Peabody Main Street Association has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs that have built strong revitalization organizations and demonstrate their ability in using the Main Street Four Point Approach methodology for strengthening their local economy and protecting their historic buildings.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” said Valecia Crisafulli, acting director of the National Main Street Center. “Accredited Main Street Programs are meeting the challenges of the downtown in the economy head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable.”

“PMSA is pleased to have earned the designation again,” Peabody Main Street Director Shane Marler said. “This is the fourth consecutive year that we have met the criteria to be a nationally accredited program.”

Evaluation criteria determines which communities are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as developing a mission, fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress, and preserving historic buildings.

Established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1960, the National Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts.