www.ctmainstreet.

org

For immediate release: Contact: Kimberley Parsons-Whitaker

May 2, 2011 860-651-2524

Connecticut Main Street Center Announces

2011 Awards of Excellence
(Simsbury, CT) – Connecticut Main Street Center has announced the recipients of its 2011 Awards of Excellence.
Award-winning initiatives and individuals are engaged in Main Street revitalization in New London, Simsbury,
Waterbury, Westville Village in New Haven, and Torrington.

“Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) developed this awards program in 2003 to stimulate, encourage and support our
Connecticut Main Street member network”, said CMSC President & CEO John Simone. The program was created to
recognize outstanding projects, individuals and partnerships in community efforts to bring traditional downtowns and
neighborhood commercial districts back to life, socially and economically. The Connecticut Main Street Awards annually
celebrate and communicate the most successful and innovative efforts in Main Street revitalization in Connecticut.

“Common themes that emerged in this year’s award-winning projects included the ability of each recipient to engage the
community and encourage public dialogue about the needs of the neighborhood, as well as understanding of target
markets for their districts and encouraging main street entrepreneurs. This year’s winners are catalysts for further
investment in Connecticut’s main street districts.” said Simone.

Jurors for the 2011 CT Main Street Awards Program included Jason Vincent, AICP, Vice President of Planimetrics and
the President of the CT Chapter of the American Planning Association; Barbara Naugle, the 2005 CT Main Street
Executive of the Year and currently the Director of Development of the Knox Parks Foundation; and Kristiana Sullivan,
Vice President of Marketing of Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Submissions were judged on criteria which
included innovation, replication, representation and partnerships utilized, and outcome.

Awards will be presented at the Connecticut Main Street 2011 Awards Gala on June 6th at the Nancy Marine Studio
Theatre in Downtown Torrington. Webster Bank is the “Welcome to Main Street” reception sponsor. Additional Awards
Gala sponsors include The United Illuminating Company, Connecticut Natural Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas,
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Pitney Bowes, CEDAS, Colliers International, Connecticut Public Broadcasting
Network (CPTV & WNPR), Yale University, Connecticut Economic Resource Center and Corporation for Independent
Living.

CT Main Street Center PO Box 1344 Avon CT 06001 860.651.2525 info@ctmainstreet.org

2011 CT Main Street Awards of Excellence
Public Relations & Communications - recognizes a program that creatively promotes downtown businesses and events,
while communicating the vision, mission, function and achievements of the organization.
Award of Excellence to:
New London Main Street for their Social Media Campaign

Beautification - recognizes attractive structural and landscaping improvements which have improved the physical environment and
helped foster civic pride.
Award of Excellence to:
New London Main Street for Historic Waterfront District Gateways

Building Rehabilitation – recognizes commitment to the district by a building owner or developer who accomplishes a
rehabilitation project the design of which exhibits appropriate, sympathetic, and attractive improvements as well as compatibility with
neighboring buildings.
Award of Excellence to:
David Bender for Bender Showrooms, Downtown Torrington

Historic Preservation – recognizes efforts to preserve and enliven a historic structure, landscape or natural asset in the Main
Street district, resulting in widespread community support, quality improvement in the physical environment, and preservation of a
community landmark.
Award of Excellence to:
Waterbury Development Corporation & City of Waterbury for Waterbury City Hall Renovation
Submitted by Main Street Waterbury

Adaptive Re-use of a Building - recognizes a project that utilizes new and/or alternative use of a building(s) in a mixed-use
environment, and honors building improvements that look beyond the outside of a building to include appropriate changes to the
interior and upper floors, resulting in a dramatic effect on the quality and value of the district.
Award of Excellence to:
Parag Mehta, RA, AIA for The Hodson Building, Downtown Waterbury
Submitted by Main Street Waterbury

Retail Promotion - recognizes a promotion which demonstrates direct financial benefit to downtown merchants. Must be goal-
oriented, target an appropriate audience and demonstrate creativity.
Award of Excellence to:
Julia Sloan, of Brazen Bettie’s, for Brazen Bettie’s First Birthday Streetfair & Art Opening

Image Enhancement - recognizes a program that improves the image and vitality of the Main Street district.
Award of Excellence to:
Simsbury High School & Simsbury Free Library for the Documentary: Martin Luther King Jr. and the
Morehouse Students in Simsbury

Special Event - recognizes a special event with an original theme that promotes a positive image of the district with consideration
given to those events that celebrate local history and culture.
Award of Excellence to:
New London Main Street for Previews on Parade

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Ongoing Event - recognizes an event that occurs at least four times annually and has built traffic and benefitted the district.
Award of Excellence to:
Arts & Culture Commission, City of Torrington for Main Street Marketplace

CT Main Street Business Owner of the Year - recognizes outstanding commitment, on the part of a downtown business
owner, setting high standards for their own business as well as their overall impact on the district and involvement with local “main
street” revitalization initiatives.
Recipient: Kim Pettey, PINC! A Unique Boutique in Downtown New London
Submitted by New London Main Street

CT Main Street Property Owner of the Year – recognizes a property owner who has shown outstanding commitment to
high standards used in maintaining the physical property, attracting and retaining tenants who have contributed to enhanced street
level activity, and endorsing and promoting the value of an economically vital district.
Recipient: John Cavaliere, Lyric Hall Antiques & Conservation in Westville Village, New Haven
Submitted by Westville Village Renaissance Alliance

Emerging Main Street Partnership – recognizes an initiative, based on an extraordinary public / private partnership, in
cooperative efforts to positively impact the quality of life, the economic value, and image and use of the Main Street district.
Recipient: Torrington Downtown Partners

Connecticut Main Street Center

Connecticut Main Street Center is a statewide nonprofit that inspires great Connecticut downtowns, Main Street by Main
Street. Its mission is to be the champion and leading resource for vibrant and sustainable Main Streets as foundations for
healthy communities.

Since 2005 Connecticut Main Street membership has grown by over 600%, from 10 to 68 communities. Since the
Connecticut Main Street program began in 1995, Designated Main Street programs have generated over $952 million in
public and private reinvestment in their downtowns. Over the same time, 414 net new businesses have opened and 2,359
net new jobs have been created. For every $1 spent on a local Main Street program, $84.39 has been reinvested in CT
Main Street designated downtowns, making the Main Street initiative one of the most successful economic development
programs in the country.

CT Main Street Center is supported by Founding Sponsors, the State of Connecticut Department of Economic &
Community Development and The Connecticut Light and Power Company, and by Growth Sponsors, The United
Illuminating Company and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. For more information, visit
www.ctmainstreet.org.

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