Lebanon, Ohio
Main Street Designation

Historic Downtown Lebanon, Inc.

Background

Historic Downtown Lebanon, Inc. was established in 2007, culminating from a two-year strategic assessment of needs of the central business district. Leaders from City Council, the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, merchants, the Warren County Foundation and others collaborated to achieve a competitive “Main Street” designation offered by Heritage Ohio, a Columbus-based nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance, training and networking in all facets of downtown development based upon best practices.

Heritage Ohio has designated HDLI as an “Ohio Main Street Community,” one of 38 Ohio communities that shares ideas and best practices for creating and sustaining a vibrant downtown.

Long-term benefits of operating a Main Street program include:

• Protecting and strengthening the existing tax base
• Increasing sales and returning revenues to the community
• Creating a positive community image
• Creating visually appealing and functional buildings
• Attracting new businesses
• Developing new housing opportunities in historic buildings
• Creating new jobs
• Increasing investment in the Downtown
• Preserving historic resources

Mission Statement

Improve, preserve and promote the central business district of Lebanon, Ohio, as a commercial, cultural, and social center within the context of historic preservation. 

Structure

Historic Downtown Lebanon, Inc. has four working committees whose foundation is preservation as an economic development tool, using those elements of quality that have survived as assets upon which HDLI can build a lasting, positive physical and emotional image for everyone who uses the downtown.

The committees are based upon a methodology that works to create a total image for the community, providing the retail professional area with a marketing niche, creating a cohesive identity unique to the community, and nurturing a cultural ambiance associated with Lebanon’s location, appearance, and way of life.

Organization Committee builds consensus and cooperation between the groups that play a role in downtown. Many individuals and organizations in the community have a stake in the economic viability of downtown. It also focuses on the operation, promotion and funding of HDLI.

Design Committee improves the downtown's image by enriching its physical appearance - not just the appearance of buildings, but also of street lights, window displays, parking areas, signs, sidewalks, streetscapes, landscaping, promotional materials and all other elements that convey a visual message about what downtown is and what it has to offer.

Promotion Committee markets downtown's unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, new businesses, tourists and others. Effective promotion creates a positive image of downtown through retail promotional activity and special events that use downtown as a stage area for community activities.

Economic Restructuring Committee strengthens the existing economic base of downtown while diversifying it.  Economic Restructuring activities include helping existing downtown businesses expand, recruiting new businesses, providing a balanced mix, converting unused space into productive property, and sharpening the competitiveness of downtown merchants.

HDLI Eight Guiding Principles

• Uses the comprehensive Main Street approach
• Relies on quality
• Makes meaningful, long-term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships
• Changes attitudes
• Focuses on existing assets
• Functions as a volunteer-driven self-help program
• Is incremental in nature as it builds capacity
• Uses implementation-oriented strategic work plans

Stakeholders

Historic Downtown Lebanon, Inc. represents and involves a coalition of organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals from throughout the community -- not just those who own property or businesses in downtown, but strives to involve all members of the community who are interested in the community's overall health.  Involvement by both the public and private sectors is viewed as critical.  Both participate in the revitalization process by providing funding, leadership, and ideas, and by encouraging collaboration between existing programs to assist the revitalization process.

By actively involving a broad range of interests and perspectives in the revitalization process, HDLI leverages the community's collective skills and resources to maximum advantage. The overall goal is for a broad range of constituencies from both sectors to understand and be philosophically committed to the revitalization process and, to that end, to commit the maximum resources possible to achieve the goal of revitalizing the commercial district.

Historic Downtown Lebanon, Inc. aims for active participation of its various stakeholders at the committee and board levels, including such constituents as:

Local government
Civic groups
Realtors
Property owners
Local industries
Financial institutions
Developers
Transportation authorities
Community development
Regional planning groups
Downtown organizations
Consumers
Churches
Historic preservation organizations
School groups
Architects and building contractors
Parking authorities
Neighborhood residents

Participants contribute financial, in-kind, and volunteer support.  They also look for, and act on, opportunities to make connections between other programs with which they are involved so that, by doing their own work in a better integrated way, other programs help further HDLI’s revitalization process.

Volunteers

HDLI has an ongoing process for volunteer recruitment, orientation and recognition, actively involving new volunteers.  If you are interested in serving on a committee or helping with a specific project, please email historicdowntownlebanon@zoomtown.com with your contact information and area(s) of interest.

For membership information please go to our membership page to see all the benefits of joining HDLI.

Evaluation

Each year Heritage Ohio conducts a year-end assessment visit to recognize annual program accomplishments, provide additional consultation on addressing downtown revitalization issues, and eliminate barriers to achieving work plan goals and activities.   The evaluation examines the effectiveness of the Main Street program within its own context and circumstances and recommends a level of activity the community is prepared to undertake in the coming year appropriate to overall goals and objectives.  Recommendations are made based upon national benchmark best-practices.

Current Board of Directors

Steve Mullinger, President
Proprietor, The Golden Lamb
hdli-president@zoomtown.com

Jan Edwards, Vice President
Realtor and Manager, Lebanon Sibcy Cline
hdli-vicepresident@zoomtown.com

Mike Murphy, Secretary
Architect
hdli-secretary@zoomtown.com

Jim Bliss, Treasurer
Vice President, Warren County Foundation
hdli-treasurer@zoomtown.com

Maria Collins
City of Lebanon – Economic Development

Ted Kossouji
Golden Turtle Chocolate Factory

Mary Kaufman
William & Mary Antiques and Jewelry

Steve Pomeroy
LCNB National Bank

Steve Bahns
Sign-A-Rama

Staff

Debbie Yurasek, Executive Director
hdli-director@zoomtown.com