnedc
Logan Circle Main Street operated by District Bridges	Logan Circle FY23 Annual Report	@lgamainst
Lower Georgia Avenue Main Street operated by District Bridges	Lower Georgia Ave FY23 Annual Report	@lgamainst
Minnesota Avenue Main Street operated by H Street Main Street		@minnesotaavene
North Capitol Main Street
The Palisades Main Street
Pennsylvania Ave East Main Street
Petworth Main Street operated by Uptown Community Initiative
Rhode Island Avenue Main Street operated by DC Squared
Shaw Main Street
Tenleytown Main Street
The Parks Main Street - operated by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement
Uptown Main Street -operated by Uptown Community Initiative
Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street – currently without an operator
U Street Main Street operated by District Bridges		@Ustmainstreet
Van Ness Main Street	VanNess FY23 Annual Report	@vannessmainst
Woodley Park Main Street operated by Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets		@woodleyparkmainstreet

 

 

Each DC Main Streets program is led by a full-time executive director and powered by local volunteers and community development professionals. Each program has different operating structures as defined in its by-laws and operating procedure documents. By grant agreement with DSLBD, each program must have:

• Broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process, with strong support from both the public and private sectors;
• Well-defined vision and mission statements relevant to community conditions and the local Main Street program's organizational stage;
• A comprehensive project implementation plan and an adequate operating budget to support it;
• An operational board;
• A full-time staff person dedicated to program implementation;
• Committees staffed by volunteers that align with the Main Street Four Point Approach (see below).

The National Main Street Program, known as Main Street America 

DC Main Streets is the District of Columbia’s Coordinating Program for Main Street America. Main Street America is the national program that provides oversight and methodology to the over two thousand individual Main Street programs across the country.

Approach:

DC Main Streets builds on the Main Street Approach® that was developed by the National Main Street Center in 1980 to assist commercial revitalization efforts nationwide. The Approach consists of four points which work together to build a sustainable and complete community revitalization effort in the following areas:

• Organization of commercial revitalization efforts (e.g., developing and sustaining financial and volunteer resources)
• Promotion of neighborhood commercial districts (e.g., branding campaigns and special events) and individual businesses operating therein;
• Designs affecting the physical environment of the commercial District (e.g., clean teams and streetscape improvements) and the appearance of business storefronts and interiors;
• Economic vitality, including business retention, recruitment, and expansion

This approach provides local organizations with a mechanism to manage their neighborhood commercial districts and a structure to implement commercial revitalization activities that will achieve the stakeholders' goals for the Commercial District.

Qualifying DC Main Streets programs are certified as either “Affiliates” or “Accredited” programs under Main Street America, which involves rigorous program assessment and community engagement.