Main Street Oakland County
Boosting Downtown Development
Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) is our unique economic development program for downtowns, with a historic preservation philosophy and an emphasis on "sense of place." We help local government develop their downtowns as vibrant, successful districts that serve as the heart of their communities.
Established in 2000, MSOC is the nation's first and only county-wide coordinating Main Street program.
Our mission is to maximize the economic potential and to preserve the heritage and sense of place of Oakland County's historic downtowns and commercial districts by encouraging and facilitating the use of the Main Street Four- Point Approach® that emphasizes comprehensive economic development within the context of historic preservation.
Downtown Farmington Wins 2026 Great American Main Street Award
Economic Impact Data
MSOC Investment & Economic Impact 2025 Statistics
MSOC Investment & Economic Impact 2001-2025 Statistics
Zoom Meeting on Collecting Stats 2023
Program Successes
The Main Street Approach is a unique economic development strategy that focuses on leveraging existing social, economic, physical and cultural assets to energize community revitalization efforts and help manage success for the long term.
Organization
Builds consensus and partnerships between the many vested stakeholders throughout a downtown to create a volunteer base in which everyone is working toward the same goal. A governing board of directors and standing committees make up the fundamental organizational structure of volunteer-driven revitalization programs. Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a paid program director. This structure not only divides the workload and clearly delineates responsibilities, but also builds consensus and cooperation among the various stakeholders for ongoing management.
Promotion
Creates a positive image of the downtown to instill community pride and encourage commercial activity and investment in the area. Promotions such as advertising, retail and special events, marketing and social media campaigns can be used to communicate the unique characteristics of a downtown to residents and visitors — sparking interest in shopping, dining, living or investing and creating a business in the community.
Design
Capitalizes on and enhances the visual aspects of downtown commercial areas to create a safe, appealing and inviting atmosphere. The physical elements such as the storefronts and building architecture, streetscape, public art, street furniture, parking areas, and public spaces are used to convey a positive image for the downtown. Quality maintenance practices such as historic building rehabilitation, adaptive use, appropriate new development, a design review process and long term planning are also strategies used to enhance the physical appearance of a downtown.
Economic Vitality
Strengthens the existing economic assets while diversifying the economic base of the downtown to support and improve profitability. The goal is to build a strong commercial district that supports today’s consumers by providing a balanced commercial mix, supporting and expanding existing businesses, recruiting new businesses, developing infill space, and converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property.
Community Vision and Market Understanding
The vision provides a foundation for outlining the community’s identity, expectations and ideals for future development while being grounded in an understanding of the market and what is feasible.
Transformation Strategies Implemented Using the Main Street Four Point
These strategies will focus on and identify long-term and short-term actions that once achieved, will help move a community closer to implementing their vision.
Implementation and Measurement
The Main Street Organization must show visible results that can only come from implementing action items and completing projects in the short-term and long-term. The changes occurring in Main Street Districts can be quantified by new jobs added, new businesses open, buildings redeveloped and other metrics of success.
Organizations & Membership
Main Street Oakland County is the only county wide coordinating program with the National Main Street Center.
Established in 1980 as a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Main Street Center, Inc. works with a nationwide network of coordinating programs and local communities to encourage preservation-based community revitalization. National Main Street Center has led the development of a national network of over 2,000 historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts: Main Street America™
As a nonprofit organization, the National Main Street Center provides information, offers technical assistance, holds conferences and workshops, and conducts research and advocacy on critical revitalization issues. Cumulatively, historic commercial districts taking part in the Main Street program have spurred the rehabilitation of more than 246,000 buildings, and generated $59.6 billion in new investment, with a net gain of more than 502,728 new jobs, and over 115,000 new businesses. Every dollar a community uses to support its local Main Street program leverages an average of $18 in new investment, making Main Street one of the most successful economic development strategies in America.
The National Main Street Center is based in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit www.mainstreet.org.
In 2015, Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) expanded its program to include three tiers. The tiers are currently:
- Select
- Partner (formerly Associate)
- Allied (formerly Affiliate)
We added these levels because we recognize that not all of our communities and commercial corridors can meet the qualifications necessary to be Nationally Accredited by the National Main Street Center in Chicago. However, we believe all downtowns and commercial corridors can benefit from the Main Street approach.
Take a look and see where your community can fit into the MSOC program.
All communities enter the Main Street program at the Partner or Allied Level. Take a look at these sheets for more information on each level:
Main Street Oakland County News & Resources
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width: 220px;\\\"><br>\\nMain Street Farmington Earns National Great American Main Street Award</span></a></p>\\n<p><strong><a href=\\\"https://youtu.be/IONPLvWntbg?si=vc9O2sbx0Cue5Wsb\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">GAMSA Video</a></strong></p>\\n<div></div>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<strong>SEMCOG RESOURCES | February 2026</strong><br>\\n<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=30255&t=639064206170193153\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">Overview of the Main Street Handbook & Resources<br>\\n</span></a><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\"><a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=30259&t=639064206195142473\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">Main Street Checklist</a><br>\\n<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=30257&t=639064206189748593\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">Main Street Handbook</a></span>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=30125&t=639053006542325371\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | February, 2026<br>\\nOakland County Economic Development News - Main Street Oakland County Leadership Participates in Main Street America Fall Coordinators Meeting in Billings, Montana</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=30057&t=639047558590343647\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | December, 2025<br>\\nOakland County Economic Development News - Main Street Oakland County Launches Main Street Benchmarking & Community Exchange Program</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://youtu.be/zpmpZp-TPE8\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">VIDEO RECORDING | November 18, 2025<br>\\nMSOC Training | From Search to Sales: Boosting Your Business with Google and AI</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=29397&t=638992430059494966\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ANNOUNCEMENT | November 12, 2025<br>\\nPaul Zelenak Honored by Michigan Downtown Association for Career Achievement in Downtown Management and Economic Development</span></a><br>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=29393&t=638992430043924042\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ANNOUNCEMENT | November 12, 2025<br>\\nAuburn Hills DDA Honored with Michigan Downtown Association Award for Best Public Place Project</span></a><br>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=29395&t=638992430052294494\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ANNOUNCEMENT | November 12, 2025 <br>\\nHighland DDA Honored with Michigan Downtown Association Award for Best Public Place Project</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<p><a href=\\\"https://youtu.be/I3xkHGIFKpM\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">VIDEO RECORDING | September 30, 2025<br>\\n<span style=\\\"font-size: 1rem;\\\">MSOC Training | Using AI Tools in Small Business—Part Two </span></span></a></p>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=28316&t=638925122951977391\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">POWERPOINT SLIDES | August 28, 2025</span></a><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\"><br>\\n</span><a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=28316&t=638925122951977391\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">MSOC WORKSHOP | POWERS & FINANCING OF DDAs</span> </a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27935&t=638893986251745618\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">PRESS RELEASE | July 30, 2025<br>\\nMain Street America Gives National Recognition to 21 Main Street Oakland County Communities</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27933&t=638893986245762221\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | July 29, 2025<br>\\nGovernor Gretchen Whitmer - Gov. Whitmer Announces Funding for 63 Main Street Small Businesses Across Michigan, Creating 444 New Jobs</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=27829&t=638887721460220115\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | July 16, 2025<br>\\nDOWNTOWN ROCHESTER - Downtown Rochester Certificate of Recognition Main Street Oakland County 25th Anniversary</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=27661&t=638874865659693543\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | July 1, 2025<br>\\nSEMCOG - Walking Infrastructure Matters on Main Street </span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=27663&t=638874871307048941\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | June 26, 2025<br>\\nSEMCOG - Announces $10.7 Million in Funding Awards for Walking and Biking Projects in Southeast Michigan</span></a><br>\\n<div></div>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27483&t=638854215050102092\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">PRESS RELEASE | June 13, 2025<br>\\nDowntown Oxford Captures Top Honor at Main Street Oakland County’s Main Event Awards Ceremony</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27539&t=638862684461670245\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | June 11, 2025<br>\\nFarmington DDA Selects Jess Westendorf as New Executive Director</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://youtu.be/7JpglnECcQk?si=iQyDajXC2MGru_lv\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">VIDEO RECORDING | May 20, 2025<br>\\nSEMCOG Video | Main Street Oakland County – Historic Downtown and Corridor Economic Development</a><br>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"https://www.oakgov.com/home/showdocument?id=27681&t=638875802741066977\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | May 5, 2025<br>\\nAndy’s Place in Holly Receives $433K Grant to Rebuild Restaurant</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27234&t=638835002242383133\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | April 28, 2025<br>\\nErick Phillips Receives Main Street America Revitalization Professional Credential</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=27609&t=638869564716171555\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">MAIN STREET OAKLAND COUNTY | SUMMIT NOTES | March 10, 2025</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=26098&t=638749449424239098\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">ARTICLE REPRINT | January 30, 2025<br>\\nMAIN STREET AMERICA Community Spotlight: GM on Main Street Grant Recipient Holly, Michigan</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"file-lines\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/home/showdocument?id=25758&t=638731377593331747\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">PRESS RELEASE | January 22, 2025<br>\\nCongratulations to Downtown Farmington: A 2025 GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET AWARD SEMIFINALIST</span></a>\"},{\"BlockIcon\":\"link\",\"BlockContent\":\"<a href=\\\"/?navid=3354\\\"><span style=\\\"color: rgb(0, 70, 173);\\\">Main Street Oakland County News Archive 2021 - 2024</span></a>\"}]"}Additional Information
For more information on Main Street Oakland County call (248) 858-5444.
