Jan Harris wants people in the city to know that her job as Taylor’s Main Street manager is more than just special events.
“It’s a lot more,” Harris said on the most recent edition of “Taylor Talk with Jason Hennington” April 10. “Main Street is a national program that came out of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. When they realized the downtown districts that they were helping to preserve had no businesses in them. They had closed because people had left to go to the malls, so they had to get into economic development in order to repopulate those businesses.”
On the show, Harris told Hennington, Taylor Press’ area editor, she works with a board of directors that carries out the four points of Main Street, a program that was first developed in the early 1980s, including organizing community partners to attend events and volunteer, promoting the downtown through advertising, banners, online communication and more, and design, including helping businesses with their curb appeal, giving out grants to improve downtown’s appearance, and
more. “I am sure some of you have seen businesses stuck in the 1970s and they can’t get out,” Harris said. “We are trying to help them evolve with it.”
And then there is the economic vitality component, Harris said.
“That is the fun one to me,” she said. “That is bringing in your businesses already in the mix, your foot soldiers on the ground, and then trying to bring in additional businesses to bolster that mix, and let people know that Taylor, TX is a very special brand.”
Currently, the district, which runs from Seventh down to Rio Grande streets and from Vance to Washburn streets, has about 58 retail and food services businesses and 35 professional offices, Harris said.
Harris said one of her priorities is to bring more awareness to the fact that the south side of town is part of the Main Street district through Wayfinder banners and other economic development initiatives.
“We want to shout, ‘This is part of downtown Taylor,” Harris said. “This is part of Main Street,’” Harris said. “’And this is an important area that people need to reinvest in.’” While economic development is a key aspect of the Main Street program, Harris said festivals are also a big part of her job, including Blackland Prairie Day, planned for May 6.
“We are up against other festivals that weekend,” Harris said.
Therefore, this year organizers have come up with a way to differentiate themselves, taking the Main Street Car Show as inspiration, but this time celebrating the city’s farming heritage with assorted tractors as well as petting zoo with farm animals.
“It’s like Main Street Car Show but with an agricultural spin,” Harris said.
In addition, there will live music touching upon the different cultures that make up the heritage of Taylor, including Tejano, Rhythm and Blues, Country and Czech music, Harris said.
“If you missed it last year, please come out,” Harris said.
To find out more, go to www.facebook.com/ GoTaylorTx to access the latest episode or archived episodes of Taylor Talk.
