El Dorado Main Street Recognized at Downtown Symposium

Last week twenty-five former Kansas Main Street communities came together in Emporia to learn and celebrate successes in their downtowns.  I say former Kansas Main Street communities because it was only a month ago that the Kansas Department of Commerce did away with the program.  Through a lot of hard work and dedication to our mission, the Main Street communities across the state raised our voices loud and clear that we were not going away!

            Thursday evening almost 200 people gathered to support the annual awards that have always been a part of the Kansas Main Street Symposium.  El Dorado Main Street is proud to say that we are the recipients of four of these awards.  Starting first with our Community Award, Broderick Bean is on the EMS Board of Directors and is the chairman of the Frontier Western Celebration.  He puts in hundreds of volunteer hours each year and is always happy to do more.  We are very happy that Broderick was able to be recognized as a great volunteer and asset to our community.

            The Excellence in Design Award was given to Vince Haines of PKHLS and Mark McCollom for the new construction on Central Street.  This burnt-out lot has been a topic of conversation and considered an eye-sore for many years.  We are very lucky to have Mark and Vince, who had the vision to put a beautiful building in that space, which is now the new Kansas Secured Title Building.

            The Excellence in Public/Private Partnership Award was given to the City of El Dorado, El Dorado Main Street, and the private building owners involved in the HOPE VI Mani Street project.  This achievement has given communities all over the state hope that they also can partner together to benefit their downtown in similar ways.

            Finally, El Dorado Main Street reached a new benchmark this year, which we should all be very proud of.  There has now been over $40 million dollars reinvested into downtown El Dorado since becoming a Main Street community.  This is through streetscapes, new construction, historic preservation, and new and/or expanding businesses.  It has taken years to get to this accomplishment and I definitely want to thank the hundreds of volunteers, property and business owners, and past El Dorado Main Street Board of Directors.  It is through all of you that El Dorado Main Street was able to accept that award.  I have high hopes that with all of the improvements currently happening ad all of the great downtown progress, the $50 million celebration will be just around the corner.