Former Lt. Gov. Kathy Davis announced the winners of the Indiana Main Street 2004 Downtown Revitalization Awards, which honor achievements in downtown revitalization and development.

These awards recognize the effort, and creative approaches that make our cities and towns the best they can be, said Davis, who serves as the director of the Indiana Department of Commerce, which oversees the Main Street program. They honor the hard work of our partners who are dedicated to improving the urban centers, downtowns and hearts of our communities.

Nine awards for downtown revitalization were presented at the conference for Indiana Main Street, the 18th annual event, which was held Oct. 29 in historic downtown Madison.

Winner of the Award for Design of Downtown Public Improvements is Highland. The community of Highland, with the support from various community organizations, volunteers, and a grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce, developed and implemented a strategic plan for downtown improvement. These improvements included the construction of a $4 million streetscape, installation of decorative bump-outs, planters, shrubs, flowers, trees and decorative lighting. New signage was also added to the downtown area. These improvements culminated with the addition of 12 new businesses, and the remodeling of 10 businesses currently residing in downtown Highland.

The Indiana Main Street program, established in 1986, provides Indiana’s communities with technical assistance in downtown revitalization, focusing on economic redevelopment within the context of historic preservation. It is the largest program of its kind in the country, with more than 160 cities and towns participating.

Local Main Street programs may nominate communities, organizations or individuals for awards. The Indiana Main Street Council chooses the winners.

Indiana Main Street operates under the direction of the Indiana Department of Commerce and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center. For more information on this program, contact the Indiana Main Street Division at 317.232.8912 or visit the Commerce Web site at www.indianacommerce.com.