Fire Damaged Globe Theater Receives Main Street Grant

This past July 17th brought heartache to the community of Globe, Arizona. Its historic Globe Theater engulfed by fire was destroyed. Today it is one of six projects statewide receiving a Main Street Grant from the Arizona Department of Commerce. Landmarks are being saved; downtowns continue to thrive, said Gilbert Jimenez, Director of The Arizona Department of Commerce. Arizona continues to assist communities in their efforts to revitalize their historic commercial core. These are the retail and transaction centers that help our communities thrive. Projects like these are the reason Governor Napolitano supports the Main Street program in her economic-stimulus plan. The goal is to enhance the character of cities for the benefit of residents and visitors." The total of grants awarded is $48,175. * Historic Globe Main Street Program receives two awards totaling $5,760. The Globe Theatre Reconstruction project receives $2,800. It will fund design assistance as part of its reconstruction and expansion recommendation. The 1906 Courthouse and 1916 Depot projects receive $2,960. This will fund a mortar analysis, necessary as contemporary mortar mixes have resulted in structural failure of the original material surrounding the mortar. The analysis ensures the two buildings repairs are complete for the Citys Centennial in 2007. * Sedona Main Street Program is awarded $15,000 for the Jordan Road Pioneer Pathway Interpretive Panels project. This funding will be matched with over $30,000 locally to produce, design and install ten interpretive panels about Sedonas history as a pedestrian amenity along a new sidewalk in Uptown Sedona being developed with private partners. * Casa Grande Main Street is awarded $4,415 for its Downtown Business Inventory database. The Property Profile and Business Inventory database will assist with business retention and expansion efforts in the efforts to insure a healthy and strong downtown. * Florence Main Street Program is awarded $8,000 for its logo and business directory project. To be competitive with new commercial areas developing on the towns periphery this grant will assist to create a logo for the program, print promotional materials, and produce a Main Street Business Directory. * City of Safford Main Street receives $15,000 for its Downtown District Enhancement Project. This includes the message board Marquee which is designed to entice traffic from the state route highway system into the Safford Downtown District. This is the second phase of the downtown enhancement project and has a $25,000 local match. The Main Street Program fosters economic development within the context of historic preservation by working as a partner with local and state agencies, property owners and business people to revitalize downtown areas. The Arizona Legislature established the Main Street Program within the Arizona Department of Commerce to stimulate the preservation and revitalization of downtown areas in smaller communities statewide. Commerce assists Main Street Program participants in creating local organizations that manage both revitalization and promotion of central business districts in 19 communities statewide.